Meteor Scatter Extravaganza

[Crazy Monkey]

It's been a while since I visited Canada due to Covid, but I decided to finally go to the family cottage at Bobs Lake in Ontario. I brought my SDR and a 3-element yagi with me. I was hoping to get meteor scatter, and the results exceeded my expectations big time! I ended up with 107 confirmed meteor scatter logs in just 4 days! Some noteable catches were a few short hops like 103.5 CIDC @ 174 miles, 92.1 WVTK @ 160 miles, and 107.9 WVPS @ 186 miles. If you don't believe me, then check out the YouTube video link below of CIDC. Another noteable reception was 93.5 KIPI in HD on my car radio. I took a photo of that too, because I was casually listening to local 93.5 CKXC while driving. I noticed the HD light started going, and then all of a sudden "KIPI" appeared on the dashboard.

Reception of 103.5 CIDC Orangeville, ON @ 174 miles via Ms... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsLps97t2nk
Reception of 105.1 CKHY Halifax, NS @ 636 miles via Ms (a typical catch)... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZUxjZ7hxT8
A really good meteor burst lighting up the SDR... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeWRs5Dem10

Here is a summary of the Ms logs...

88.9 WNSC Rock Hill, SC
88.9 WVBA Brattleboro, VT
89.5 WMOT Murfreesboro, TN
89.7 WTBP Bath, ME
89.7 WUWM Milwaukee, WI
89.7 WONU Kankakee, IL
89.7 WCPE Raleigh, NC
90.9 WRAF Toccoa Falls, GA
91.1 WNXP Nashville, TN
91.1 WREK Atlanta, GA
91.1 WZGO Aurora, NC
91.1 WYFG Gaffney, SC
91.1 WSHU Fairfield, CT
91.3 WLTR Columbia, SC
92.1 CJQQ Timmins, ON
92.1 WQKQ Dallas City, IL
92.1 WBVX Carlisle, KY
92.1 WVTK Port Henry, NY
92.7 WCMI Catlettsburg, KY
92.9 WGTZ Eaton, OH
93.1 WIBC Indianapolis, IN
93.5 KIPI Eagle Butte, SD
93.7 WEEI Lawrence, MA
93.7 WNOB Chesapeake, VA
93.7 WFBC Greenville, SC
93.7 WDGG Ashland, KY
94.1 CKEC New Glasgow, NS
94.3 WIBG Avalon, NJ
94.3 WJLK Asbury Park, NJ
94.5 WLRW Champaign, IL
94.5 WPST Trenton, NJ
95.1 WZZO Bethlehem, PA
95.1 WDZQ Decatur, IL
95.1 CFCY Charlottetown, PE
95.1 WLST Marinette, WI
95.1 WYLE Grove City, PA
95.1 WSSX Charleston, SC
95.1 WFBE Flint, MI
95.1 WGGC Bowling Green, KY
95.1 WNKS Charlotte, NC
95.1 WAYV Atlantic City, NJ
95.3 WPYO Maitland, FL
95.7 WKML Lumberton, NC
95.9 WMXZ Isle of Palms, SC
95.9 WTWX Guntersville, AL
95.9 WLQK Livingston, TN
96.1 WTCX Ripon, WI
96.1 WHQC Shelby, NC
96.1 WBBB Raleigh, NC
96.5 WXCC Williamson, WV
96.5 WOEX Orlando, FL
96.5 WFLB Laurinburg, NC
96.9 WWPL Goldsboro, NC
96.9 WXBQ Bristol, VA
96.9 WJGL Jacksonville, FL
97.1 WKHC Hatteras, NC
97.3 WENJ Millville, NJ
97.3 WJFD New Bedford, MA
97.3 WMEE Fort Wayne, IN
97.3 WTNV Tiptonville, TN
97.3 WCGY Jefferson, NH
97.3 WKBC North Wilkesboro, NC
97.3 KDNW Duluth, MN
97.3 WGH Newport News, VA
97.7 WGTI Winfall, NC
97.7 WFDL Lomira, WI
97.7 WAQE Barron, WI
97.7 WWXM Garden City, SC
98.1 WHZT Williamston, SC
98.1 WCTK New Bedford, MA
98.5 WZLQ Tupelo, MS
98.5 WBBO Ocean Acres, NJ
98.5 WSB Atlanta, GA
98.7 WQME Anderson, IN
100.9 WSTS Fairmont, NC
101.5 WKXW Trenton, NJ
102.1 WMXT Pamplico, SC
102.7 WJJX Appomattox, VA
102.7 CJMV Val D’or, QC
102.9 KARN Sheridan, AR
102.9 WDUN Clarkesville, GA
103.5 CIDC Orangeville, ON
103.5 WIMZ Knoxville, TN
103.9 WJKR Worthington, OH
104.5 WAXX Eau Claire, WI
104.5 WFMB Springfield, IL
104.5 WSNX Muskegon, MI
105.1 CKHY Halifax, NS
105.1 WJDX Kosciusko, MS
105.1 WPDT Coward, SC
105.5 WVIG West Terre Haute, IN
105.5 WBYA Islesboro, ME
105.5 WCOO Kiawah Island, SC
105.9 WNRQ Nashville, TN
105.9 WEZV North Myrtle Beach, SC
106.5 WTHJ Bass River Township, NJ
106.5 CBHM Middleton, NS
106.5 WMEF Fort Kent, ME
106.5 KCQQ Davenport, IA
106.5 WOYS Carrabelle, FL
106.5 WSFL New Bern, NC
107.1 WEVC Gorham, NH
107.1 WTDK Federalsburg, MD
107.3 WJMZ Anderson, SC
107.7 WGBG Fruitland, MD
107.9 WVPS Burlington, VT
107.9 WMRK Shorter, AL

Attached photos...
1.) 107.9 WVPS via Ms with HD sidebands shown
2.) 93.5 KIPI (1,203 miles) via Ms on car radio briefly decoded in HD showing over non-HD local CKXC
3.) FM Autologger Results
4.) Antenna

[Jim Thomas]

Awesome stuff Andrew! I remember those meteor scatter days from when I lived in Colorado. The dial here in southwest Missouri leaves a lot to be desired for meteor scatter.

[Crazy Monkey]

I found another new meteor scatter log from reviewing recordings... 102.9 WGMK Philadelphia, PA @ 328 miles with RDS. So that brings the total to 108.

[N1LF]

Andrew, this is inspiring to me. Especially so, since the DXpedition was done from an inland location. So many of these seem to take place on rocky coastline or far-away locations that I'm unlikely to ever visit. But an Arrow antenna, cut for the middle of the FM band is pretty portable. Take along a small SDR like the AirSpy HF+ Discovery, and it's easy to envision how I might find success during a business trip.

Generally, I prefer to do my DXing from home--despite the challenge of high noise, but this does sound a fun way to do a lot of DXing in a short time. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[landtw]

You are the King of Meteor Scatter, Andrew! With talk of tilting the antenna upwards rather than at the horizon, I am inspired to experiment with my antennas. For me, I want to try it to lower the noise floor and if it helps with Ms, then that's a plus!

[Crazy Monkey]

I had the chance to travel back to the family cottage in Ontario and do more FM DXing. Even though there was no anticipated meteor shower, there was still plenty of meteor scatter FM DX. I ended up adding 47 new FM logs to the book (in 5 days of DXing), and lots and lots of relogs. Here are the new logs.

89.1 WFDU Teaneck, NJ
89.1 WVTF Roanoke, VA
89.5 WYFS Savannah, GA
89.7 WMHK Columbia, SC
89.7 WUSF Tampa, FL
90.1 WHRX Nassawadox, VA
90.1 WNAA Greensboro, NC
91.5 CBAX Halifax, NS
92.1 WCFJ Irmo, SC
92.1 WKPL Ellwood City, PA
92.1 WHBT Moyock, NC
92.1 WMYB Myrtle Beach, SC
92.5 WEKS Zebulon, GA
92.7 WMAY Taylorville, IL
92.7 WRRV Middletown, NY
93.7 WBXE Baxter, TN
93.7 KSD St. Louis, MO
93.7 WPEZ Jeffersonville, GA
95.1 WRNS Kinston, NC
95.1 WRBS Baltimore, MD
96.1 WSTO Owensboro, KY
96.7 WLTY Cayce, SC
97.3 WYGY Fort Thomas, KY
98.5 WTFM Kingsport, TN
101.5 WSOL Yulee, FL
102.9 WLKO Hickory, NC
102.9 WLKS West Liberty, KY
102.9 WBUZ La Vergne, TN
104.5 WLKT Lexington, KY
104.5 WOKV Atlantic Beach, FL
105.1 WRNZ Lancaster, KY
105.1 WDCG Durham, NC
105.5 WGOJ Conneaut, OH
105.9 WNKN Middletown, OH
105.9 WMAL Woodbridge, VA
105.9 WXMK Dock Junction, GA
105.9 WRKS Pickens, MS
105.9 WVGA Lakeland, GA
106.5 WSKZ Chattanooga, TN
106.7 WTCB Orangeburg, SC
107.3 WLVW Washington, DC
107.3 WKFV Clinton, NC
107.3 WWJK Green Cove Springs, FL
107.7 WIVK Knoxville, TN
107.7 KSLZ St. Louis, MO
107.7 WWWT Manassas, VA
107.9 WWRQ Valdosta, GA