FSK and Meteor Scatter on 2 meters

My local Raadio Club, Spalding and District Amateur Radio Society (SDARS), recently had a video presentation, talk and demonstration on the use of FSK with WSJT  Software for making long distance contacts on 2 meters using Meteor Scatter.

This was a very timely talk as the Perseid Meteor Shower was due in a few days along with a DXpedition to IO41 by EI9E.

I must say that I had used this mode before, or I should say I had WSJT working before, but I had never made any contacts with it. I simply did not really understand what Meteor Scatter was all about. I certainly did not realise that this was a mode that can be used at any time as Meteors are constantly entering the Earth's atmosphere.

The video was by GW8JLY which told us what FSK and Meteor Scatter was all about. It was a very comprehensive video that didn't get bogged down in too many technicalities. Further explanation was given by Bob, G1ZJP, and then a practical demonstration was given by Julian, G4YHF, in the Club Raadio Shack which put the theory into practice. 

Still fired up with enthusiasm, I couldn't wait to give this a try at home and the next day was on 144.370 listening out for signals. I saw some decodes on the screen from OH6KTL and decided to give him a call. After a few QRZ's he got my call and after some time sending info to and fro, we completed the QSO.

So I had made my first Meteor Scatter QSO using FSK and WSJT software. OH6KTL is in KP02OJ, a distance of 1649 Kms and just using 30 watts to an 11 ele Tonna at my end.
I think that this is a mode that I could get into and will definitely be trying it again.

Thanks to SDARS for being such a pro-active Club. This is not something that I would have achieved before the presentation. Thanks guys.

73 De Jim GØHGH

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