Stunning Slow Scan TV from International Space Station

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Amateur / Ham Radio operators are continuing to receive fascinating images from the International Space Station.

“Receiving SSTV from the ISS really CAN be simple: For my first time ever, I simply fired up a $3 iOS app, and held my iPod touch near my Yaesu FT-60R’s speaker, and downloaded one of the images from the ISS.”
— Clint Bradford K6LCS

Twelve different images depicting space pioneer Yuri Gagarin - the first human to orbit Earth - are being sent on 145.800 MHz using the SSTV mode PD180, with a 3-minute off time between transmissions.

ISS.jpg

The transmitter on the ISS uses 5 kHz deviation FM. If your rig has selectable FM filters (most mobiles do) make sure you choose the wider setting designed for 20 or 25 kHz channel spacing, usually marked FM or FMW.

Images received so far by radio amateurs worldwide - http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ 

Find out more about receiving these transmissions and links to decoding software - http://amsat-uk.org/2015/02/11/more-iss-slow-scan-tv/

The transmitter on the ISS uses 5 kHz deviation FM. If your rig has selectable FM filters (most mobiles do) make sure you choose the wider setting designed for 20 or 25 kHz channel spacing, usually marked FM or FMW.

Images received so far by radio amateurs worldwide - http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ 

Find out more about receiving these transmissions and links to decoding software - http://amsat-uk.org/2015/02/11/more-iss-slow-scan-tv/

New Open Source Data Mode FSQ

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Con Wassilieff ZL2AFP has developed a new fast simple chat data mode for use on HF and VHF 

FSQ is a Fast Simple QSO mode for MF/HF. It works well under NVIS and sunrise/sunset conditions on the lower bands, and also works well for short skip on higher bands. It can also be used on VHF FM, and clearly has a much wider useful range of operating conditions that other more conventional digital modes. Sending speed can be varied between 20 and 60 WPM.

Screenshot of the ZL2AFP FSQCALL software with FSQCALL turned off

FSQ is designed for simple but effective 'Chat' operation, rather like phone text messaging or Skype™ chat; fast and easy to use. You don't use 'overs' as you would with a conventional digital or voice mode. It is highly suited to net operation. You just type a sentence and press Enter. 

An important factor in the design of FSQ is that no synchronising process is required to locate and decode the received characters. Lack of sync means that reception is much less influenced by propagation timing changes that affect almost all other modes, since timing is quite unimportant; it almost completely eliminates impulse noise disruption; and it also contributes to very fast acquisition of the signal (decoding reliably within one symbol of start of reception). Fast acquisition removes the need for addition of extra idle characters at the start of transmission, and this leads to a very slick system. Add high resistance to QRM and QRN, thanks to the low baud rate, and you have a system so robust that it does not need error correction. 

Sensitivity is believed to be about -13 dB SNR at 6 baud, and -16 dB SNR at 3 baud. That's about 10dB better and several times faster than 12 WPM Morse. 

FSQ is NOT compatible in any way with EXChat or DominoEX. While also a Chat mode, it uses a completely new and revolutionary protocol.

FSQ - http://www.qsl.net/zl1bpu/MFSK/FSQweb.htm

Direct download link - http://www.qsl.net/zl1bpu/SOFT/FSQCALL.zip

Radio Astronomy and SDR Dongles

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David Morgan 2W0CXV has released several papers covering the use of the RTL-SDR Dongle in radio astronomy 

In 2011 David described the equipment configuration and software involved in setting to work a small 3m diameter amateur radio telescope using the FUNcube Dongle Pro software defined radio receiver.

At the end of 2014 he published a paper dealing with the setting up and use of a RTL-SDR dongle to receive meteor pings from the Graves Radar on 143.050 MHz.

He has now released two new papers covering the measurement of signal strength and  RF noise sources with the RTL-SDR.

Download David’s papers - http://www.dmradas.co.uk/Downloads.html

You can join the BAA Radio Astronomy Yahoo Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/baa-rag