What antenna
I was looking at freq. for listening to the ISS (for North American Great lakes region) I'm assuming downlink 145.800 means the sending freq, and uplink 144.490 means the freq to listen on? If that is the case my 2 meter FM icom will not program splits in that amount of numbers. there might be some way to punch it in manually, but that's really not the topic of this thread. Just need affirmation that those are the correct splits.
I want to know if I even have a chance to make QSO with the ISS with a dual bander vertical 30 foot up a tower? I notice most examples I see on Youtube, and other websites all use handheld yagis.
73 KD8IIS
KD8IIS – Wed, 2009 – 08 – 19 20:23
Re: What antenna
I don't have any trouble receiving on 145.800MHz using either a 5/8 vertical or a Loft mounted Inverted Vee (meant for 10m but just happens to also have a good SWR on 2m), signal comes in a good 5 & 9 for virtually all of the 10minute pass with both. My Latitude (I think quite a bit further North than your QTH) helps since most passes are at a fairly low elevation (which suits the 5/8), the disadvantage of the higher Latitude is that I miss out of a few of the passes.
I should imagine getting a good signal back up to the ISS might need an antenna with a bit more directivity (& therefore gain) would be needed and the ability to match the polarization would help.
Colin
M6XSD
frequency
The downlink is the frequency the ISS transmits down on (145.800). The uplink is the frequency you transmit up on (144.490).
A dualband vertical will work but it is not optimal for satellite communications. It is designed to radiate most of the signal towards the horizon. Low elevation passes will be better for this kind of antenna. Try listening to the ISS packet beacon on 145.825 simplex to see how well your antenna hears the ISS.
Many use handheld yagis or az/el beams to track the satellites and focus the antenna radiation pattern towards the satellite as it moves across the sky.
Kenneth - N5VHO
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/radio/
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