Weather Satellite Frequencies

[rocky28965]

I have created a list of weather satellites from N2YO.com.
My intention is to track these on SDR Console with my RSPdx.
I found only 40 of them in the Console database.
Of those I can only find beacon frequencies for 8 of them.
Why is it so hard to find the frequencies ?

 

[ArloG]

I feel your enthusiasm. Amateur reception of weather satellites that can be received and the data decoded should be a hint.
NOAA, GOES, Meteor satellite reception and the equipment needed is out there for us.
In the case of many of the others though ground tracking equipment would be way beyond the scope of the average guy.
In the case of Chinese weather sats. I think I read that they only turn on the transmitters when they are in range of their own ground stations.
As compared to 137 MHz and L Band reception using a QFH, patch, helical, yagi, etc antennas. Perhaps a small to medium sized dish arrangement.
Some are very directional with low powered transmitters.
Payload and ground station requirements are out there is you search the right terms.
I would think though. Of the 40 satellites you have interest in and can only find 8 freqs.
Only those 8 have been actively received and the data processed by the average Joe with the software available.
My interest lately has been in receiving GOES satellites and the NOAAPORT transponder on Galaxy 28 located at 89 degrees West.
Even with a 3.7 meter dish signal is a bit weak on C Band. A satellite data receiver is needed to extract data on the several multicast data slots.

 

[rocky28965]

Thanks for you reply.
I'm not really into into downloading or decoding data.
I just like to receive some sort transmission from them as they drift past my location.
I have since updated the list to 119, with 45 of them available on the SDR Console database.
I've found about 10 frequencies, mainly through guesswork.
I was watching a group of CYGFM01 - CYGFM08 go past on the map this morning, but wasn't able to get any signal.
They may be out of my range though.

I have a database for active amateur satellites which I also track, but those frequencies are readily available.

 

[ArloG]

Maybe a description of your receiving equipment and antenna(s) used would be a good start to dive in and lookup the frequencies you may be able to receive.
Are you using any tracking equipment at all?

 

[rocky28965]

I don't have any special equipment.
Just a discone antenna and a SDR RSPDX.
I am using SDR Console with the satelite plugin.
So in theory I can receive from HF, VHF and UHF up to about 1200MHz
For example when NOAA-18 goes past I can receive it no problem.

 

[ArloG]

I don't have any special equipment.
Just a discone antenna and a SDR RSPDX.
I am using SDR Console with the satelite plugin.
So in theory I can receive from HF, VHF and UHF up to about 1200MHz
For example when NOAA-18 goes past I can receive it no problem.

As can I. But these are designed to be received by small earth stations. A discone is very wideband. I have a 137 MHz QFH antenna on my roof. It does work pretty good off-frequency.
But as you see from the antennas like the Arrow you hold in your hand and aim at ham sats. You're going to need a much more directional antenna cut for the specific frequencies you're intending on receiving.
A discone just has no gain and once you get higher up in download frequencies. You will need a "pair of binoculars" of sorts.
Leading up to a "telescope", or parabolic antenna, and tracking motors. Low noise amplifiers. Super high quality cable in short runs.
It gets.....fun.
Inmarsat is easy to receive. But in the L Band. A Discone just won't do it. In my recent delving into NOAAPORT on C band. I'm lucky to have a steerable big ugly dish that has been carefully upgraded.
By the way. I'm using a Nooelec LANA low noise amplifier. It has no filtering and covers a wide frequency range. And brings in those NOAA & Meteor sats in very well. I use another one like it for Inmarsat.
If you're lucky you can even catch rogue sats that have failed, are tumbling, etc. And there are beacon decoders out there to display a bit of information from them on a pc.

If you search the right terms for those fuzzy sats you're looking to receive. You will find the downlink frequencies.
But remember also that orbiting satellites sometimes have their radios shut down except in range of the receiving ground stations.
Such in the case of Chinese satellites. The NOAA JPSS leo sats with downlinks in the S, X, Ka bands. You're going to need some specialized receiving equipment to even know that they are up there.

Here's a cool site:

HearSat

 

[spacellamaman]

feel free to post any lists you like to for us neophytes

 

[rocky28965]

Here is my list so far.
Some of the frequencies my not be correct.

 

[sprman1955]

Have heard 5 different satellites in the 137 mhz band here in TN using just my 30 year old Pro 2006 and rod ant that came with it.Rocky give a listen on
137.626
137.1
137.490
137.6625, They come in great here in TN USA.

 

[ra7850]

Have heard 5 different satellites in the 137 mhz band here in TN using just my 30 year old Pro 2006 and rod ant that came with it.Rocky give a listen on
137.626
137.1
137.490
137.6625, They come in great here in TN USA.

What mode are you using?

 

[surfacemount]

A discone is very wideband. ... You're going to need a much more directional antenna cut for the specific frequencies you're intending on receiving.

With what you're receiving off a dipole, imagine what you'll get with more proper equipment! Discones are kludges designed for either air band, or scanners. What you seek is very, very low powered. Coax matters. Filtering matters, both from a terrestrial perspective, and power filtering as well (LED lighting and wall warts are exceptionally problematic). And like ArloG says, directional antennas can make a significant difference with the harder-to-catch systems.

Good luck! Lots of great info, satcatching doesn't have to be an expensive sport if you are handy with tools and can measure accurately, and can wait for bargains.

 

[sprman1955]

Ahh forgot to say NFM sorry about that.Yeah love to have a nice directional antenna with filters and maybe a preamp and good coax!Been to hamfests looking around..

 

[rocky28965]

I thank you kind folk for all the good advice, but I must point out something.
In the area I live, I have been very lucky getting away with the antennas I already have without any complaints from neighbours.
The discone serves me well & I also have a stealth longwire for HF
I think If pushed my luck I'd finish up having to remove the lot.

Now getting back to my question in post #1.
The best antenna in the world won't pick up a satellite if you don't know the frequency to use.
In post #8 I attached the list of satellites in question.
If any of you can help with that, I would appreciate it.
I compiled that list from N2YO.com and have already excluded any that I know are above my receiving range.
I realize there may still be some others in that category.

Thank you.

 

[dlwtrunked]

Here is my list so far.
Some of the frequencies my not be correct.

The 162 MHz frequencies should not be there. They are NOAA ground based weather transmission and not from the satellites listed with them.

 

[rocky28965]

Noted thank you.

 

[ArloG]

You seem content in believing that a discone is the hot ticket.
You can receive hamsats and capture transmissions with a 0 gain discone.
How well? Depends. Some satellites transmit their downlinks using linear polarization. Some use circular right or left.
Simple to describe, a bit difficult to grasp the concept. Circular polarization could be explained as a signal that is flung off of a...Noaa LEO....sat. as a slinky or piece of all thread rod. And looking at it from the ground the "coil" of radio frequency is coming to you in a right hand twist.
Likewise an antenna that receives the best would be designed to capture the coil. Several designs such as a V diople, helical, crossed dipole, Lindenblad and quadrifiler helix fit the ticket. Kind of like the difference in threading a machine screw into an un-threaded hole, or forcing it into a hole tapped with left hand threads, or the hot ticket of matching the threads.
So, you see. Not an easy answer for a dude with only one super wideband antenna.
Dimensions and construction materials, correct impedance and phase matching are paramount. Rabbit ears versus a Winegard to get channels in a different city.
Okay. Enough of that. GOES sats. With a discone? Nope. Aint gonna' happen. Even if it's rated up to 3 GHz. With the best cable and connectors and LNA. The 137 MHz sats. Are you hearing them strong for around 10-12 minutes? And I mean a distinct ching-ching-ching-ching with minimal static? With a discone. Highly unlikely.
If you want to hear ~5 watts from ~600 miles away on 137 MHz with any use at all. You need an.....antenna...designed to be a rifle 'scope instead of open sights. Capable of focusing on the target frequency.
Kirk out!

 

[rocky28965]

Well I'm not putting up another antenna.
So I will just have to forget the satellites.
As I said the discone suits the majority of my needs.

 

[ArloG]

Well I'm not putting up another antenna.
So I will just have to forget the satellites.
As I said the discone suits the majority of my needs.

.......that is. until you do and capture your first really good image
.....or, not!

 

[VK3RX]

I played around with the 137MHz weather satellites some time ago using a scanner modified for the appropriate bandwidth (30-35kHz), an Icom AH-7000 discone and a band-specific masthead amplifier. It wasn't particularly successful, rare to get an image without significant noise. Due to the receive pattern of a discone, orbits from about 5° to 45° elevation were "best". Higher than that the satellites go into a null in the discone pattern.

As others have said a more appropriate antenna is required for quality pix but your situation might not suit, although you could try building a "stealth" weather satellite antenna e.g. made from stiff wire.

Tell your neighbors its for FM or DAB+ reception ........

 

[sprman1955]

Wonder if you could build a Slinky antenna using PVC pipe ect.Small portable you could set out and aim ect when you want to listen to them....Just a thought.Have not tried my discone yet .