Contact with ISS

[meg]

care to share what you programmed in?

Sure

Ch RX TX
1. 145.805 437.790
2. 145.800 437.795
3. 145.800 437.800
4. 145.800 437.805
5. 145.795 437.810

No CTCSS needed, and I think it worked for me this time because it was an almost overhead pass - last few weeks they've been pretty low on the horizon (when I've been at home at least). Because of the split bands, I guess that if I used (built!) a 70cm yagi and aimed it at the horizon, I'd do better on the lower passes, but wouldn't be able to hear any responses on 2m unless I used a second radio. Which is possible, but takes a little more planning

[VK6ZUK]

Hi Guys,

Just worked the ISS with 2 radios. This is from my QTH. Had tx on 437.800 and rx on 145.800.

Was only about s1 to s3 with about a 3 minute window!!

Will try again next time which is March 18th.

[meg]

Woohoo! The hillbillies take over LEO space! How was it using the two radios?

There are passes before the 18th, or is that the next overhead one (rather than being very close to the horizon - I haven't had any luck with those passes)

Cheers
Meg

[VK6ZMS]

Hi Guys,

Just worked the ISS with 2 radios. This is from my QTH. Had tx on 437.800 and rx on 145.800.

Was only about s1 to s3 with about a 3 minute window!!

Will try again next time which is March 18th.

Good stuff !

March 18 is the next visual pass i.e night time. There are plenty of RF passes before then.

Download Satscape and enter your lat and long. You can then predict the RF passes.

http://www.satscape.co.uk/Satscape/Satscape.html

[Bonez]

I don't run Windows but I have a nice program for Linux called "GNOME Predict". It's free of course.

According to the lat/long that I've entered (I used the Perth Airport since it's only about 2km line of sight from me) the next pass of the ISS is in 11 hours, 22 minutes and 25 seconds.

edit: and just for fun, here's a screen shot of what the program looks like. It regularly downloads updated information from the internet and can be configured to show the location of pretty much all operational satellites with amateur radio equipment installed.

Click for bigger pic

[VK6ZMS]

Hi mate
Satscape is in Java if you want to try it. I am running it on my Mac.
A mate runs it in Windoze.

[meg]

I just use the Heavens Above website
http://www.heavens-above.com/

[VK6ZUK]

Had a nice signal there tonight on the ISS.

For me is was about S7 but i didnt get a chance to come up, too much traffic.

I did hear VK6GHZ and VK6JRC though

Will try again tomorrow, or better still if i sort my antennas out this weekend it will be much better.

[VK6ZMS]

The space station astronauts NA1SS were calling CQ on 145.8.MHz.
The uplink freq. for our region when they are calling is 144.490 MHz.
Don't confuse this with the cross band repeater which has a 70cm uplink.

[meg]

Thanks for the heads up this morning - I heard them, but didn't manage to get through - by the time I had that uplink frequency programmed in they were just about over the horizon anyway.

Good to hear them calling though!

[Blinky]

This time a visual and maybe radio contact. For the next couple of Days ISS is apparently visible to Perth in the early evening. I saw this mentioned in the newspaper during the week. Predicted times for Perth are below.



or use your favorite tracking program or http://www.heavens-above.com/ and for those confused by 24hr time 1700hrs is 5pm and 1800hrs is 6pm.

[meg]

Fantastic - thanks blinky!

[VK6ZMS]

I think they may have turned packet back on. I am hearing data periodically on 145.8.

[slipknot]

I remeber the day i made contact with richard gariot, i have it recored but dont know how to upload it, its one sided but since i accidently muted the mic, but richards voice is there

[robbage]

have you tried YouTube? I think you can put audio-only files there?