FTM-400 & The ISS

Does anyone know how to set up the FTM-400 so we can do packets with the ISS?

In depth tutorial would be awesome

We have searched the net with no results

One great thing about amateur radio is in doing things your self. RTFM on APRS to see how to set up the 400 properly. And there are numerous internet sites if one cares to do a search for something like APRS on ISS. These articles will explain frequencies to use and Doppler effects. There are just too many sites but could start with AMSAT. How to work the ISS using APRS Packet Radio | AMSAT-UK is one site to begin.

Here's some general information for configuring your radio for APRS and the ISS:
- 145.825 MHz is the frequency you should tune to on the packet side of the radio
- Do not flood with beacons. If you hit the bird, leave room for others on the pass.
- On my Kenwood radios I set the packet path to ARISS. You should do this too.

APRS ISS FAQ

Here's the thing, if your radio gets a reply from the ISS after sending a beacon, do not keep blasting the bird. You have clearly sent and received a packet at that point. I had an extremely inexperienced operator north of me that had their radio configured to blast every few minutes, even when the ISS was on the other side of the earth and was not going to pass by soon. I sent them an email advising of their very public error as I am almost 100 miles away from their station.

If the above points are confusing to you, full stop. Take the time to learn about your radio and then APRS. You will enjoy it more and others will appreciate your operating skill. Remember, you are blasting packets out with your callsign. People will know who you are if you're a poor operator.

FTM-400XDR - APRS and ISS

I feel your pain, and the replies you have gotten here are of no help whatsoever. Maybe we can figure this out between the two of us.

I have been running APRS since the the days of the PC-XT and DOS. I have run UI-View32 for many years at the base and for the last few year have been regularly been running digipeating through ISS using UISS. Never had a problem.

Just got my Yaesu FTM-400XDR this week and had no luck digipeating through ISS on 145.825 using the same Yagi antenna setup that has proven success for me. I restored my previous set up (a TYT-9800 with a MFJ-1278) and got right back on the ARISS,net map.

Best I can figure, is that there are no instructions on how to set up an UNPROTO packet for this rig. With every other flavor I have used, all you had to do was add the command "unproto CQ via ARISS" and you were up and running. With this menu driven operating on the FTM, how is this accomplished?

I have tried putting ARISS into PATH 1. I have tried putting CQ into the first blank and ARISS into the second.. No joy. I have been able to decode the raw packets by monitoring with my Kenwood, and it seems to look ok.

The only other thought I have is that it may be necessary to add my position in ascii characters, into the beacon text. Possibly, the condensed format rendered by Yaesu's GPS isn't be decoded. So I'm thinking of adding "=4036.71N/07410.04W-73 de Bob" to the first beacon text line. Naturally you would add your own coords.

I got fed up with the lack of support material and relegated the rig to the car, where I am actually quite happy with it. The radio fits right into the Taurus's center console and the head mounts right above SYNC screen very nicely with the provided sticky tape.

Hope we can figure it out. It might be nice to run ISS from the mobile on occassion.

Vy 73,
Bob Tarwacki - NY2M/K2FOP

its actually quite easy to run APRS thru the ISS. You need to be on 145.825 as stated above, have your location set in your APRS menu to GPS, and change your path from WIDE1-1 etc to ARISS, and make sure your APRS mute is turned off so you can hear the station itself. once you start hearing packets, push the BEACON TX button to manually send a beacon, if you make it you will be digi'd just like on earth.

KB3KBR - Have you in fact done this with the Yaesu FTM400 and been successful? Manual coords or GPS generated? When you decode your raw packet, what does your beacon look line in ascii - if you don't mind my asking?
Bob - NY2M

i have done this mobile with the 400. I'm not sure about the ascii thing but you should popup on your display as long as you have your popups to display.

Thanks!

There are three other manuals for the FTM-400 that do not come with the radio. They cover WIRES-X, GM and APRS and have to downloaded from the Yaesu website. If you haven't already, you might read the APRS manual for the radio and see if that helps any.

Welcome to Yaesu.com

NY2M

Have you ever figured this out? Im running into a blank wall as well.

437.55 is the digi freq now......... I dont think u will here much on the 2 meter side


Steve-W9THR

Thanks for the replies. Anyone had any success?