W2MMD Satellite Blog

We're getting interested in listening to the GOES geosync weather satellites, so this page is a collection of links to help get started with that project. We'll report on progress as it happens. https://www.rtl-sdr.com/setting-up-a-goes-weather-satellite-antenna-system/ https://www.rtl-sdr.com/receiving-goes-weather-satellite-hrit-with-an-sdrplay-and-2-4-ghz-wifi-grid-antenna/ Detailed article: https://www.teske.net.br/lucas/2016/10/goes-satellite-hunt-part-1-antenna-system/ Good building options: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/building-a-low-cost-goes-weather-satellite-receiver-with-an-rtl-sdr/ Here's the link to an antenna:  https://www.amazon.com/1850-1990-Parabolic-Antenna-Die-Cast-15dBi/dp/B06ZYJ3P82/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536255463&sr=8-2&keywords=parabolic+grid+antenna+1.9 Link to antenna pointing from W2MMD: https://www.satellite-calculations.com/Satellite/Catalog/catalogID.php?41866 Info on GOES 16, the east-coast satellite: https://en.wik...

In preparation for a presentation at the GCARC 2018 Hamfest, here's a description of the current configuration of the W2MMD satellite station. Hopefully these diagrams will be useful in understanding how everything fits together and is used. Voice Communication Here's how the voice communication process works. The SDR Console program runs on the PC and is connected to the 2 SDR radios - a Funcube Dongle and an SDR Play, either of which can be selected. SDR Console is connected to the PC (actually it's done through an Audio Rodirector) to provide sound for the operator. The SDR frequency is controlled by the Satellite function of the PstRotator program, which also control the uplink freq on the 847 through a serial cable. PstRotator also is connected to the LVB rotator controller. So far it's pretty simple. Local data operations Things get a little more complicated when we're working with data. At that point various model and decoder programs get involved...