| Abstract | Assuming that two VHF radio stations are communicating with each other via reflections from meteor trails, the problem is to determine their positions from observations made at a third station. Three methods are proposed, two of which utilize the properties of short-duration trails, and one which uses reflections from long-duration meteoric clouds. The basic equipment required included a passive DF receiver which is tuned to either of the distant stations and which may be used to determine the azimuth and elevation of the selected meteor, and an active doppler-radar set for measuring the range and velocity of the meteor. In addition, the second method requires a spaced radar system with a short baseline to determine the orientation of the meteor path, and the third method needs a similar system to measure the wind drift velocity of the meteor cloud. Each of the methods, or combinations of them, can be used to fix completely the position of the distant station - not merely its direction relative to the observer. The techniques may also be applied where the distant stations are using HF ionospheric transmissions, or VHF "ionospheric scatter" transmissions. The errors and limitations of the proposed mnethods are discussed briefly. |
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