Radio Astronomy

Radio Astronomy always interested me. Years before I even was licensed. Since I got my HAM Radio Setup almost complete, I was able to active map the sky.

My current Project is to monitor the Jupiter Noise Storms. HF Radio Astronomy is working best, when the Sun Cycle nears it’s minimum. Therefore it is ideal for the „dead years“ of HAM Radio.

Base Receiver

Yaesu VR-5000

Antenna

W3DZZ (10m – 20m)

Interface

mircoHAM USB Interface II (Sound Interface – connected on Yaesu VR-5000)

General Possibilities

Project Type RX / TRX Needed Antenna Needed Electronic Expertise
Jupiter Noise Storms HF Receiver Dipole Antenna Very Little
Solar Flare Monitoring VLF Receiver Ferrite Antenna Very Little
Meteor Studies VHF Receiver Yagi Very Little
Source Detection HF/VHF/UHF Receiver Yagi or Sat Dish Moderate to Advanced
Pulsar Detection VHF/UHF Receiver Yagi or Sat Dish Advanced
Mapping/Interferometry Multiple Receivers Multiple Antennas Advanced
SETI VHF/UHF/SHF TRX + FFT Yagi Cluster or Sat Dish Advanced

Rule of Thumbs

  1. Never use an active antenna. You wont hear anything, because the Signals we look for are very faint, and when using active antennas those signals will fade in QRM.
  2. Record Signals so you can re-evaluate them later.

For more Information visit http://www.radiosky.com