not sure what im doing wrong

[riccityracc]

I've recently been trying to receive images from the noaa polar satellites but i have yet to get an actual image ive received steady signal from several of the satellites but all i see are black screens and static, im using an rtl sdr and the dipole it comes with with a wideband lna (5Mhz-4Ghz) and i use vb audio cable to feed the audio into wxtoimg. im not sure what you would need to see settings wise to diagnose my exact issue but ill be happy to provide any necessary screenshots.

 

[merlin]

Sounds like not enough gain into WxtoImg. Do you get frame at all?

 

[riccityracc]

Sounds like not enough gain into WxtoImg. Do you get frame at all?

by frame do you mean do i get audio files if so yes is do but they show no details(see image) however if this is not what youre referring to please specify what you mean

 

[riccityracc]

Here are some screenshots from the last three passes, noaa 19 and 15 were this afternoon and noaa 18 was this morning, for 19 and 15 i took my antenna outside where i had a clear view of the path where the satellites would pass and had it mounted horizontally in a 120 degree angle on a tripod facing towards the horizon where the satellites were passing and got steady signal and took the screenshots, this morning for 18 i had the antenna inside facing south in the same configuration and i got a few lines of visible data but im not sure why i only got part of it and only inside as i didnt change any settings from this morning to the afternoon when i was outside.

 

[merlin]

Those vertical gradiant bars form the frame. Looks like some phase and gain adjusting in WxtoImg.
Your signals should be usable, looks like weak audio.

 

[gcopter1]

I'm having exactly the same pics as the OP.

merlin, could you elaborate some more on what is involved, when adjusting the phase and gain?

After receiving my antenna, I placed it out in the balcony, apparently, wasn't enough to receive clear images, so, I bought a light bar tripod to help the antenna clear the over hang.

Still, no clear images.

Then, one day off from work, I was able to sit out and wait the satellite pass.

I got to experience the doppler effect as the satellite was passing by.

The images were a bit better but not at all what I see in some posts.

FWIW, I just used the default settings in WXtolmg and that's the thing.

There's so many settings, and I just don't understand all the terminology.

What does what, what affects this, that or the other, what could be left alone, etc.

 

[a417]

I'm having exactly the same pics as the OP.

merlin, could you elaborate some more on what is involved, when adjusting the phase and gain?

not @merlin , but I'll jump in.

adjusting the RF Gain is how much software based amplification you are telling the program to attempt to do on the signal coming in from the hardware. Top left hand corner of SDR# has a device tab, and under the device tab that you are using there may be a slider for "gain" and that will go from 0 (no gain) to 40 (what my RTL device limits at) or more (not sure what airspys do). Gain can help, but too much can hurt. Gain can't make something out of nothing, but putting it too high can overload whatever you are feeding the signal into. Slide it to the right (usually more) and see if it helps.

 

[a417]

not @merlin , but I'll jump in.

adjusting the RF Gain is how much software based amplification you are telling the program to attempt to do on the signal coming in from the hardware. Top left hand corner of SDR# has a device tab, and under the device tab that you are using there may be a slider for "gain" and that will go from 0 (no gain) to 40 (what my RTL device limits at) or more (not sure what airspys do). Gain can help, but too much can hurt. Gain can't make something out of nothing, but putting it too high can overload whatever you are feeding the signal into. Slide it to the right (usually more) and see if it helps.

ack.

not all RF gain is software based, recievers can have hardware based amplification as well. outside the edit window.

 

[Scanning-NWA]

Riccityracc and Gcopter1,
Receiving NOAA Weather Sateiiltes is an exciting project for me and maybe this information will help you guys out. Riccityracc, I saw from your posted receiving photos, that your input volume level was under 50% and showing a YELLOW level bar instead of a GREEN. You need to be 50-75% on input volume level. I am also brand new to this project and had the same problem when I first started. I had to click on my volume level speaker icon, in the lower right corner of my Linux Mint 20 screen, and select SOUND SETTINGS and then select the INPUT option from the top to set the input level to the LINE INPUT on my PC soundcard while receiving a live photo during the RECORD phase. I am not using an SDR in my receiving station here though. I am using a dedicated Weather Satellite receiver R2FU that I ordered from DF2FQ's website in Germany using PAYPAL. There are two cables connecting the R2FU to my PC - one is a USB cable (for 5V DC receiver power and configuration) and an audio cable that connects the R2FU output into the soundcard LINE INPUT jack on my PC. I am running the Linux 64 bit 2.11.2 beta version of the Wxtoimg freeware program (Linux 64-bit.deb package) under Linux Mint 20 running on my home built PC. I followed the "Wxtoimg Installation and Quick Start Guide" found over at the Wxtoimg Restored website. I am using a very nice 137MHz V-Dipole Antenna that I found on EBAY built by seller antennasbykm4hlfllc. There is also a very nice 137 MHZ Weather Satellite Loop Antenna available on EBAY from seller freqtester that I ordered to try out later. I mounted my V-Dipole up in my attic using a 40 FT. long coax cable assembly with a PL-259 UHF male connector to the V-Dipole and a BNC male connector to the receiver. I found this cable, pre-made and ready to ship, from EBAY seller cablesonline.net. Remember also that best pictures come during daytime passes. To receive from the satellite, press the RECORD option (from under the FILE option list) to get the Wxtoimg Record option box. Then be sure to check "Record and auto-process" and also check the "Create image(s)" box then press the button AUTO-RECORD to start receiving a live photo. Here are photos of my receiving station. The last three photos were captured from all three passes of NOAA-15, NOAA-18 and NOAA-19 on Monday morning 06/28/2021 and were my first good photos after correcting my LINE INPUT level. I was astounded to clearly see the swirl of Tropical Storm Danny as it was approaching the South Carolina coast!!!