The best way to work meteor scatter on 6m is.....?

[W3HKK]

My first attempt:
-100w to a 5 el yagi pointing NE ( general direction of the Perseid meteor shower.)
-listened on 50.125 usb
- from 7 am EDST-10:30 am EDST.
Contacts: worked a 2 station in Albany NY (ssb) and a 1 station in MA.( cw)
Heard:  maybe a dozen other stations between 5x1 and 5x5, for periods of 20 seconds to 90 seconds. Most were  in 1 and 2 land.  I also heard a couple of loud 4 stations that I assumed were Es.

So what advice would a pro in MS propagation give to improve results.

Also which meteor showers besides the Perseids are worth the effort?

Any advice on antennas, polarization,  other tips to maximize a good experience?

[N2RRA]

I'm no pro, but I've been successful!

My previous setup was a 6el. Yagi (500 watts) on 6 meters, 18el. on 2 meters (200 watts min.) and 22el. on 432 Mhz (200 watts). Six meters is the band more commonly used for Meteor Scatter day or night where on 2 meters and 70cm late evenings to very early mornings is commonly used to run M.S. All though M.S. can be done running SSB/CW morse code would be the preferred mode.

The most commonly used mode to run M.S. and primary choice of mode is digital using K1JT software. JT65 and FSK441 is where you will benefit from the wonders of meteor trails. A web site called www.pingjockey.net will help you find who's active, where and how to schedule for a contact.

The software is free download and takes a little learning curve to set up ,but is really cool and fun. Just need a little patience till you get the hang of it. 

73!
N2RRA

[KA4POL]

You can get the WSJT software at: http://www.vhfdx.de/wsjt/
ARRL has some information if you are a member.
http://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk would be a site for ensuring contacts.

[W3HKK]

Thanks guys. What freqs do you make your contacts on? Any specific listening freqs?

Regarding  ssb and old fashioned  cw, what are the most highly monitored frequencies   to listen on?

I had some success on 50.125.  I also read that 50.260 is another MS freq for ssb/cw.
Are these equally  utilized or  is one more active than the other? Any other  listening freq's for ssb/ms MS?


And that 50.260-290 is used for the digital modes..k1jt etc. which Im now considering.

[KA4POL]

Mostly used are frequencies between 50.240 and 50.310. I good writeup is at http://www.qsl.net/w/w8wn//hscw/papers/hscw-sop.html

[N2RRA]

Thanks guys. What freqs do you make your contacts on? Any specific listening freqs?

Regarding  ssb and old fashioned  cw, what are the most highly monitored frequencies   to listen on?

I had some success on 50.125.  I also read that 50.260 is another MS freq for ssb/cw.
Are these equally  utilized or  is one more active than the other? Any other  listening freq's for ssb/ms MS?


And that 50.260-290 is used for the digital modes..k1jt etc. which Im now considering.

On the Pingjocky web site link I left you will answer your questions. You'll find on 2 meters 144.130-.150 M.S. is common.

Good Luck!

[KS1G]

I recently started on 6M & 2M MS as well.  So not expert but learning a lot here.  My set-up: Moxon @ 22 ft for 6M, FT857 @ ~75W (throttled back for duty cycle), 6 el WA5VJB "cheapyagi" for 2M, 100W+ (TE systems amp with additional cooling).  LMR-400 coax on both, and optional 6M preamp @ base of mast (seems to amplify local noise as much as signal so not using it much).  I've made 6-12 (forget how many) total QSOs on 6 & 2 over several days preceeding Perseids and over the weekend (mostly Sat nigh & early Sun).  Max distance just under 1,000 mi.  All contacts using FSK-144 with WSJT 9.0-something (whatever is latest).  Have PSK2K installed but no completed QSOs yet.  Use the pinjockey site to look for someone at a reasonable distance who can walk you through 1st digital-MS QSO.  Or find someone really close and go terrestrial to work out the bugs and learn the protocol.  Helps if you already know you have a working PC-radio setup for any digital/soundcard modes - you can copy a lot of the settings into to WSJT software. 

Digital MS is on/around 50.260 & 144.140 (FSK144), 50.230 (PSK2K, they are on a separate chat server, & forgot which freq for 2M!).  Also terrestrial JT65A (JT65-HF software and the WSJT package) on 50.276 (lots of activity during the June-July E-skip season).  Best operating time of day is morning around local sunrise +/- a few hours.  WSJT software will show where to point antennas for best performance (usually slightly off the direct bearing because of the geometry of MS propagation) if you enter your 6-char grid and the other station's.  QSOs can take most an an hour to complete using random (non-shower) meteors.  (Hence the need for additional airflow to cool equipment running on a 30 sec full-on, 30 sec off cycle.)  I've had some (not much) success trying to monitor the 6 & 2M calling frequencies and QSOs in progress per pinjockey - unless one (rarely, both) stations are in the right geometry with mine, I'm not going to hear anything. 

In addition to the excellent materials on the W8WN qsl.net page, also check out the WSJT group site http://my.ykc.com/wa5ufh/default.htm (somewhat more current) and read the WSJT software docs.  Good luck, hope to work you!
73 Steve KS1G