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Author Topic: Contacting ISS on Minimum Budget  (Read 4061 times)

9K2MD

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Contacting ISS on Minimum Budget
« on: June 08, 2005, 05:33:19 AM »

Hi there,

I'm a new licensed ham from Kuwait. I interested in ISS (Space Station) that’s how I got interested in ham radio. I want to contact the space station on a minimum budget. Is IC-2100 a good VHF transceiver to start off? (I don’t want to install it in the car) what types of antennas should I use? Best free tracking soft wares? And how can I record my qso's? Are there any considerations prior the contacts?
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W4TME

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Contacting ISS on Minimum Budget
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2005, 08:09:35 AM »

For starters, congratulation on getting you license.  Now for the answers to your questions.  Contacting ISS on voice (FM) is difficult since the astronauts are real busy and don't have a lot of time to chat on the radio.  Most of the contacts made via ISS are packet.  You can send you location coordinates via ISS and show up on a web site with you location (http://www.ariss.net/).   It is very cool.  If you are quick, you can have a packet QSO with other station within the foot print of the ISS

The IC-2100 doesn't have a 1200 baud data port, so doing packet will be more difficult, but not impossible.  I have had good luck with my Kenwood G707.  You will need a computer to run the software required for the contacts via packet.  

For software, I highly recommend UISS (http://users.belgacom.net/hamradio/uiss.htm) for sending the digital data packets, AGW Packet Engine ( http://www.raag.org/sv2agw/ ) for the interface between the computer sound card (or TNC) and the radio, and SatScape (http://www.satscape.co.uk/) for pass prediction software.  All of the above software is free.

For an antenna, a 2 meter � wave vertical will work, but something like the Arrow yagi
( http://www.arrowantennas.com/146-437.html) works much better with low power transceivers.

I hope this gets you started.  Good luck.

73 de W4TME
-Tim
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9K2MD

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Contacting ISS on Minimum Budget
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2005, 05:06:47 AM »

Thank you, Tim!

Your tips and the links you mentioned were useful. However in the end I purchased IC-2200h due to limit options in Kuwait and a vertical antenna...

Can you recommend good links for "satellites starters" beside AMSAT website? I am clueless on how to pratice listening to satellites on the radio. I have read many materials online and I understand the satellite terms used. It's just I don't know how to start practically :/

73 de 9K2MD
-Maryam
 
 
 
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WO8USA

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Contacting ISS on Minimum Budget
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2005, 05:10:03 AM »

Maryam,

I am starting out too.

What I do to get used to the satellites for receive is to use the Heavens Bove website.  You can obtain a free login there.  They have all the ham satellites already cataloged.

I then look for the ones I can listen to (70cm down FM) and look for the ones with highere elevation passes, above 30 degrees.  Then I make sure I'm outside (good to have the correct time too!) on the right frequency.

I have not yet put my transmitter together yet, and doing all this on a HT.

God luck,
Chris WO8USA
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