Three members of the Radio-Astronomy Committee of JAS were sitting in a cafe. Namely: Tarek Katbeh, Moh'd Odeh, and Moh'd Alawneh. As usual when we meet we spend much of our time talking about Astronomy! And while we were talking about the radio meteor observation, Katbeh asked why don't we use two antennas connected to two receivers! So I (Odeh) said why not to use two antennas and connect them to one receiver!! Actually we are not specialized in such technical issues! And we don't know whether what we were saying was a practical idea! However, we started asking how to connect two FM antennas to one receiver. After asking several experts in this field, we conclude that we can connect the two antennas using a small device that is available in the markets.

The reader might ask: Why do we need to use two -or even more- antennas!? Well... We are using 3-element Yagi antenna. Which has a beam width of about 60 degrees. That is, the antenna will detect a meteor if it only passes within 60 degrees of the antenna's direction (Assuming that the other conditions are satisfied). For sure, if we can combine two antennas directed into two different directions then we will have a coverage of about 120 degrees, which is much better!

We bought another antenna, and all the needed wires, connectors, ..etc. We know that the real test will not be done in Amman, where the near stations will not leave any empty frequency to use. Nevertheless, we went to a valley in Amman, in which the near stations are hidden behind the mountains! Quick experiments were done just to prove that the antennas will really detect radio waves from two different directions, and we did prove that.

Now, we have to go to Al-Azraq desert (80 Km east of Amman), where we usually do our radio observations. Four members of JAS went to Al-Azraq desert on 27-28 June 2000 to do the first test for the Multi-Antenna Radio-Meteor Observation (MARMO). The observers were: Tarek Katbeh, Moh'd Odeh, Moh'd Katbeh, and Emad Al-Ashi. And this was the 36th astronomical camping for JAS.

We reached the location on Tuesday 27 June around 15 local time (UT+3). We directly mounted the antennas and connected the wires. We spent the first hour just to make sure that everything is connected and there is not any problem. After that we started the real observation at 16:00.

Kindly find below our results:-

• Observers: Moh'd Odeh, Moh'd Katbeh, Tarek Katbeh, and Emad Al-Ashi.
• Location: Al-Azraq desert, Jordan (37 07' E, 31 43' N)
• Antenna: Yagi FM 3 elements.
• Receiver: Commercial FM radio (Eroica)
• Observing Method: Listening by ear
• Transmitter's Frequencies: 89.6, 91.2, 92.5, 95.6, 97.2 MHz

• # Test: Number of test.
• Teff: Effective time in minutes.
• # Antennas: Number of antennas.
• # Meteors: Number of meteors heard.
• HR: The number of meteors that would be detected per hour, assuming the same level of activity.
• Direction: The direction(s) at which the antenna(s) is/are pointed.

Before discussing the results, the following points should be considered:-

• Number of detected sporadic meteors is minimum at local sunset, which occurred in Al-Azraq on 27 June at 19:44 Local time, while the maximum number occurs at local sunrise, which occurred at 05:26.

• The lower the frequency the more the detected meteors. That is we expect to detect more meteors at 92.5 MHz than 97.2 MHz. However, there are several distant stations transmitting at 97.2 MHZ, thus the detected meteors at this frequency should be high as well!

Five tests were done at the camping, and all of which proved that two antennas is better and is ACTUALLY detecting more meteors that one! Looking at the first test. We notice that 72 meteors were detected by two antennas within an hour. While after we disconnect one of the antennas and kept the other one at the same direction, we detected 17 meteors only within an hour! Although during the next hour (18:25-19:25) 21 meteors were detected only using two antenna. But we must notice two things, that we are approaching the sunset, thus the number of meteors must decrease, but as we notice the number did increase. Also during this and the next hour, strong interference was experienced (D-Layer Interference). Which affected the number of detected meteors.

Another test was done, where 107 meteors were detected by one antenna within an hour. Whereas 163 meteors were detected by two antennas within an hour.

The third test was shorter but more detailed. Where, at first we pointed one antenna towards South-East, and we could hear 15 meteors during 15 minutes. After that we pointed the other antenna towards North, and 46 meteors were heard. Then we connected the two antenna simultaneously and we heard 51 meteors within 15 minutes. It is obvious that two antennas 'catch' more meteors than one!

The forth and fifth tests gave the same results. However, the increase of detected meteors by using two antennas is not constant due to many factors, such as:-

• Direction of antennas.
• The time. Where for example as we approach the sunrise, we would expect increasing of the detected meteors.
• The frequency used.

We can say that MARMO is a successful project! Since all the done tests proved that using multi-antenna system would increase the number of meteors. However, especial care should be taken when using MARMO. Because it is expected that MARMO would experience more interference than one antenna. Thus, the direction of the antennas should be carefully studied. Taking into account that two antennas pointing near each other could detect the same meteor twice!