@proceedings {948, title = {The Whistler Catcher Thin: An Advanced VLF Reception System Based on the Whistler Catcher Pi}, year = {2025}, month = {03/2025}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Newark, NJ}, abstract = {

The Whistler Catcher Pi is a VLF Reception System that captures the VLF spectrum up to 48 kHz using a VLF Active Antenna, Audio Injector Stereo soundcard, GNSS receiver, and a Raspberry Pi running vlfrx-tools software. The system has the ability to capture science-grade VLF data using common off the shelf components. It can timestamp with GNSS accuracy, remove mains hum, automatically capture natural radio events like dawn chorus and whistlers, automatically record amplitude and absolute phase of Navy VLF transmitters to detect SIDs and GRBs, calculate the Time of Group Arrival of sferics, record EbNaut transmissions from VLF amateurs, and many more. It was installed in December 2021 and is still in continuous operation, having captured over 100 whistlers, detected hundreds of SIDs, and an EbNaut transmission at 8.270 kHz from DL3JMM in Germany. Having built on this success, we propose the Whistler Catcher Thin, a VLF reception system that can capture spectrum up to 96 kHz utilizing the same VLF Active Antenna, Behringer UMC202HD USB Audio Interface, and Dell Wyze 5070 Thin Client. The added processing power and higher sample rate from these low cost components lend well to a low cost network of these VLF reception systems for DASI2, adding observations to simultaneous HF and magnetometer observations. With a network of at least six systems, the HamSCI lightning location network can be realized.

}, author = {Jonathan Rizzo} } @proceedings {952, title = {Why you should attend the Youth on the Air camp}, year = {2025}, month = {03/2025}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Newark, NJ}, abstract = {

Why we\ believe every young ham radio operator, aged 15-25{\textemdash}whether you{\textquoteright}re a seasoned pro or newly licensed{\textemdash}should attend YOTA camp

}, author = {Katherine Campbell and Jack Roberts} } @proceedings {962, title = {WSPRsonde Installation at WWV/WWVB}, year = {2025}, month = {03/2025}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Newark, NJ}, abstract = {

The 19th meeting of the WWV/H Scientific Modulation Working Group was held on May 28, 2024.\  The topic of discussion centered on WSPR with Rob Robinett, AI6VN, giving a presentation on his software, WSPRdaemon, and the potential for the WSPR network to contribute to HamSCI efforts.\  After discussion, it was decided that installation of a WSPRsonde transmitter manufactured by Turn Island Systems and Paul Elliott, WB6CXC, would be pursued at both WWV and WWVH transmitter sites.\  Dave Swartz, W0DAS, conducted the initial installation at WWV/B over the summer and fall months of 2024 with extensive help from the NIST WWV/B staff, and details will be discussed.\  Early analysis of the WSPR data was very encouraging, with the 1-watt signal sharing very similar Doppler shifts with its 10,000-watt counterpart, as reported from a station at \>1500km.\  Installation of similar equipment at WWVH is in the works.

}, author = {Dave Swartz} } @proceedings {819, title = {The W2NAF-KC3EEY VLF Observatory: Building Exciting New Developments from a Solid Foundation}, year = {2024}, month = {03/2024}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, abstract = {

After more than two years, the VLF reception system installed at the W2NAF-KC3EEY VLF Observatory in Spring Brook Township, PA has proven an essential tool in ionospheric and magnetospheric research. Using low cost and simplistic hardware like a VLF Active Antenna, Raspberry Pi, soundcard, and GNSS receiver along with powerful, open-source software such as vlfrx-tools and GPS Daemon, it is possible to capture VLF spectrum data with science-grade accuracy, precision, and reliability that an amateur can easily achieve. Building on this foundation, new developments were made possible which include a 3-channel VLF reception system of the same hardware and software architecture; an H-field VLF receiver that will be used alongside the Active VLF Antenna as well as the newly developed 3-channel VLF reception system to enable triple axis reception, an amateur VLF transmission rig utilizing a GPS-locked carrier and the EbNaut digital mode, a possible atmospheric gravity wave detection from the Tonga eruption, an exciting 2023 annular eclipse observation indicating both influence from the Moon{\textquoteright}s shadow and a solar flare using Naval VLF transmitters and lightning sferics, and an analysis of the observed dusk and dawn phenomena on Naval VLF signals, along with other developments. These developments coincide with a call to establish the HamSCI VLF Network, a network of worldwide VLF reception systems installed and operated by volunteers, amateurs, and professionals alike in radio-quiet locations. The HamSCI VLF Network will augment the existing HamSCI Grape experiment with D/E-layer ionospheric phenomena, lightning location data with accurate stroke solutions, and more.\ \ 

}, author = {Jonathan D. Rizzo and Nathaniel A. Frissell} } @proceedings {875, title = {Wave Activity in Thermospheric Vertical Winds and Temperatures at Subauroral Latitudes}, year = {2024}, month = {03/2024}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, abstract = {

The need for high precision measurements of vertical winds with uncertainties less than 3-5 m/s and a temporal cadence of 1-2 min has made it exceedingly difficult to study the response of the thermosphere to gravity wave activity.\  Herein we present subauroral, midlatitude thermospheric wave measurements of 630 nm OI emission from a 15 cm narrow field Fabry Perot Interferometer, named the Hot Oxygen Doppler Imager (HODI).\  These measurements of temperature and vertical wind velocities are from a first light campaign at Jenny Jump Observatory (40.9 N, 74.9 W) located in northwestern New Jersey. The heightened sensitivity of HODI enables analysis of gravity wave behavior with uncertainties of 3-5 m/s for vertical wind speeds and 10-15 K for temperatures for two-minute exposures. Data was collected during periods of geomagnetically quiet and active conditions, and apparent wave structures were seen during both conditions.\  One detailed observation, taken the night of July 25, 2022, enabled the ~90-deg phase shift between vertical winds and temperatures to be inferred, as per standard gravity wave polarization relations with viscous dissipation.\  However, most other observations found to have little correlation between the temperature and vertical winds, which we speculate may be a result of the propagation and interaction of multiple wave events. Traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) are often described as the ionospheric signature of the passage of gravity waves, and we provide comparisons of select wave events to medium scale TIDs using differential total electron count (TEC) maps.

}, author = {Anneliese Schmidt and John W. Meriwether and Matthew B. Cooper and Andrew J. Gerrard and Lindsay V. Goodwin and Shun-Rong Zhang and Gilbert Jeffer and Chris Callie} } @proceedings {833, title = {When Life isn{\textquoteright}t Gaussian: The Allan Deviation Family of Statistics}, year = {2024}, month = {03/2024}, publisher = {HamSCI}, abstract = {

When analyzing data, it is common to assume a Gaussian distribution of noise around a "true"\ mean value. But real life often isn{\textquoteright}t Gaussian, so how do we deal with other kinds of noise? How do we think about data that does not have a well-defined mean? The Allan deviation family of statistics offers a series of tools to address these problems. Originally developed for characterizing the performance of oscillators, the family of statistics is now a mainstay of all kinds of time and frequency measurement and has found a growing range of applications across fields. In this presentation, I give a brief introduction to the Allan variance, highlight some other related statistics, and show their use in a variety of problem areas. I provide example code in Python and suggest a starting point for exploring these concepts with simulation.

}, author = {Aidan Montare} } @proceedings {852, title = {Why is sporadic-E propagation so weird?}, year = {2024}, month = {03/2024}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, abstract = {

Mid-latitude sporadic-E ("Es") clouds are transient, thin layers of dense but patchy ionization which appear in the E region of the ionosphere. The process of formation of Es is different from that of the background ionosphere and can, by comparison, produce much higher ionization densities. Sporadic-E propagation is well known to radio amateurs because it allows communication at higher frequencies and/or over shorter skip distances than is possible via the background ionosphere, but Es is also currently the subject of much academic research. This is partly because of the disruptive impact of Es on satellite communications and satellite radars, but there is also growing scientific interest in the Mesosphere /\ Lower Thermosphere region of the upper atmosphere, which is where Es mainly occurs. The thin, intense, and variable nature of Es means that reflected signals can have quite extreme temporal, spatial, and polarization characteristics. My PhD research showed that the reflection process at 50 MHz is primarily magnetoionic in nature, but many detailed features remain to be explained. To explore the observed polarization behaviour in more detail and to link that behaviour to the physical properties of the Es layers, a PHaRLAP-based raytrace simulation has been developed which predicts polarization parameters a signal passes through an Es cloud. As a case study, the observed significant and systematic differences in the polarization of the signals received in the UK over very similar paths from beacons in Hungary and Slovenia have been investigated in detail. Each of the two beacons shows strongly defined elliptical polarization, but the sense of rotation and predominant tilt angle are consistently opposite from each other, over multiple Es reflection events and on multiple days. This presentation will summarize the earlier work and then describe the building and testing of the PHaRLAP simulation model and the case study results obtained so far. Finally, outstanding questions about the weird nature of Es propagation will be discussed and opportunities for further work described.

}, author = {Chris Deacon} } @proceedings {855, title = {Why you should attend the Youth on the Air camp!}, year = {2024}, month = {03/2024}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, abstract = {

Why I believe that any young ham who{\textquoteright}s licensed and is within 15-25 years old, whether you{\textquoteright}ve done it all or just got licensed, should go to YOTA camp!

}, author = {Jack Roberts and Dylan Romero} } @proceedings {818, title = {The Wsprdaemon GRAPE reporting network}, year = {2024}, month = {03/2024}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, abstract = {

The recently released Wsprdaemon (WD) Version 3.1.5 added support for WD sites equipped with an RX888 to simultaneously record 16,000 sps IQ files on all WWV and CHU bands.\  After 00:00 UDP WD creates one 10 Hz 24 hour wav file for each of those bands and uploads them in DigitalRF (DRF) format to the HamSCI GRAPE server. This system hardware consists of a RX-888, GPSDO, and a Pi 5.

}, author = {Rob Robinett and Paul Elliott} } @proceedings {718, title = {W2NAF-KC3EEY VLF Observatory - A Year of Operation}, year = {2023}, month = {03/2023}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA}, abstract = {

After a year of operation, the W2NAF-KC3EEY VLF Observatory has detected thousands of sferics and tweeks, over fourty whistler events, two major dawn chorus events, two SAQ transmissions, and the first ever Amateur VLF transmissions from Radio Ameteur DL3JMM at 8270.03Hz using the EbNaut digital mode. This demonstrates that a simple VLF receiver with powerful signal processing from vlfrx-tools software using a Raspberry Pi, soundcard, and GPS receiver can serve both the VLF professional and amateur community. Using this, it{\textquoteright}s possible to construct a network of VLF receivers and perform signal processing from multiple locations for applications such as lightning location and location of other natural radio signals, sferic analysis, natural radio event study in multiple locations, interferometry of Amateur VLF transmissions, and more.

}, author = {Jonathan Rizzo} } @proceedings {747, title = {Web-Based Application for the Visualization and Analysis of Ionogram Data Observed by GNU Chirpsounder2}, year = {2023}, month = {03/2022}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA}, abstract = {

The focus of my system is to develop a web-based application for the visualization and analysis of data observed by GNU Chirpsounder2. We receive many ionograms each day from different transmitters around the world. Currently, data is in an unsorted format, so my initial task is to classify ionograms by chirp-rate and distance of the transmitter from the receiver. Once these two parameters are identified, it is necessary to have a method for sorting, analyzing, and visualizing the collected ionograms to conduct scientific studies or make the observations useful for radio communications operations.

}, author = {Nisha Yadav and Simal Sami and Dev Raj Joshi and Nathaniel A. Frissell and Robert A. Spalletta and Paul M. Jackowitz and Juha Vierinen} } @article {663, title = {Why Summer 40 m Propagation Is So Good Between Japan and the US Pacific Coast}, number = {334}, year = {2022}, month = {09/2022}, pages = {14-18}, url = {http://www.arrl.org/qex}, author = {H. Larry Serra} } @proceedings {651, title = {WWV/H Scientific Modulation Working Group: Designing for Citizen Science}, year = {2022}, month = {03/2022}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Huntsville, AL}, abstract = {

Time standard stations WWV and WWVH have served the National Institute of Standards and Technology{\textquoteright}s time dissemination needs for the past century. Because of the stations{\textquoteright} dependability and the precision of their frequency control, their carriers have served as a measurement signal in ionospheric sensing work for over half that time. Until now, however, the possibilities for additional science-driven modulations have not been fully explored. Here, we report a characterization signal which is currently being broadcast at 8 minutes past the hour on WWV and (44) minutes past the hour on WWVH from 15 November, its design process, and initial measurements made of that signal. (www.hamsci.org/wwv). This signal serves dual purpose: to characterize the stations{\textquoteright} transmitters and to prototype waveforms that can be incorporated into the existing broadcast schedule for citizen science measurements in the future. We discuss opportunities for this signal as a citizen science tool and introduce a planned campaign of measurements April 30-May 1 2022 (www.hamsci.org/sunrisefest).\ 

}, author = {Kristina V. Collins} } @proceedings {494, title = {W3USR and The Great Collegiate Shortwave Listening Contest}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA (Virtual)}, url = {https://hamsci2021-uscranton.ipostersessions.com/Default.aspx?s=1B-12-5C-9B-5C-AF-F5-8B-AC-62-CD-DD-D5-51-6A-9A}, author = {M. Shaaf Sarwar and Veronica I. Romanek and Thomas Baran and Jonathan Rizzo and Steve Holguin and Jonathan Rizzo and Nathaniel A. Frissell and William Liles and Kristina Collins and David Kazdan} } @proceedings {514, title = {W8EDU: Case Amateur Radio Club from 2010 to 2021}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA (Virtual)}, abstract = {

W8EDU, 2010-2021: In ten years, the Case Amateur Radio Club has grown from a small alumni-based group to a large student organization with extensive curricular and research involvement. This poster shows some of our successful efforts in that time, and highlights how our operating, licensing, curricular and research efforts support one another.\ 

}, url = {https://hamsci2021-uscranton.ipostersessions.com/?s=B5-39-13-BC-26-3A-2E-F1-35-30-97-99-27-96-4D-CD}, author = {Kristina V. Collins and Aidan Montare and David Kazdan} } @proceedings {474, title = {WSPR at Midlatitudes from KN4NBI: A Year of Data at Solar Minimum}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA (Virtual)}, abstract = {

The Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) is potentially a useful tool in the quantitative study of ionospheric propagation. But there are a number of factors to be considered in the use of WSPR to make propagation measurements, and it is useful to have a baseline at solar minimum to compare with measurements as we approach solar maximum in the next five years. One key measurement question is to what degree WSPR is linear, and over what dynamic range, in real-world propagation conditions. Another important issue is the role of noise in WSPR measurements. WSPR spots report SNR, not signal strength, so identification and quantification of various sources of noise is necessary. During a year of analysis of spots of my transmissions on 20 meters from a mid-latitude location (Virginia Beach), I have addressed these questions and made other observations of propagation at solar minimum. My results include:
\ - a determination that WSPR spots are linear with respect to transmit power from around -25 dB SNR to over +10 dB SNR;
\ - that the dynamic range may extend to more than 60 dB; however, a particular receiver{\textquoteright}s dynamic range for simultaneous spots\  may be substantially less than this;
\ - there is an approximately 6 dB noise {\textquotedblleft}fuzz{\textquotedblright} measured from ground wave reception, that can be averaged out, but a cost of time resolution;
\ - there is especially large variability in propagation at sunrise, sunset, and at the edge of the skip zone; on the other hand, long-distance propagation (e.g., to Hawaii or the Canary Islands) can have surprisingly low variability;
\ - even with zero sunspots and low K indices, there is substantial short-term variability in propagation which I have attempted to characterize. Very small changes in the K-index can have major effects on the distance of the skip zone and on nighttime propagation.

}, url = {https://hamsci2021-uscranton.ipostersessions.com/?s=71-EB-95-3E-73-A6-23-3A-7C-13-06-29-21-FF-8D-3A}, author = {Douglas G. Richards} } @proceedings {515, title = {WW0WWV: WWV Amateur Radio Club}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA (Virtual)}, abstract = {

A history of WW0WWV, WWV Amateur Radio Club.

}, url = {https://hamsci2021-uscranton.ipostersessions.com/?s=FB-0C-E4-1F-17-B5-54-5E-9C-F1-96-0C-E8-AE-56-0D}, author = {Dave Swartz} } @proceedings {570, title = {WWV/H Scientific Modulation Working Group}, year = {2021}, month = {09/2021}, publisher = {ARRL-TAPR}, address = {Virtual}, url = {https://youtu.be/MHkz7jNynOg?t=15420}, author = {Collins, Kristina V.} } @article {447, title = {Winter Sporadic-E-Like Propagation on 6 Meters}, volume = {76}, year = {2020}, month = {11/2020}, pages = {28-32}, abstract = {

The question was asked: why do we see sporadic-E like propagation in November and December, when many of the variables like UV radiation and solar exposure are at a minimum, unlike the very active sporadic-E summer months?\  Much like it was shown that North Atlantic transatlantic 6m propagation during the summer was made more possible by strategically placed weather storm systems, it looks like a similar effect with very strong jet stream boundaries also affect sporadic-E\ like communications during the winter months.\  This citizen science study is another example how amateur radio can contribute to science, and illustrates the great potentials for studies using ham radio data.\  We have many amateur radio stations on the air, using modes like FT8 which make contacts on propagation paths that we thought were previously impossible.\ 

}, url = {https://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/}, author = {Joseph A. Dzekevich} } @conference {379, title = {WWV Time Tick Arrival Time Study to Investigate Multiple Modes During Daily Dawn and Dusk Transitions}, booktitle = {HamSCI Workshop}, year = {2020}, month = {03/2020}, publisher = {HamSCI}, organization = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA}, abstract = {

High resolution spectral waterfall measurements of the 5 MHz WWV carrier frequency from Ft. Collins, CO to San Antonio, TX have shown the carrier to divide into the primary and additional frequency shifted copies during the night to day sunrise transition. In many cases the morning positive Doppler shifts associated with these frequencies appeared to follow a geometric progression. This timing study was conducted in an effort to learn more about multipath propagation during the dawn and dusk transitions. Timing measurements were made to arrival times of the first and delayed copies WWV 1-second timing ticks referenced to the 1 pps timing pulse available from a GPS Disciplined Oscillator. The primary and delayed arrival times were observed to cluster in a geometric progression that were consistent with ray trace programs predicting Time-Of-Flight for 1, 2, and 3 hop propagation modes. This talk presents the measurement techniques used, measured data for January 29, 2020, and correlations with a simplified geometric analysis, PHaRLAP, and Proplab Pro ray trace programs.

}, author = {S. Cerwin} } @conference {410, title = {WWV Time Tick Observations: Towards an Automated Approached}, booktitle = {HamSCI Workshop 2020}, year = {2020}, month = {03/2020}, publisher = {HamSCI}, organization = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA}, abstract = {

As described by\ Cerwin (2020), the timing ticks that mark each second on WWV can be used to observe multipath propagation. We present our setup, which is similar to Cerwin{\textquoteright}s, and describe our work towards automating the collection of timing tick observations. We demonstrate methods of collecting this data by using trace-collection features of certain Rigol oscilloscopes, as well as features of associated computer control software. We also discuss software libraries for a general approach suited to many oscilloscopes, and how these data might be collected by the in-development Personal Space Weather Station. We conclude with a request to the HamSCI community to help develop this technique and broaden its scientific applications.

}, author = {Aidan Montare and John Gibbons} } @conference {309, title = {Web-Based Scientific Visualizations of RBN/WSPR Data (Demonstration)}, booktitle = {HamSCI Workshop 2019}, year = {2019}, month = {03/2019}, publisher = {HamSCI}, organization = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, author = {Nathaniel A. Frissell and Evan Markowitz and Diego Sanchez and William D. Engelke} } @conference {344, title = {What is HamSCI?}, booktitle = {Dayton Hamvention}, year = {2019}, month = {05/2019}, publisher = {HamSCI}, organization = {HamSCI}, address = {Xenia, OH}, abstract = {

A brief overview of HamSCI{\textquoteright}s mission, people, and projects are presented.

}, author = {Nathaniel A. Frissell} } @conference {319, title = {Wideband Spectrum Analyzer using HackRF One (Demonstration)}, booktitle = {HamSCI Workshop 2019}, year = {2019}, month = {03/2019}, publisher = {HamSCI}, organization = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, author = {John Ackermann} } @conference {307, title = {WWV Doppler Receiver (Demonstration)}, booktitle = {HamSCI Workshop 2019}, year = {2019}, month = {03/2019}, publisher = {HamSCI}, organization = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, author = {Kazdan, David} } @conference {296, title = {WWV Doppler Shift Observations}, booktitle = {HamSCI Workshop 2019}, year = {2019}, month = {03/2019}, publisher = {HamSCI}, organization = {HamSCI}, address = {Cleveland, OH}, author = {David Kazdan and Skylar Dannhoff and Aidan Montare and John Gibbons} } @conference {160, title = {What is HamSCI?}, booktitle = {Dayton Hamvention}, year = {2017}, address = {Xenia, OH}, abstract = {

A brief overview of HamSCI{\textquoteright}s mission, people, and projects are presented.

}, author = {N. A. Frissell} } @conference {214, title = {What{\textquoteright}s the difference? Amateur Radio and Radio Science}, booktitle = {HamSCI-UK}, year = {2017}, month = {10/2017}, publisher = {HamSCI-UK}, organization = {HamSCI-UK}, address = {Milton Keynes, UK}, author = {B. A. Witvliet} }