Greetings Meteor Observers.

Briefly, here is my fireball observation and capture method as developed thus far. It is a work in progress.

I am visually recording the whole sky from dusk to dawn with a video camera (a HiCam HB-710E;   lens is a Rainbow L163VDC4P fisheye ) into a Pansonic VCR. On the first stereo audio channel of the VHS tape I am recording a 5 MHz WWV signal for audio time stamp and on the second stereo channel I am feeding in forward scatter reception received from 83.250 MHz channel 6 transmitters.  I am splitting the forward scatter signal into SpectrumLab software which serves as my audio chart recorder. (The forward scatter receiver is an ICOM PCR1000.) I go through the night's SpectrumLab charts and look for any prominent meteor scatter reflections and then go to that time point on the night's video tape to check to see if there is a local fireball capture.  I am pleased to find that significant line of sight fireballs do make forward scatter reflections receivable in my radio system.

Following  are spectrographs and fireball capture movies.


Fireball   on  August 28, 2007   0824:07UT              Note: this movie file is larger at 5.5 MB
FBaug282007082419ut7.wmv




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Below is a chart from August 27, 2007 which shows a strong meteor reflection at 0836:40 UT. And here is a movie of the event.  ( Note : Resolution of this movie is a little crude and I am hoping to upgrade my equipment to make better video specimens soon.   North is at the top of the movie frame, West is to the right.)                         2.1 MB
FBAug272007083650ut7.wmv



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Here is another chart and movie example. This specimen has a clearer WWV signal.  August 27, 2007    0801:55 UT.                 2.9 MB
FBAug272007080150ut.wmv



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Any comments and suggestions welcome. My observatory is in development.

Thomas Ashcraft

Radio Fireball Observatory
35.50 N   105.89 W
New Mexico


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