@article {667, title = {Amateur Radio: An Integral Tool for Atmospheric, Ionospheric, and Space Physics Research and Operations}, journal = {White Paper Submitted to the National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics) 2024-2033}, year = {2022}, author = {Nathaniel A. Frissell and Laura Brandt and Stephen A. Cerwin and Kristina V. Collins and David Kazdan and John Gibbons and William D. Engelke and Rachel M. Frissell and Robert B. Gerzoff and Stephen R. Kaeppler and Vincent Ledvina and William Liles and Michael Lombardi and Elizabeth MacDonald and Francesca Di Mare and Ethan S. Miller and Gareth W. Perry and Jonathan D. Rizzo and Diego F. Sanchez and H. Lawrence Serra and H. Ward Silver and David R. Themens and Mary Lou West} } @article {670, title = {Fostering Collaborations with the Amateur Radio Community}, journal = {White Paper Submitted to the National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics) 2024-2033}, year = {2022}, author = {Nathaniel A. Frissell and Laura Brandt and Stephen A. Cerwin and Kristina V. Collins and Timothy J. Duffy and David Kazdan and John Gibbons and William D. Engelke and Rachel M. Frissell and Robert B. Gerzoff and Stephen R. Kaeppler and Vincent Ledvina and William Liles and Elizabeth MacDonald and Gareth W. Perry and Jonathan D. Rizzo and Diego F. Sanchez and H. Lawrence Serra and H. Ward Silver and Tamitha Mulligan Skov and Mary Lou West} } @proceedings {646, title = {HF Doppler Observations of Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances in a WWV Signal Received with a Network of Low Cost HamSCI Personal Space Weather Stations}, year = {2022}, month = {03/2022}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Huntsville, AL}, abstract = {

Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (TIDs) are quasi-periodic variations in ionospheric electron density that are often associated with atmospheric gravity waves. TIDs cause amplitude and frequency variations in high frequency (HF, 3 30 MHz) refracted radio waves. The authors present an analysis of observations of TIDs made with Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation ( HamSCI ) Low Cost Personal Space Weather Stations (PSWS) located in Northwestern New Jersey and near Cleveland, Ohio. The TIDs were detected in the Doppler shifted carrier of the received signal from the 10 MHz WWV frequency and time standard station in Fort Collins, CO. Using a lagged cross correlation analysis, we demonstrate a method for determining TID wavelength, direction, and period using the collected WWV HF Doppler shifted data.

}, author = {Veronica Romanek and Nathaniel A. Frissell and William Liles and John Gibbons and Kristina V. Collins} } @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 {504, title = {Data Collection from WWV, WWVH, and WWVB: A Histoanatomy of NIST{\textquoteright}s Radio Beacon Transmissions}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, abstract = {

Beacon radio stations WWV, WWVH, and WWVB are maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for frequency and time of day distribution.\  Their accuracy and power level are adequate to make the stations suitable for use as passive beacons in ionospheric sounding.\  The signals{\textquoteright} carriers are useful in measurements, and each of the modulation components has its own separate utility, as well. This poster describes several approaches to determining total path length rate of change from the stations to distant receivers through measurements of various signal parts. Tradeoffs for the several approaches in signal strength to noise ratio, ability to distinguish signals from multiple time standard stations, and other factors are discussed.

}, url = {https://hamsci2021-uscranton.ipostersessions.com/?s=65-9B-EB-D7-81-ED-65-2D-38-C6-5F-CB-F3-ED-B2-B0}, author = {David Kazdan and Kristina V. Collins} } @proceedings {459, title = {Estimation of Ionospheric Layer Height Changes From Doppler Frequency and Time of Flight Measurements on HF Skywave Signals}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA (Virtual)}, abstract = {

The HamSCI community has been studying apparent frequency shifts in the reception of HF skywave signals from radio station WWV in Ft. Collins, CO. WWV is a standard time and frequency station with atomic clock accuracy. If the receiving station uses a GPS Disciplined Oscillator (GPSDO) for a frequency reference, the atomic clock accuracy on both ends guarantees any observed frequency shifts are attributable only to propagation effects through the ionosphere. Causes for frequency shifts in the received signal are recognized as complex and varied. A leading candidate is Doppler shift resulting from dynamic changes in refraction layer height. These, in turn, are caused by the diurnal transitions between night and day, passage of an eclipse shadow, and ionospheric disturbances originating from solar flares or X-ray events. For the case of changing refraction layer height, an analysis of Doppler frequency and Time of Flight (TOF) data can estimate the changes in skywave path length between the transmitter and receiver.\  This data can be used in conjunction with an assumed geometric model and propagation mode to infer the corresponding height profile over time. This paper postulates one possible mechanism for observed frequency swings and presents supporting experimental evidence. Comparisons between the calculated\  height profile derived from Doppler data and data from ray trace programs and ionosonde measurements are given.

}, author = {Steven Cerwin and Kristina V. Collins and Dev Joshi and Nathaniel A. Frissell} } @article {549, title = {Ham Radio Creates a Planet-Sized Space Weather Sensor Network}, volume = {105}, year = {2021}, month = {08/2021}, pages = {55-58}, issn = {0033-4812}, url = {https://www.arrl.org/qst}, author = {Kristina V. Collins and David Kazdan and Nathaniel Frissell} } @conference {550, title = {HamSCI Campaign Co-Design (Panel Discussion)}, booktitle = {HamSCI Workshop 2021}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, publisher = {HamSCI}, organization = {HamSCI}, address = {Virtual}, author = {Kristina V. Collins and Nathaniel A. Frissell and Philip J. Erickson and Laura Brandt and Elizabeth MacDonald and Michael Black and Gareth Perry} } @conference {544, title = {HamSCI Personal Space Weather: Architecture and Applications to Radio Astronomy}, booktitle = {Annual (Summer) Eastern Conference}, year = {2021}, month = {07/2021}, publisher = {Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA)}, organization = {Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA)}, address = {Virtual}, abstract = {

The Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS) project is a citizen science initiative to develop a new modular set of ground-based instrumentation for the purpose of studying the structure and dynamics of the terrestrial ionosphere, as well as the larger, coupled geospace system. PSWS system instrumentation includes radio receivers sensitive to frequencies ranging from the very low frequency (VLF) through very high frequency (VHF) bands, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver to provide Total Electron Content (TEC) measurements and serve as a precision time and frequency reference, and a ground magnetometer sensitive to ionospheric and geospace currents. Although the PSWS is designed primarily for space weather and space science, its modular and open design in both hardware and software allows for a variety of use cases. The core radio instrument of the PSWS, the TangerineSDR, is a wideband, direct sampling 100~kHz to 60~MHz field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based software defined radio (SDR) receiver with direct applicability to radio astronomy. In this paper, we describe the PSWS and TangerineSDR architecture, show examples of how the TangerineSDR could be used to observe Jovian decametric emission, and discuss the applicability of the TangerineSDR to radio astronomy in general.

}, url = {https://rasdr.org/store/books/books/journals/proceedings-of-annual-conference}, author = {Nathaniel A. Frissell and Scott H. Cowling and Thomas C. McDermott and John Ackermann and David Typinski and William D. Engelke and David R. Larsen and David G. McGaw and Hyomin Kim and David M. Witten, II and Julius M. Madey and Kristina V. Collins and John C. Gibbons and David Kazdan and Aidan Montare and Dev Raj Joshi and Veronica I. Romanek and Cuong D. Nguyen and Stephen A. Cerwin and William Liles and Jonathan D. Rizzo and Ethan S. Miller and Juha Vierinen and Philip J. Erickson and Mary Lou West} } @conference {540, title = {HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS): Architecture and Current Status}, booktitle = {NSF CEDAR (Coupling, Energetics, and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions)}, year = {2021}, month = {06/2021}, publisher = {CEDAR}, organization = {CEDAR}, address = {Virtual}, abstract = {

Recent advances in geospace remote sensing have shown that large-scale distributed networks of ground-based sensors pay large dividends by providing a big picture view of phenomena that were previously observed only by point-measurements. While existing instrument networks provide excellent insight into ionospheric and space science, the system remains undersampled and more observations are needed to advance understanding. In an effort to generate these additional measurements, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI, hamsci.org) is working with the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corporation (TAPR, tapr.org), an engineering organization comprised of volunteer amateur radio operators and engineers, to develop a network of Personal Space Weather Stations (PSWS). These instruments that will provide scientific-grade observations of signals-of-opportunity across the HF bands from volunteer citizen observers as part of the NSF Distributed Array of Small Instruments (DASI) program. A performance-driven PSWS design (~US$500) will be a modular, multi-instrument device that will consist of a dual-channel phase-locked 0.1-60 MHz software defined radio (SDR) receiver, a ground magnetometer with (~10 nT resolution and 1-sec cadence), and GPS/GNSS receiver to provide precision time stamping and serve as a GPS disciplined oscillator (GPSDO) to provide stability to the SDR receiver. A low-cost PSWS (\< US$100) that measures Doppler shift of HF signals received from standards stations such as WWV (US) and CHU (Canada) and includes a magnetometer is also being developed. HF sounding algorithms making use of signals of opportunity will be developed for the SDR-based PSWS. All measurements will be collected into a central database for coordinated analysis and made available for public access.

}, author = {Nathaniel A. Frissell and Dev Joshi and Veronica I. Romanek and Kristina V. Collins and Aidan Montare and David Kazdan and John Gibbons and William D. Engelke and Travis Atkison and Hyomin Kim and Scott H. Cowling and Thomas C. McDermott and John Ackermann and David Witten and Julius Madey and H. Ward Silver and William Liles and Steven Cerwin and Philip J. Erickson and Ethan S. Miller and Juha Vierinen} } @conference {545, title = {HF Doppler Observations of Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances in a WWV Signal Received with a Network of Low-Cost HamSCI Personal Space Weather Stations}, booktitle = {Annual (Summer) Eastern Conference}, year = {2021}, month = {07/2021}, publisher = {Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA)}, organization = {Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA)}, address = {Virtual}, abstract = {

Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (TIDs) are quasi-periodic variations in ionospheric electron density that are often associated with atmospheric gravity waves. TIDs cause amplitude and frequency variations in high frequency (HF, 3-30 MHz) refracted radio waves. One way to detect TIDs is through the use of a Grape Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS). The Grape PSWS successfully detected TIDs in the Doppler shifted carrier of the received signal from the 10 MHz WWV frequency and time standard station in Fort Collins, CO. This paper will present an explanation of how the Grape PSWS was used to collect data, and how scientist can use this data to further investigate the ionosphere.

}, url = {https://rasdr.org/store/books/books/journals/proceedings-of-annual-conference}, author = {Veronica I. Romanek and Nathaniel A. Frissell and Dev Raj Joshi and William Liles and Claire C. Trop and Kristina V. Collins and Gareth W. Perry} } @proceedings {498, title = {PSWS Grape Hardware: Version 1.0 and Pilot Experiments}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, publisher = {HamSCI}, address = {Scranton, PA (Virtual)}, abstract = {

One year into our NSF grant, HamSCI{\textquoteright}s Low-Cost Personal Space Weather Station is undergoing rapid development. Like its namesake, the "Grape" does its best work in bunches, and several early prototypes are already deployed and collecting Doppler data. This talk will present the Grape 1.0 hardware, the data collected by pilot stations, and the lessons this platform has taught us as we move to Grape 2.0.

}, author = {Kristina V. Collins and John Gibbons 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} }