2 September – Meteor Beacon Project update by Brian Coleman, G4NNS

Communications Manager | June 26, 2024

The presentation

The first phase of this project was completed in May 2022 when the UK meteor beacon GB3MBA went on the air from the Sherwood Observatory of the Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society enabling studies of meteor events over the UK using simple equipment and making possible a range of STEM projects featuring radio and astronomy.

The second phase of the project, which will be described in the presentation, is to develop a network of receivers streaming their data via a central server for detailed study of individual meteor events. A public display of the echoes received by the network of receivers which can be viewed at https://ukmeteorbeacon.org/beaconclient/

Work continues on automating the capture of the echoes as received by the receivers in the network . This data will be stored for later analysis and study where they can be compared with optical observations from, for example, the UKMON camera network.

This is a cooperation between the “worlds” of amateur radio and astronomy. In particular with members of the Fireball alliance which, in the UK is led from the Natural History Museum with the aim of studying meteors and when possible recovering meteorites.

Both project phases have been supported by the RSGB Legacy Fund and beacon running costs are being met by the British Astronomical Association.

About Brian

Brain says: “First licensed as G8AZU in 1967 I have always been interested in UHF and microwave activity and construction. In addition to terrestrial microwave operation mainly on 5.7, 10 and 24GHz I am active on 3.4, 5.7, 10 and 24GHz EME using a 3.7m dish antenna which is also used for radio astronomy.

During events I organised for British Science and Engineering week I noted the interest audiences shown in the echoes from meteors which, using the Graves radar, I displayed as part of these presentations. This prompted me to assemble a team to build the GB3MBA meteor beacon to provide UK coverage for the study of meteor events over the UK.”