ARLX002 Lunar Echo Experiment looking for Amateur Radio Participants

[k8mcn]

SB SPCL ARL ARLX002
ARLX002 Lunar Echo Experiment looking for Amateur Radio Participants

The HF Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) in Alaska and the Long Wavelength Array (LWA) in New Mexico are planning an additional lunar echo experiment for January 18-19.

Interested radio amateurs are invited to participate in this experiment by listening for the lunar echoes and submitting reports.

On January 19, listen on 6.7925 MHz from 0500-0600z, and on 7.4075 MHz from 0600-0700z. On January 20, listen on 6.7925 MHz from 0630-0730z and on 7.4075 MHz from 0730-0830z (depending on frequency occupancy at the time of operation, it may be necessary to adjust the frequency slightly).

Based on previous experiments, investigators believe it should be possible to hear the lunar echoes with a standard communications receiver and a simple 40 meter dipole antenna. The format for the transmissions will follow a five second cycle beginning on the hour and repeating continuously.

The HAARP transmitter will transmit for the first two seconds. The next three seconds will be quiet to listen for the lunar echo. Then HAARP will transmit again for two seconds, repeating the cycle for one hour. In the second hour, this five second repetitive cycle will be repeated at a different frequency. All transmissions from HAARP will be CW (no modulation).

Depending on ionospheric conditions, it may or may not be possible to hear the HAARP transmission directly via skywave propagation. Since HAARP will not be using any modulation, set your receiver on to CW mode to hear HAARP and the lunar echo. Investigators are interested in receiving signal reports from radio amateurs who may be able to detect -- or not detect-- the lunar echo or the transmitted skywave pulse from HAARP.

Submit reports via e-mail to mbreport@haarp.alaska.edu and list your call sign and the type and location of your receiving equipment and antennas. NNNN /EX

 

[zz0468]

This should be quite interesting. I'll be listening with an ITT 3041A receiver, and Spectran DSP software.

 

[elk2370bruce]

Way cool! Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[key2_altfire]

Ooooooh yes, this IS way cool, and will be my first time listening for "Sputnik."

Will be using an Icom IC-R1500 and will homebrew a 40m dipole ASAP. Right now I'm using a random wire and a discone.

 

[WA1CRZ]

"On January 19, listen on 6.7925 MHz from 0500-0600z, and on 7.4075 MHz from 0600-0700z."

Im going to assume the january 19th is the date in Greenwich also. 0500Z here on the east coast is midnite, therefore.........5 minutes to go!!!

 

[WA1CRZ]

Im hearing both the ground wave and the echo, though Im not sure which is which. One is very loud , about S5 and the other is S1

Assuming the weak signal is the HAARP, from the start of the weak until I hear the start of the echo is 2 and a half seconds approx

rough guessing at 186,000 miles per second, 2 and a half seconds times the speed of light then divided by 2 for the distance to the moon, it works out to about 232,500 miles.

 

[k8mcn]

"On January 19, listen on 6.7925 MHz from 0500-0600z, and on 7.4075 MHz from 0600-0700z."

Im going to assume the january 19th is the date in Greenwich also. 0500Z here on the east coast is midnite, therefore.........5 minutes to go!!!

it is on now 6.79250 CW transmitted ground waves received
lunar echo a couple seconds later the weaker reverb sounding due to the doppler shift

 

[eorange]

Same here, I think. I heard the 1st 2 seconds, followed by nothing. But now it sounds like 1 continuous signal that turns into 2 signals, which sounds like they're beating...

 

[k8mcn]

Same here, I think. I heard the 1st 2 seconds, followed by nothing. But now it sounds like 1 continuous signal that turns into 2 signals, which sounds like they're beating...

You can hear the ground wave tone first-that is the signal they are transmitting--it is the louder one--after that you should be able to hear the echo from the lunar surface---it is the weaker second signal, and is actually off the transmit freq just a hair due to the doppler shift........
Dont know where it came from but some one just sent CQ---i guess some one messing around--anyone else hear it?????????????

 

[WA1CRZ]

one signal is S7 to S8 here and the other is about S3
I didnt hear a CQ but did hear something that sounded like the woodpecker.
I wonder if Art Bell is listening too.

 

[k8mcn]

one signal is S7 to S8 here and the other is about S3
I didnt hear a CQ but did hear something that sounded like the woodpecker.

yep --heard the wood pecker here also, just briefly--some static crashes too--listening on an 80 meter dipole with a 857d---what is everyone else using??

 

[WA1CRZ]

TS-570S and G5RV dipole

 

[eorange]

I tuned down to 6.792.33 and now I hear it! It's fading in and out at times, but definitely there. Heard the woodpecker too but missed the CQ.

Using the IC-706MKIIG and a Hustler vertical.

 

[KB8OCP]

Ok, going to try to record it on 7407.5 . kenwwod TS-520 with 80m windom up 50ft.
old kenwood wont tune down to 6800. going to run sig to mixer with WWV time
from a seperate reciver fed to the mixer for time ref. hope i can hear it. did hear the woodpecker also just below 7000. any body else recording it?

 

[zz0468]

I'm getting good echos here in California. This is where accurate time keeping comes in handy. The transmitter is going off at exactly even 5 second intervals, for two seconds. At 2.4 seconds after start of transmission, the returned echo can be heard, sometimes quite strong.

The screen cap is from Spectran DSP software, receiver is an ITT Mackay 3041A phase locked to a GPS and Loran disciplined Rubidium frequency standard. Antenna is a 40 meter dipole fed with open wire line.

 

[zz0468]

More info...

I'm hearing direct signals as strong as -80 dbm, and echos as strong as -130 dbm. DSP noise floor is around -150 DBM, and echos are fading into the noise at times.

 

[KB8OCP]

hearing solid tone slight fade no dopler shift (steady freq.) S10 noise here sig is right at the niose. cant tell ground sig from echo. zero beat at 7405

 

[zz0468]

That probably wasn't it. It was a 2 second carrier repeated every 5 seconds.

I ended up seeing about 5 Hz of doppler shift toward the very end, as the moon moved further west. When it was straight overhead, doppler was below my ability to resolve.

 

[zz0468]

Here's another Spectran screen cap taken at a narrower bandwidth. This is toward the end of the 7.4 MHz transmission, showing the doppler shift on the echo, and multipath distortion on the direct signal. Signal levels were about -130 DBM on the direct signal, and about -145 on the echo.

 

[Shortwavewave]

Darn I missed the first "run" i guees you would call it?. tomarrow morning I will be sure to catch it and record it, and show pics like zz0468 has there, only IF i can hear anything.