What is it?

Meteor scatter or meteor burst communications (MBC) is a propagation mode that makes use of the ionization trail left behind a meteor as it burns up in the atmosphere.  Meteors burn up in the atmosphere all the time.  They are known as meteorites when the survive entry and hit the ground.  In space they are known as meteoroids.  When they enter the atmosphere they typically travel in excess of 20 km/s (or 72,000 km/h).  This causes them to undergo aerodynamic heating as they experience friction with the upper atmosphere.  They glow and usually become transformed into plasma, in the E-layer.  The ionized trail only last for a few seconds.  A radio burst is typically sent out (30-50 MHz) and it is bounced off the ionized trail.  As a result, one can achieve a propagation distance of up to 1,200 miles.  The best effects are seen during meteor showers.  Interest in this mode faded with the advent of satellite communications in the 1960s.  Nevertheless there is still some residual interest in that it may be more secure and is harder to trace where the sending signal originated.

Single side band (SSB) is a common mode used during meteor showers.  Morse code can be used.  Typically transmission speeds are high (in the order of 800 words per minute) - which is beyond human copying capability - therefore the mode is well suited to computers.  A popular mode is MFSK441 using the famous WSJT-X software.  Amateur radio operators often use MFSK441.  JT6M seems to be replacing MFSK441 and it is especially optimized for the 6m band.  Newer versions WSJT-X do not include meteor scatter programs, but the older versions are always available.  WSJT was made available by Nobel laureate Joe Taylor K1JT and the software is open source and coordinated through the Physics Department at Princeton University.

Some local amateurs are using this mode on an experimental basis.

Using Broadcast FM Radio

You can experiment with this yourself with TV and FM DX. With the advent of digital TV, analog TV signals are rarely used anymore on 50-80 MHz.  But the FM broadcast band is still in use from 88-108 MHz and very suitable for meteor scatter.  During meteor showers one can even receive the 175-220 MHz band.  That poses some interesting possibilities for amateur radio operators on 70 cm and the 1.25m bands.  Lower frequencies tend to last longer that the higher frequencies.  The optimum time is early in the morning, when the velocity of the earth is greatest (i.e. your location is tangent to its orbit around the sun) but meteor scatter can occur at anytime.  The best times are during annual meteor showers, including

The annual major meteor showers are detailed below:

• January 3 – 4: Quadrantids
• April 22 – 23: Lyrids
• May 5 – 6: Eta Aquariids
• June 9 – 10: Arietids & zeta-Perseids
• August 12 – 13: Perseids
• October 21 – 22: Orionids
• November 3 – 5: Taurids
• November 16 – 18: Leonids (Note: activity varies, outburst only at about 33 year interval)
• December 13 – 14: Geminids
• December 22 – 23: Ursids

One can simply listen into an FM radio and try to detect distant FM radio signals.  Some FM stations have RDS capabilities and that is one way to identify them.  Alternatively you could try to tune into a known distant station and see what you can hear - ideally a station identification - or alternatively compare what you hear to their playlist.  There is a possibility you are also hearing reflections off an airplane.  

Sources

• https://physics.princeton.edu//pulsar/K1JT/devel.html
• https://fmradiodx.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/meteor-scatter-a-fun-way-to-receive-fm-radio-signals/ 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_radio_stations_in_Alberta
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_radio_stations_in_British_Columbia 
• https://www.rasc.ca/sites/default/files/RadioAstronomy_NovaNotes.pdf 
• https://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Other-AUDIO-Tools/Spectrum-Lab.shtml