By Scott, KA7FVV
Lance Ginner, K6GSJ, poses with the flight model of Amateur Radio s first satellite, OSCAR 1. He built Oscar 1 in his basement. Launched from Vandenberg AFB on December 12, 1961. It lasted 22 days before reentry. This was the first satellite to be ejected as a secondary payload from a primary launch vehicle. This was accomplished with a $1.15 spring from Sears Roebuck. Project Oscar was a west coast organization that started amateur radio satellites. AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) was formed in 1969 to continue the efforts of amateur radio in space.
Amateur Radio Satellites are built by many different groups and organizations. Basement with Oscar 1. Amsat organizations around the world Amsat-UK FUNcube-1 and Ukube-1 Amsat-NA AO-51 and upcoming Fox-1 and 2 Amsat-SA SO-35 and HO-68 AMRAD AO-27 Amateur Radio Research and Development Corporation Saudi Arabia SO-50 University of Surrey UO-11 Many built by universities and colleges.
. UO-11 UO-14 Hamsat (VO-52) JAS-2 (FO-29) 23 x 13.75 x 13.75 in 25.5 x 14 x 14 in 24.8 x 24.8 x 21.6 in 17 x 18.5 in AO-27 AO-51 SO-50 FUNcube-1 6 x 6 x 6 in 10 in cube 10 in cube 4 in cube
. The original CubeSat design was developed at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) and Stanford University in 1999. 1U satellite is 4 in x 4 in x 4 in with a mass of 1.33 kg.
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. Kicksat Sprite Deployment
Satellite launches are expensive. Sometimes amateurs are lucky and launch opportunities are donated. Amateur Satellites are never a primary payload on a launch. There is always a commercial satellite(s) as the primary payload. Final orbit is dependent on primary payload. Launches November 2013 Minotaur Launch Virginia: STPSat 3 - Air Force Satellite 29 satellites in all Dnepr Launch Russia: DubaiSat 2 - Earth Observation Satellite 32 satellites in all FUNcube-1 Launch July 2014 Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M: Meteor-M2 Russian Weather Satellite Ukube-1
Ariane 4 satellite integration January 22, 1990 launch. Spot-2 primary satellite. Oscar 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are the satellites shown above.
Dnepr Launch June 29, 2004 Pictured above is the launch configuration including AO-51
Soyuz-2-1B Fregat-M Launch on July 8, 2014. Meteor-M 2, DX-1, SkySat-2 and TechDemoSat-1. Ukube-1 was also on this launch.
Minotaur Launch You Tube Launch Video 29 satellites Dnepr Launch You Tube Launch Video 32 satellites FUNcube-1 Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M Launch (July 8) You Tube Launch Video Ukube-1
Post Satellite Deployment Video TechDemoSat-1 from Surrey Satellite Technology
There are two types of satellites: FM and SSB Satellites work in split frequency mode: VHF/UHF - Satellite Modes V/u: VHF Uplink/UHF Downlink (Mode J) U/v: UHF Uplink/VHF Downlink (Mode B) Mode S UHF Uplink/2.4 Ghz Downlink Mode A - VHF Uplink/10 Meter Downlink Mode K 15 Meter Uplink/10 Meter Downlink Mode T 15 Meter Uplink/VHF Downlink
The FM or easysats as they are called sometimes are very easy to work with minimal equipment. To work FM satellite you will need: Dualband handheld or split radios Gain antenna Beam preferred Satellite Tracking Software
Radio Equipment: Ice W32A, Yeasu FT-60, Baofeng UV-5R or similar. The Icom has dual VFO s. The Yeasu/Baofeng can be programmed with the VHF/UHF split in the same memory channel. Two separate radios will work also. Communications are half duplex.
Antennas: Common dualband beams for satellite work are the Arrow and Elk. In some cases a extended gain handheld antenna has been successful for satellite contacts on UO-14, SO-35, AO-51 and SO-50. A small VHF beam can work just fine since FM satellites us the V/u mode.
Satellite Tracking: Now that we have the equipment in place we need to know when the satellite will be in range of our QTH. We do this by using satellite tracking software. There are several programs available for the Windows PC, Mac, Linux and IOS/Android based mobile devices. There are even some still around for the old Pocket PC running Windows Mobile OS.
Keeping tracking software accurate: Tracking programs use keplerian elements to give accurate location of the satellite you are tracking. These elements must be updated on a weekly basis or less. Updating the tracking elements are built into the tracking programs and most can be setup to update automatically. Some update every time the program is opened.
Orbitron is one of the best programs for the Windows PC.
Here are programs for IOS and Android:
Satellite Tracking Terms: Start or AOS (Acquisition of Signal) (Rise) Middle or TCA (Time of Closest Approach) End or LOS (Loss of Signal) (Set) Azimuth 0 to 360 degrees around your QTH. Where will the pass start and end on the horizon. Elevation 0 to 90 degrees above the horizon. How far above the horizon will the satellite be during the pass.
What satellites are we looking for? SO-50 Currently the only active FM satellite ISS Astronauts can be active on voice. APRS Packet is active most of the time. Recently lost: LituanicaSAT-1, AO-27 and AO-51. Fox-1 is the next FM satellite being built by AMSAT-NA and will launch the fall of 2015.
. SO-50 (67.0 tone) Uplink (Tx) 145.850 Downlink (Rx) 436.795 74.4 tone to turn on ISS Voice Uplink (Tx) 144.490 Downlink (Rx) 145.800 APRS (Tx/Rx) 145.825
Adjusting for Doppler shift for the downlink
Your First Satellite Contact, things to remember: Passes are short. 5 to 15 minutes at the most. Rag chewing is discouraged. Like terrestrial FM repeaters only one person can talk at a time. Satellite is passing in and out range of other stations who want to make contacts. Review the upcoming pass or passes you wish to work. Passes of 20 degrees of elevation or more work best when working portable. Have the pass information either printed or on your phone. Tune the radio to the AOS UHF receive frequency and have the squelch open. Point the beam at the AOS location on the horizon, wait and listen. When the satellite is above the horizon you should start to hear signals and the noise floor of the receiver will diminish. Continue to monitor and follow the satellite as it rises above the horizon. Be sure to change the UHF receive frequency adjusting for Doppler for the best signal. Signals can be garbled on one frequency and the next 5 khz step be crystal clear. Unless you have mic fright it is time to try your first FM satellite contact.
What do I say? Satellite Cardinal Rule: DO NOT transmit unless you hear the downlink. The satellite will always hear you even with 2 watts. There are exceptions. You may want to listen to the contacts for a pass or two just to get a feel for how a contact goes and make sure you can hear with your equipment. CQ is not usually called on satellites but it is heard. QRZ is usually used. Contacts are quick and short. Listen to the contacts. Wait for a pause. Give your call sign and grid square phonetically and wait for a return or respond to a specific station you have heard giving your call sign and grid square (DN17). Contacting station will return with their call sign and grid square. You can keep track of grid squares you contact. There are awards for getting a certain number of grid squares via satellite. The satellite community is fairly small so you will most likely hear and talk with the same stations. FM satellites are a fun and challenging part of the Amateur Radio hobby.
Grid Squares: Developed in 1980 Maidenhead Locator System Grid squares are a shorthand means of describing your general location anywhere on the Earth in a manner that is easy to communicate over the air. A grid square measures 1 latitude by 2 longitude and measures approximately 70 100 miles in the continental US. A grid square is indicated by two letters (the field) and two numbers (the square), as in FN31, the grid square within which W1AW, ARRL's Maxim Memorial Station, resides.
International Space Station Contacts: ISS is only active on VHF. Most of the time what is heard is APRS Packet. This is active most of the time. With the correct packet setup you can make contact with ISS and your station can be seen on the ISS heard map on the ARISS web site. Voice contacts is rare. ISS has scheduled school contacts and occasionally the hams on board will have some free time to make contacts. You can not only track the ISS for radio communications but for visual sightings as well. ISS is the brightest man made object in the sky. It is quite a thrill to see ISS and hear it at the same time. ISS Voice -1.31 offset Uplink (Tx) 144.490 Downlink (Rx) 145.800 APRS (Tx/Rx) 145.825
The SSB/CW or linear transponder satellites are a little more challenging to work. Need radios with SSB/CW capability. Icom IC-820, 821, 910, Yaesu FT-736R. Base satellite antennas Cushcraft, Hy-gain and preamps. Azimuth/Elevation rotors. Multiple contacts can take place on the transponder either SSB or CW. Tuning is a little trickier. Usually park the transmit and tune the downlink. Same exchange as FM satellite, call sign and grid square. You can rag chew if you wish since multiple contacts can be made at a time. Communications are full duplex so headphones are required to avoid feedback. Can be done portable using two radios. (i.e. IC-706 and R20 receiver.)
Equipment for SSB/CW satellites. Also works for FM satellites.
Weather Satellite Reception
Satellite Monitoring There are many satellites that transmit in and out of the amateur bands. Many of the cubesats transmit in the amateur bands. Satellite Resources ARS KA7FVV Satellite Page AMSAT-NA AMSAT-UK Tracking Software Demos Questions