Practical Radio Astronomy for Amateurs

Paul Hyde

Paul is the Coordinator for the BAA's Radio Astronomy Group and lives in Basingstoke, Hampshire. He uses radio emissions to observe both solar and meteor activity under all sky conditions, whilst keeping warm and dry and enjoying a full night's sleep.

Most people think radio astronomy needs large parabolic dish antennas and complex electronic equipment, making it unsuitable for amateurs. However there are applications that require relatively modest amounts of hardware and are suitable for domestic environments.

The talk will describe how amateur radio astronomy can provide observations on solar activity, Jupiter emissions and meteor showers, whilst more ambitious systems can reveal the structure of the Milky Way or detect radio galaxies many millions of light years away.

The Vectis Astronomical Society meets on the 4th Friday of every month, except for December. This event is open for non-members to attend.

The speakers come from all over the country and give a presentation for around 45mins. We then stop for a break with tea and biscuits, which gives an opportunity to mingle and chat. The second half of the evening sees a presentation by one of our regular members showing us what to we could see in the sky over the coming month.

This always involves some great pictures projected onto the large screen. Entry to the event is free of charge, although as we run as a charity, donations are always welcome.

Newsletters are available at the entrance for a suggested donation of £2.00

Please see our website for contact and membership details.