Hardware and software package for meteor trails detection having variable bandwidth
The article considers the basic physical principles of meteor radio communication. Features of such systems organization, their advantages and disadvantages are given. One of essential characteristics which enables to compare various communication channels among themselves is their bandwidth capacity. The known solutions of the problem for increasing bandwidth capacity of meteoric radio channel are considered. One of them was suggested by Forsyth and consists in creation meteor communication system with continuously changing bandwidth dependent on reflection intensity. The bandwidth and transfer speed has to change proportionally to the received signal strength in such a system for the best use of flashing signals. Unlike the system with constant bandwidth, such system has higher bandwidth capacity. The authors suggested the structural diagram of the hardware and software package for detection of meteor trails. The package is based on the software defined radio system principles. Using these principles it is possible to implement software changed bandwidth in radio system receiving part without changing hardware component for increasing meteor radio channel bandwidth. Structurally the package represents the signal capture circuit board connected to the personal computer with the installed specially configured software. The work describes the functional and structural diagram of the signal capture circuit board and also gives the description of the software with the received data examples. This package enables to eliminate a number of defects of meteor radio communication and to increase meteor radio channel bandwidth.