----------------------------------------------------------------------------- File: OVERVIEW.TXT - Overview of responsibility, BASIC programs and freeware, program disk, getting started, command syntax; and operating procedure. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Claims of Responsibility: All basic programs included on the RMS program disk were written by myself - R. B. Minton. I encourage the user to report any major difficulties or major annoyances. I will attempt to solve these problems in a timely manner. My preference is mail correspondence, but users may call at their own expense, during daylight hours (MST), and if they feel the gravity of the problem warrants immediate attention. However, I accept no responsibility or liability for damages to the user's software (such as program files, data files, operating system), hardware (such as computer), peripheral equipment (such as digital multimeter, FM radio), self (such as electrical shock); or other consequential damages resulting from using this software. The user must agree with these conditions, or not install these supplied data and programs. Program Ownership: The author supplies all software and data freely to any user wishing to experiment or study meteors. I encourage use, modification, and exchange of ideas, data, and programs with other experimenters. Note that the multimeter output could just as easily come from a basement flood sensor, an auroral monitor, or a radiotelescope. In all such cases, I would simply appreciate credit by name for the original BASIC source code. To- wards this free exchange, most programs and text are in ASCII (text) format, and are interpreted (from text) at run time using GW-BASIC. Type SAVE "PROG. BAS",A if you with to save a program in ASCII format, or SAVE "PROG" if you wish to save it in BASIC Token format. PERMISSION IS NOT GIVEN FOR ANY COMMERCIAL USE, SALE, OR PROFIT FROM THESE PROGRAMS. Freeware on Disk: GW-BASIC and SEE are also supplied to the user as freeware because they were supplied to me as freeware by my previous associate and our common employer (in 1987): Mr. Frank Dieter, Computer Custodian, National Test Bed Program, Martin- Marietta Denver Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 179, Denver, Colorado, 80201. Other useful DOS programs such as GRAPHICS and EDIT are normally found in the user's DOS subdirectory; however, these are also supplied to aid execution. Please do not copy these two DOS routines and distribute to others. Program Disk: This disk is write-protected to preserve the integrity of the original source code. I advise the user to leave the disk write-protected and keep it as a backup for any files that the user might inadverdently corrupt. All programs run on any DOS system made within the last 20 years. Getting Started: Insert the 3.5" HD floppy into your drive, read, and print this file. This 4-page OVERVIEW.TXT is included with the disk - write me if you require a low-density or 5.25" disk. Make the new directories called METEOR, BACKUP, and METDAT. The first two will contain all files on this disk and any future BASIC files you might create. The last will contain only the original data (i.e., raw counts) collected with any of the 'DMM' programs. I suggest you copy only the 'OUT' files from METDAT to METEOR that are required for immediate use. New or modified programs should be saved with a unique new name to both METEOR, BACKUP, and to a backup floppy. Create new backup disks and save the old ones every month, or as activity dictates. Command Syntax: Here are some useful DOS and BASIC commands for operation. I suggest the user obtain the DOS and BASIC user's guides. Almost none of my BASIC programs are 100% interactive (i.e.; much data is stored in the program and it is necessary for the user to list/edit/run from BASIC - not the DOS command prompt); so it is vital that the user know some rudimentary BASIC editing and syntax. Create a new directory: C:> MAKEDIR METEOR Go to a directory: CD METEOR Return to previous directory: CD .. View contents of directory: C:\METEOR> DIR View by date 1 page at a time: C:\METEOR> DIR/OD/P Copy all floppy files to hard-drive: A:> COPY *.* C:>METEOR Copy floppy OUT files to hard-drive: A:> COPY *.OUT C:>METDAT Make copy of old file with a new name: C:\METEOR> COPY OUT.OLD OUT.NEW Combine 2 text files into 1 file: C:> COPY ONE.TXT+TWO.TXT BOTH.TXT Execute BASIC program SUN2YL.BAS: C:\METEOR> BASICA SUN2YL Invoke BASIC using 16 (max) files: C:\METEOR> BASF Return from BASIC to DOS: SYSTEM Edit file OUT.RAW: C:> SEE OUT.RAW or EDIT OUT.RAW Delete file DUM.TXT: C:> DEL DUM.TXT View a text file 1 page at a time: C:> TYPE USER_HLP.TXT |MORE Print a text file: C:> PRINT USER_HLP.TXT Print what is viewed on the screen: Press 'Print Scrn' key Re-route screen output to printer: Press 'Control-P' keys Re-route output from printer to screen: Press 'Control-P' a 2nd time Exit a BASIC program displaying a plot: Press 'Control-C' key, F10 key Enable bit-printing to a printer: C:> GRAPHICS Operating Procedure: Put RMS disk in drive and read/print OVERVIEW.TXT and HOWTORUN.TXT. Make the required directories (METEOR, BACKUP, and METDAT). Copy programs and test data files to these directories. Execute GRAPHICS.COM to enable bit-printing on dot-matrix/jet printer. View (TYPE) 'DMM' output file 'OUT.MIN' to see data structure. View 'CONVRAW.BAS' output file 'OUT.RAW' to see data structure. View 'DMM' output files 'OUT.HRS' & 'OUT.DAY' to see data structure. Execute GRAPHICS.COM and/or GRAPHICS.PRO - type GRAPHICS. Execute basic program 'PDP3D.BAS' - type BASICA PDP3D. View the 4 plots of the enclosed 3-day sample data file of the 2002 Perseids 'OUT.3DY'. This sample file is of the 2002 Perseids and contains: Perseid meteor counts, sporadic meteor counts (the diurnal variation), and lightning noise. Note that count peaks and valleys (maximum and minimums) are reduced in amplitude as the data smoothing progresses through 1, 3, 5, and 10 pixels. A 10 pixel average would be 10 times 6 minutes, or 1 hour of counts - thus the 10 pixel plot shows ACTUAL RADIO COUNTS PER HOUR. (Whereas the 1st is counts/6 min, the 2nd counts/18 min; and the 3rd counts/30 min). These 3 might show 'counts/hr' GREATLY ABOVE the actual 10 pixel avg. (counts/60 min); but THIS RATE WAS NOT SUS- TAINED FOR A FULL 60 MINUTES, so I would REFRAIN from attaching too much significance to these higher rates. General recommendations, hints, and opinions: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---> Refer to HOWTORUN.TXT for detailed help in using the software. <--- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Collect counts for 3 days and run PDP3D to verify collection, conversion of OUT.RAW, and proper program usage. Repeat the above for 10 days and run PDP9D for the same reasons. If all is well, repeat the above for 29 days. With 29 days of data, run PDP29D to look at all the data - run to plot RAW counts. Make a hardcopy, label each date in pencil with UT date, if that date had thunderstorms (T), rain (R), or is suspect (S). Mark dates that are not to be included in the diurnal average with an X. Mark the correct UT dates at the right - these are usually the previous 29 days. (Some users may receive a copy of how I mark-up the 1st 29-day graph from PDP29D. This mark-up is of the 2002 Perseids and shows what to do better this this description.) Run PDP29D a 2nd time after editing the program to exclude X'd days. Plot as RAW counts. This time the diurnal average (dir. avg.) miniplot should look better - all noise sources should now be excluded. Note that any meteor activity is a 'noise' day to be excluded !!! (Don't worry, this only affects the dir. avg. miniplot, and not the plot of meteor activity). (Those who have the mark-up copy will notice that I forgot to exclude the four dates of visible Perseid activity on August 11-14, 2002. Therefore, the diurnal cycle shows a small dip near 12 UT where the Perseids have a pronounced dip. As an exercise for the reader, you can exclude these shower dates and see how it affects the diurnal cycle AND meteor plots.) When all noise dates are identified and removed, run PDP29D a 3rd time - but run to plot (counts-diurnal) - set the variable 'PLO$' from 'RAW' to 'RDC'. With the diurnal counts removed, any meteor activity will be much more visible. (RDC is a mnemonic name meaning Remove Diurnal Counts). DIURNAL COUNTS ARE SUM'D AND AVERAGED EVERY 30 MINUTES, AND THIS AVERAGE IS SUBTRACTED FROM THE RAW DATA - EACH 30 MIN, FOR EVERY DAY, AND FOR ALL 29 DAYS. THEREFORE, ALL + VALUES ABOVE THE DATE LINE WILL EQUAL ALL THE - VALUES BELOW THE DATE LINE. Lots of - values will obscure the tick marks. Program PDP9D does not plot negative values, but it is useful to show negative values on the 29-day survey plot to verify that all is OK. Print OUT.DMP and see the 6-minute values and times where any meteor shower reached maximum(s) and minimum(s). Also look at the bottom portion containing the diurnal counts, sums, and averages. PDP9D needs the diurnal average counts/hour if it is to be subtracted in the plot. PDP9D is different from PDP29D in how the diurnal counts are subtracted. Whereas PDP29D subtracts a different value every 30 minutes from the RAW count, PDP9D subtracts 1 value from all 9+ dates. This 1 value is the average diurnal counts/hr printed at the bottom of data dump file OUT.DMP. IF THE PLOTS ARE TO BE ADEQUATELY STUDIED, IT IS ALMOST VITAL that you use a planetarium-type or star-display program and see where the meteor radiant was located at the times of maximum and minimum - unless you are very adept at computing this yourself. The file OUT.DMP should be print- ed and marked - showing where/when the counts reached maximums and mini- mums. This will be due to the shower being at favorable or unfavorable sky locations - AND DUE TO VARIATIONS IN SHOWER STRENGTH ITSELF - LOCA- TION AND STRENGTH INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER. (If you have a copy of my marked-up OUT.DMP, you can see the value in marking it). Usually the counts begin as the radiant rises and end as it sets - but there are exceptions. If the shower is intense, counts may begin with the radiant below the horizon. The counts usually reach maximum when the radiant is around 45 degrees altitude - IF ONE IS USING A VERTICALY POLARIZED ANTENNA - as I am. Usually the counts will reach a minimum as the radiant crosses the observer's local meridian. A strong shower will show 2 maximum with a central minimum on 1 or more dates. With 11 months of data, I have seen this MAX-MIN-MAX effect in 4 major showers - thus it is obviously an instrumental effect. I call it the '3M' effect. (Those who have a marked-up copy of my OUT.DMP for the 2002 Perseids will see the 3M effect well evident on August 12 UT, and how the shower counts are significantly less near lower culmination of the radiant). Do not compare VISUAL counts/hour with RADIO counts/hour. They are two different measurements made at two different wavelengths, and any kind of comparison only serves to confuse everyone. The important facts are the dirunal variation, and when the shower reached maximums and minimums. This tells you the solar longitudes of the stream boundaries, and possi- bly the location of concentrations within the stream. It is usefull to have a 2nd FM radio in the house next to a computer. This serves as a live signal feed to hear what's happening, and to help build a better radio meteor system. Experiment with the 2nd system, and keep the 1st system constant to inter-compare 29-day data sets. MARK A WALL CALENDAR with the date of the next data dump, and if a date had lightning, rain, or if you suspect distant lightning. It is impor- tant to identify sources of noise on the plots, and label them according- ly on the initial plots. The dates can be NEATLY labeled in PDP9D with shower name and noise source - if a shower was observed and it is worth the extra effort to submit the data for publication. These plots and graphs have extensive labels, ticks, and explanations. It is not vital that you include figure captions with these illustrations - they are self explanatory. Visual observations, photography, video recording, and radio methods all complement each other; and none is more important than the other. Each has it's strengths and weaknesses. Good meteor science cries-out for all types of study. If a shower was observed, use the plots, dumps, and notes to write a brief summary; and send it to one or more meteor organizations and/or magazines. It does no one any good to not publish useful data. One can usually do this in 3 to 7 days of dumping the data from the RMS computer. Errors to fix: File OUT.DAY should contain 29 days of sums - 1 value per day. However, only the first 10 get written. The file never grows beyond 10 days, but it does show what dates were observed in that RMS data set. This can be fixed, but I don't use OUT.DAY, and have not corrected it. File OUT.HRS saves hours OK for 29 days, but the 1st hour gets set to 0 counts in days 2-29. The correct value is written once at the end of the previous day, so it can be fixed. Since I don't need OUT.HRS for plots, I have not corrected it. Comparing dump file OUT.DMP & OUT.HRS shows small differences in OUT.HRS. This is due to the DMM program suming OUT.HRS at 6 minutes after each hour, rather than at the start of each hour. This can be ignored because file OUT.HRS is not used. File OUT.MIN has a similar problem to OUT.HRS in that the 2nd to 10th values in the sequence of 10 gets set to zero. Since all plots are derived from OUT.MIN, I have fixed this problem. It is fixed with pro- gram CONVRAW.BAS when file OUT.MIN is converted to file OUT.RAW. Thus, the dump file OUT.DMP created by CONVRAW is correct. These problems with the OUT data files are bugs in the DMM programs. At this time I would rather leave the two DMM BASIC programs as they are, and not risk introducing a new bug (and possibly lose 29-days of data).