A Beginner's Guide to Amateur Radio Satellites
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A Beginner’s Guide to Amateur Radio Satellites Adam Whitney K0FFY Topics • A Brief History of Amateur Satellites • Satellite Types – Transponders, Repeaters, Data • Where Is It? - Orbits and Tracking • What Do I Need? - Radios, Antennas, and Other Equipment • Active Satellites • Making a Satellite QSO • Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • Questions? A Brief History of Amateur Satellites OSCAR-1 1962 AO-40 2000 AO-7 1974 FUNcube-1 (AO-73) 2013 FujiOSCAR-29 1996 AO-92 2018 ARISS 2000 - Present Satellite Types – FM Crossband Repeater Uplink Downlink 145.850 MHz 436.795 MHz FM FM • Crossband orbiting repeater • Easy to operate using basic FM radios including HTs • Single shared channel allowing only 1 QSO at a time • Doppler tuning minimally required on 70cm band * Source: David Bowman G0MRF Example: SAUDISAT-1C (SO-50) Mode: V/u Status: ACTIVE CTCSS Tone 60Hz Uplink (FM): 145.850 Downlink (FM): 436.805 .800 .795 .790 .785 Doppler shift: At 7.5km per second, Doppler can be +/- 9kHz on 70cm Satellite Types – Linear Transponder Uplink Downlink 435.280 MHz 145.925 MHz • Converts 20kHz - 100kHz of spectrum FM FM Example waterfall of RS-44 Linear Satellite from one band to another Showing Multiple SSB QSOs in Progress The narrow CW Beacon near 435.605 • Allows many QSOs at the same time And Doppler Shift of Signals • Use narrow band modes CW and SSB • Typically inverting (As uplink frequency increases, downlink decreases) • USB on downlink (LSB on uplink) * Source: David Bowman G0MRF Example: China Amateur Satellite (CAS-4B) Mode: U/v Status: ACTIVE Uplink (SSB): 145.915 .920 .925 .930 .935 Beacon Downlink (SSB): 435.290 .285 .280 .275 .270 Doppler shift: At 7.5km per second, Doppler can be +/- 9kHz on 70cm +/- 3kHz on 2m Other Satellite Types • Data Mode Satellites • APRS / AX.25 Packet QSOs • ISS Digipeater • NO-84 Digipeater • FalconSat-3 (9600 baud) • Packet Bulletin Board System (BBS) • Transfer and Storing of Message/Data Files using 9600 bps Packet • FalconSat-3 • NO-84 PSK-31 Transponder • SSTV or Weather Satellites • Receiving of Images • ISS SSTV Events • NOAA and Other Weather Satellites • LOTS of Telemetry Satellites • Receive Only • FSK, AFSK, and BPSK • Check out this HUGE list at: https://gr-satellites.readthedocs.io/en/latest/supported_satellites.html Where is it? - Orbits and Tracking • The higher the orbit the larger the communication ‘footprint’ • Any stations within the satellite footprint can work each other • Examples: • France to Iowa using AO-7 or RS-44 • Alaska or Panama to Iowa using SO-50 • Low orbit = shorter pass time • ISS at 400 km is 10 minutes • AO-7 at 1400 km is 20 minutes • Many software tracking packages for PC, Mac, Linux, Apple iOS and Android Devices as well as online websites Source: David Bowman G0MRF Where is it? - Orbits and Tracking • Comparing Footprints of AO-7, SO-50, and ISS Showing Relative Size of Footprints AO-7 Footprint Reaching from Iowa into Europe! Satellite Tracking Software • Windows • SatPC32 (Tracking, CAT Tuning, and Rotor Control) - $50 • Mac, Linux, Windows • Gpredict (Open Source) – Free • iOS • GoSatWatch (Excellent!) $10 • Android • ISS Detector (Radio Amateur Satellites for $2 In-App Purchase) • AMSATDroidFree • Heavens-Above Pro • Online • https://www.heavens-above.com/Satellites.aspx • https://sat.fg8oj.com/(GpredictOnline View) • Others • See List: https://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/software.php Radios • Full-Duplex • Receiving and transmitting at the same time • Good operating practice on FM IC-9700 • Essential on Linear for Doppler Tuning Full-Duplex Multi-Mode • Full-Duplex Radios are available • Two Separate Radios work just fine • 1 - 5 watts perfect for all satellites IC-910H Full-Duplex Multi-Mode Budget SDRs for Receive-Only Two HTs for FM Satellites FT-817 Radios FT-290r2 (2m) and FT-790r2 (70cm) Kenwood TH-D72 (Yes, 2 Baofengs will work!) Two SSB Radios Linear Satellites Full-Duplex FM HT Antennas • Directional antennas perform best with low earth orbit satellites, especially for transmitting • Good commercial options ~ $150 • Arrow Dual-Band Yagi Antenna • Elk Dual-Band Log Periodic Antenna • Combine with a diplexer when using full-duplex radios for a single feed Arrow Satellite Antenna Elk Satellite Antenna 2m and 70cm Handheld Yagi 2m and 70cm Log Periodic Antennas • Homebrew Yagis work great and are fun to build too! • WA5JVB Excellent Yagi for Satellites • https://www.wa5vjb.com/references/Cheap%20Antennas-LEOs.pdf WA5VJB Yagi Version shown was homebuilt by K5TA Photo by Scott Davis K5TA Antennas • Many commercial options for home stations • Usually combined with rotor controlled by software Example: Wimo X-Quads for 2m and 70cm Example: InnoVAntennas 10 element UHF X-Pol and 5 element VHF X-Pol What else do I need? • High quality coax makes a difference (e.g. Times LMR-240 UF) • Satellite tracking software or pass prediction printouts • Compass and Chronometer (a watch) • GPS or know your maidenhead grid square locator (e.g. EN32) Pass Prediction of SO-50 • Audio recorder is handy to help transcribe a log of contacts Shows Azimuth, Altitude, and Times of Signal Overhead • KE0PBR’s Doppler Tuning Cheat Sheet • https://ke0pbr.wordpress.com/2018/12/31/my-frequency-cheat-sheet/ Active Satellites • FM Satellites • Packet Satellites • SO-50 • ISS Digipeater • AO-27 • NO-84 (Occasionally Operational) • Occasionally Operational • FalconSat-3 • PO-101 • 9600 bps Packet Digipeater and BBS • Lilacsat-2 • AO-91 • ISS Crossband Repeater • Linear Satellites • CAS-4A and CAS-4B (Great for beginners!) • RS-44 (Great for DX!) • AO-7 (Active if illuminated – Launched in 1974!!!) • XW-2A, XW-2B , XW-2C , XW-2D , XW-2F • EO-88 (Active if eclipsed) • AO-73 (Active occasionally) • JO-97 and TO-108 (New in 2021!) • New Satellite Being Launch All the Time • Check AMSAT Status Page for the Current List of Active Satellites • https://www.amsat.org/status/ AMSAT Status Page Current Active Satellites Making a Satellite QSO • Listen for Signal • You will almost always hear other stations on FM satellites • Listen for the CW beacon on linear transponders • Transmit your Call • On FM, call another station to initiate a contact – don’t call CQ on FM • On Linear, send dits or call ”CQ satellite” and listen/tune RX to find your own signal on the transponder – use CAT tuning or a Doppler cheat sheet to aid • Use phonetics for your callsign – noise and fading are often prevalent • Use full-duplex • You should hear your own signal to make sure you are hitting the satellite and also not stomping on another station • Exchange Information • When another station answers your call, repeat their callsign and exchange signal reports and grid location. • Example: “KE0PBR, QSL from Kilo Zero Fox Fox Yankee. I read you 59 in Echo November 32.” • Use Low Power (5 watts or less) on Linear Satellites • Linear satellites have a limited power budget for the entire transponder • Using excessive power can limit the ability for the satellite to relay weak signals, including the station you are trying to contact Station K0FFY Working A Pass • The AO-7 transponder can “flip” off or into another mode easily if stressed by too much power on its uplink Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • First Challenge : Make your first satellite QSO! • Contact DX Stations • Satellites offer a way to contact many DX stations in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean over FM with a Technician Class license!!! • Europe, Hawaii, and Asiatic Russia are Reachable via Linear Satellites • Awards and Special Events • AMSAT and ARRL Offer Awards and Events • Satellite WAS (Worked All States) • Satellite VUCC (VHF UHF Century Club) for 100 Grid Squares Stations Contacted by K0FFY • Satellite DXCC (Very difficult over LEO! Join a select few) from Iowa via Satellite • AMSAT GridMaster (488 Continental US Grids) • IARU Satellite Worked All Continents (WAC) Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • Go Roving! • Activate New Grid Squares – Be the DX! • AMSAT announces upcoming roves • Very fun to “be the DX” and have many callers chasing you! • Earn very prestigious, semi-official awards • VUCC/r Award for Activating 100 Grid Squares • DXCC/r Award for Activating 100 DXCC Entities (Not yet earned?) • SOTA, POTA, IOTA, WMPLOTA, Oh My! TF/K0FFY Activating Hverfjall Crater (Grid IP15) in Iceland • Satellites work very well for other activations like Summits on the Air (SOTA) and Parks on the Air (POTA) KE9AJ on SOTA Summit in Colorado Photo by Steve WG0AT Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • APRS Contacts Over Satellite APRS Contact over ISS Digipeater Using Kenwood TH-D72 • FalconSat-3 Packet BBS • Exchange Message/Files with Hams Around the World using an Orbiting Bulletin Board System (BBS) Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • SSTV Events and Weather Satellites Images Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • Decode Satellite Telemetry Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • Hunt for Satellites • Amateurs Help Locate and Confirm Operations of Newly Launched Satellites Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • The Ultimate Hunt • Hunting into Time and Space • Zombie Satellites – Back in Time • Satellites like OSCAR-7 that “come back to life”. • Deeper into Space • Moon and Mars Probes • Scott Tilley VE7TIL is the maestro Activities, Awards, Challenges, and Other Fun • QSLs, Elmers, and Community • Many Satellite Operators use LoTW • Many Also Send/Reply QSL Cards • Strong Community on Twitter • Many Elmers Willing to Help! Questions?