ISS Space Station

coolguy · #1 (**permalink**) 04-06-2009, 06:01 PM

Hello I am from Canada. I have a question I am hoping anyone on here can answer for me.

I always have 145.800 MHz in my scanners and I am just wondering if 145.800 MHz is the receive freq and if it is what would be the TX freq of it. like would they use 2 different freq's or is that the one they talk on and receive on as well up there, just curious. So if anyone knows what it is, I would appreciate it, so I can enter that freq into my scanners as well and see if I ever hear anything on it when they talk as they are are going by overhead, if they are talking. Let me know

Also I am wondering if there is any other important Freq's that I might want to put into my scanners to listen to the ISS and when the Shuttle is up there as well during it's missions. Let me know.

I will be waiting for any replies to this post. Thanks.

Coolguy

WB2UZR · #2 (**permalink**) 04-06-2009, 11:10 PM

Take a look here:

ISS Frequencies | ISS Fan Club

Scott/WB2UZR

coolguy · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 09:45 AM

Ok thanks for that info.

Ok so since I am from Ontario Canada. I would use the freq's for Region 2&3.

The Uplink freq is wut the crew of ISS talks on and the Downlink freq is what the crew of ISS receives on to listen to the replies. Let me know.

Also on the other freq's such as: 437.800, 145.825, 143.625 & 166.000 AM. Would I hear anything on these freq's as well when when they fly over my place here in Ontario Canada and if I will would would I hear on these freq's. Just curious to see if I should put them in my scanners or not. Let me know.

I will be waiting for any replies to these questions. Thanks again.

Coolguy

ka3jjz · #4 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 10:31 AM

437.8 is what hams who want to call the ISS's radio when it is in duplex mode, working as a cross band satellite. That is to say, hams call up on 437, listen on 145.8.

145.825 is a primarily packet frequency - you can decode this mode using software. See our Satcom article in our wiki for a link (float your mouse over WIKI in the blue toolbar under the logo and select 'Satcom').

I have my doubts about the 2 Russian freqs (143.625 and 166.0). Those are likely used when the station is over the Russian airspace (since they'd be calling Star City), I'm sure, and it would be difficult (although not out of the question) to hear them used when the station is over Canada.

Personally I'd stick with 145.8 - and evidently Charles Simonyi has been sending down SSTV pix from time to time, so you might hear some wierd squeaking noises on that freq. That too can be decoded with software, and again, the Satcom article has several relevant links. MM-SSTV is freeware and I understand a fair number have been successful using this software 73 Mike

coolguy · #5 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 12:04 PM

Ok. I will put those freq's into my scanner(s) and see what I can hear.

Also on the 145.825 Packet Freq. Would I just hear noise on it and that is it. Or would I only hear something the odd times and not all the times.

And wut about the freq's: 121.125 FM, 121.750 FM, 130.167 (for this freq, when I enter it into my scanner, it doesn't come up as 130.167 it comes up as: 130.175 so would I still hear something if that is what it comes up as when I enter it into my scanner), 144.490 & 145.990. Would I maybe hear anything on these when it passes over me in Ontario Canada.

I will be waiting for any replies to these questions to. Thanks again.

Coolguy

ka3jjz · #6 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 12:22 PM

You won't hear hams on the 437 mhz side - they are sending a signal TO the station, and unless you're rather close, chances are you won't hear anything. And as for 145.825, all you will hear - when it's being used - is 'noise' (actually digital data). I have seen reports of those other freqs, but whether they're being used by the Russians or us I don't know 73 Mike

[edit] Something to keep in mind - the ham station is on and used at the discretion of the astronauts, when they have the time, and if it doesn't impact the safety of operations or personnel on spacewalks. I don't think they keep it on during their sleep periods, either. So for any mode, at any time, it's sometimes a catch as catch can basis, unless you manage to hear one of the pre arranged school contacts.

WB2UZR · #7 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 11:21 PM

Also, the guys who have been very active on SSTV and voice are returning tomorrow, so expect activity to drop off quite a bit from the ISS.

Scott/WB2UZR

nodak1crdet3 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-27-2009, 02:07 PM

I have caught ISS using 143.625 FM. It's rare, but they still use it.

04-04-08
ISS
143.625 FM. 12:58am.

08-16-08
ISS
143.625 FM. Houston, Alfa (ISS) VHF Comm check on 1, 02:36pm. Houston, Alfa (ISS) on VHF 1
02:38pm.

05-28-09
ISS
143.625 FM. Going up along east coast 01:52pm.

gewecke · #9 (**permalink**) 06-27-2009, 05:05 PM

143.625...really? Were you able to determine who they were talking to? That freq.is outside the 2m.band.
I keep hoping I'll hear them. I have tape of the challenger disaster from '86.
N9ZAS.

rdale · #10 (**permalink**) 06-27-2009, 09:04 PM

Yep, that is the frequency they use to talk to the Russian ground sites. Before they had all their comms up, you could hear that often. Now they only do it over the US every few weeks to make sure it's working in case the satellite feed goes down.

ka3jjz · #11 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 10:38 PM

There's another reason why that freq is so rarely used. I spoke to the late Ron Parise WA4SIR about this a couple of years back; it seems that when the Station (of course in his day, it was the Shuttle) is over certain parts of Central America and Mexico, this freq gets clobbered with overloading from Mexican taxis and other groups using illegally pirated 2 meter amplifiers, running far hotter than they should. I know the ARRL has complained to their Mexican counterparts and the Mexican government about this, but given the well documented and rampant corruption there, whether any serious action was ever taken on this - well, I rather doubt it

73 Mike

rdale · #12 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 11:32 PM

They have nobody to communicate with when over Central America so that's not really the issue... They only use it to talk to the ground stations in Russia, and pirating isn't quite a problem there

nodak1crdet3 · #13 (**permalink**) 07-08-2009, 10:29 PM

Does anybody know what is following the ISS. I saw it again tonight for the 09:56pm pass over Detroit. It was about 3 hand lenghts behind ISS, and very dim, but visible.

rdale · #14 (**permalink**) 07-08-2009, 11:19 PM

Progress 33P - a Russian cargo ship. It undocked last month with trash onboard, normally they just reenter and burn up. However they are testing new rendezvous radar so will reapproach the ISS on the 12th.