The East Coast VHF Society

The next major event of interest to VHF enthusiasts is the Leonids Meteor shower, predicted to peak on or about November 17, 1997. This shower is reported to be a "better than usual" event. However, the really BIG shower is supposed to take place in November 1998 - and the one in 1999 is also suppose to be quite good. The equipment required to participate with reasonable results are about 150 watts and a 12 element beam. That should be enough to make some contacts. Obviously, more power and a larger beam can't hurt! However, if you are running 10 watts to a vertical, you would have to be very very lucky to make even one contact. The best way to make contacts is to arrange a "sked" with another station in the 600-1200 mile range. Use a unique frequency between 144.105 and 144.180 - or you may use the area 144.230 and 144.250, but that's not as desireable. You may, in between skeds, monitor the calling frequency (144.200) for random contacts. The real trick is to be quick, use both the other station's call and yours, and if you hear the other station use your call and you hear his call, then exchange your grid squares. Remember, to have a "valid" QSO, you need to hear both sets of calls from him, he has to hear both sets of calls from you, and then you each must exchange one additional piece of information. This could be a "signal report", but usually it is more useful to exchange the grid square. Signal reports in "meteor scatter" mode are rather pointless, but you sure do want to know what grid square you just worked! When you hear the other station's grid square, you want to continue to send your grid square, along with "roger" - that indicates you heard his grid square. When he hears your grid square, he should also send his grid square and "roger". When you both hear other's "roger"'s, you end the QSO with "73 73 73" - sometimes "roger 73 roger 73 roger 73" is acceptable. This all takes place within a few seconds. Also, don't forget to say "break" when you go into receive mode.

If all this is new to you, it may be a bit confusing. You might just want to listen to others for a while to get into the flow of how it works. One final thing. In a one minute period (starting at 00 seconds), it is normally a rule that stations to the South and West transmit on the "1st" and "3rd" 15 second segment, and North and East transmit on the "2nd" and "4th" 15 second segment. However, when a large meteor burst comes along, and you are in the middle of a contact, the time sequences are waived. It is OK to transmit "out of sequence" while attempting to complete a QSO. Other stations on the frequency should stand by for you until you complete the QSO. At that point, any other station also hearing the DX station are allowed to "tailgate" and also try to work him. But they really should wait until it is clear you have a "genuine" completed contact. When the activity dies down, the "time sequencing" is again in effect.

You may hear CW from time to time during meteor scatter days. This is used to "test" the path, and see if any "pings" can be heard. Stations at a distance will hear your station from time to time as "pings". If the pings become more prevalent, the other station might want to try and make a contact. However, unless you are using the "high speed" cw technique, SSB is a much more efficient way of making a contact during a meteor shower. DO NOT try and make a 2-way meteor shower contact using cw - especially on the calling frequency! Use SSB to make the QSO. If you want to experiment with high speed cw techniques, make a sked and use a different frequency (as noted earlier).

Good Luck!

Roger, K2SMN