SATCOM pirates - SSTV

[BackHive67]

For the past few days (and at the moment), there has been SSTV transmissions more or less continuously on 252.152, using Robot36 mode. The signal to me is about 10.5 db but I'm only using a VHF dipole in the attic at the moment. I'd be interested to see how other folks are picking this up, especially on the opposite side of the pond to me as I'm in Ireland.

BH67/.

 

[KJ4TDM]

There back at it again today, I got them at 252.158MHz SSTV. Which satellite is the exactly? I somewhat new to the UHF satcom stuff. Built me a 7ele 250MHZ yagi that works way better then i thought it would.

 

[BackHive67]

I'm sure it's FleetSatCom 8 at 54W. Great on the homebuilt yagi, my DIY is a 4 element yagi with a regular sat tv preamp mounted at the antenna. I since discovered that the SSTV mode is Robot36 BW (black and white.... (grey scale)). The only program I could find to decode that is ChromaPix (trial version works).

BH67/.

 

[KJ4TDM]

Thanks! Here area few pictures of what I am working with. The 2 pictures of signals are from FLTSATCOM 7 100degW, I think. The antenna I made in about a hour and didn't have high hopes for it but it really did surprise me.

I was using Multipsk to try and decode the SSTV, it wasn't doing a very good job. I'll lookup what you mentioned. Thanks

 

[BackHive67]

I'm not 100% sure that it's FleetSatCom8 as my yagi is only a 4 ele it would have quite a wide receive footprint. From where I am, FSC8 has an azimuth of 241 deg yet the antenna points roughly at 160 deg !! It could be one of the three SKYNET sats between 140 and 170 deg as I've heard brazilian pirates talking on those recently also. However, you are assuming FSC7... which is at 105 deg ??? Is that sat active ? I'm confused

That antenna is great, the signals you are getting confirms that. It's dark here now so I'll try and get a pic of my antenna tomorrow.. if it's not still raining. But I have it temporarily hanging off a sweeping brush on my apartment balcony . In your second screen shot, I can see you are getting a bank of channels from a UFO sat at around 243.9 MHz. I've attached a pdf that gives those frequency details.

Check if you can receive the 'WaterDripper' from the Milstar sats around 243.785 or 243.825 make sure to use USB mode.

Here's what I'm receiving at the moment....

 

[KJ4TDM]

To be completely honest i don't know what bird I'm hearing! i point one way i hear something a little different then the other.:roll:

As far as FLTSATCOM 8, from everything i have read its still alive. FLT7 & 8 are the only 2 left. this is just one of a few websites: GFD: fltsatcom 8 - 19 radio scanner frequencies

For what i think is FLT7 I point my antenna around 107deg southeast and for FLT8 i point my antenna just about due south. Again i don't know, still try to learn all this. Tell me why sometimes when i see FLTSatcom7 i see (USA 020) & FLTSatcom8 i see (USA 046)?

I see in your picture you have all you frequencies identified, how did you find that info for each? I would like to ID mine as well. Is there any data, other than the SSTV guy, that can be decode?

Thanks for the PDF i will look that over.

 

[BackHive67]

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out shortly. The list of frequencies are from my own listening, the pdf I posted here and of course this site UHF-Satcom.com - The #1 online resource for VHF to EHF satellite reception and monitoring , click 'UHF Reception' on the left.

USA020 and USA046 are the official satellite 'name', 'FleetSatCom' is probably just what the US Military call it ?

The only other data I can think of are the 4 Fleet Broadcast channels 250.350, 250.450, 250.550 and 250.650 USB. They are mentioned in the pdf. There's a decoder for those but it only spits out 1s and 0s if I remember correctly.

 

[whitenoise]

Matt Blaze has a website (down currently but you can use google cache for last copy) that catalogs things (more recent that uhf-satcom). I am on west coast so only have access to CONUS and POR birds.

If you have directional antennas pointed at each sat you can flip back and forth and things become clear in terms of what is coming from which sat. You can see my attempt of doing that here:

UHF Satcom | USA-Satcom

 

[eorange]

Check if you can receive the 'WaterDripper' from the Milstar sats around 243.785 or 243.825 make sure to use USB mode.

Finally gave this a try...heard these signals very loud and clear using a HTA-TACSAT-01.

 

[BackHive67]

Sounds like a recorded loop of some nut job shouting himself pink (from a movie perhaps) with periods of SSTV on 256.950 MHz right now. Earlier this afternoon, there was SSTV images, some with russian text, transmitting in Martin M1 mode.

 

[Your_account]

omg what a clear signal. Does anyone here use an filter? I got a lot of noise here. My Antenna is an "original" Trivec.

 

[K2RNI]

How active are there? I used to listen to FM voice comms from pirates on 255.55 a lot about 6 years back.

 

[Your_account]

Depend on the Sat and where you are.
Here in Europe a lot of East European use the Sat for there fun.

 

[KJ4TDM]

here in the US last time I listened there was a lot of activity.

 

[Your_account]

in which language?

 

[K2RNI]

in which language?

Generally spanish. The Brazilians love to use it. Got my scanner running the 240-270 range on the roof antenna and haven't heard much all day. I know the antenna can get it because I used to listen to them all the time indoors on the HT.

 

[K2RNI]

There we go just got some, 258.36 0200 UTC

 

[K2RNI]

Boy they're really chatty. Been sitting on the same frequency all month and been hearing a lot of chatter. Too bad I don't know spanish. Makes me wonder who that one ham who got busted talking on these was talking too.