Meriden ARC Web Site | Castle Craig Chapter 10-10


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ISS
#1
Nice article in the paper about the students talking to the ISS last week. Sparked my interest. I'm new to all this..KC1AXJ, so really new. Have seen on youtube folks talking to the ISS from their HT just with the stock rubber ducky antenna. I've been trying on a few passes with my vertical ground plane antenna but no luck yet. Anyone else done this from a HT.

Just wondering..

73

KC1AXJ
73, Steve - KC1SA
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#2
(01-31-2014, 06:49 PM)KC1AXJ Wrote: Nice article in the paper about the students talking to the ISS last week. Sparked my interest. I'm new to all this..KC1AXJ, so really new. Have seen on youtube folks talking to the ISS from their HT just with the stock rubber ducky antenna. I've been trying on a few passes with my vertical ground plane antenna but no luck yet. Anyone else done this from a HT.

Just wondering..

73

KC1AXJ

They don't get on much. I've tried a number of passes that have good coverage. I've worked them but that was when there was a big push from the ARRL when all the excitement over MIR, the Shuttle and finally ISS was more active. Most of the time you will see something in the ARRL letter or QST announcing an operation probably something like Field Day. You also have a better chance of working them on holidays or weekends when they have a reduced crew in JSC in Houston and at NASA in Florida. Finally remember that their work and sleep schedule is quite different than we would expect. Their wake up time is early in the morning.. 2 or 3 AM so by late afternoon they are winding down for the day and getting ready for bed. Their "play time" may be late afternoon before they are put down for the day.

Here is a great link for Live Video from the Shuttle http://www.n2yo.com/space-station/ If you are up that early you will start to hear chatter from the controllers as they start their day. You'll hear chatter between Houston and the ISS and Moscow and the ISS. I think I've also heard Koichi talking to the JSA. Probably all done via links at JSC.

The tracking software does not update correctly at times, (this not a NASA Site), so you have to do a refresh at times to see where they "really" are or get your own tracking program, (which you will need anyway if you are going to track satellites).

Good Luck

-73-

Al - N1API
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#3
Hi there,

Welcome to the club forums. If you are trying to work the space station think about where it is. It'll be flying over-head for the most part. Your ground plane antenna has very little radiation upward and most of the signal is outward very low to the ground.

The rubber duck thing will work if your HT has enough power, because the rubber duck kinda radiates all around but by it's design might even out perform a low horizontally radiating ground plane. But there are a lot of other factors ... But even a rubber duck antenna might work better than a vertical ground plane. Unless of course you are aiming at the space station when it's at or near the horizon ...

When I was chasing the Oscar satellites (a long time ago) I used a simple turnstile antenna. That is actually just two dipoles 90 degrees from each other and fed at their collective center points. Think of a horizontal X. That will radiate upward toward the space station and would work just fine for a pass where it's more or less over-head.

By the way ... what's the name there ?? Sorry I"m too lazy to look it up on line. Smile

Go to your user control panel here and edit your signature by adding your first name to your call in your signature. I'm getting old and forgetful and if I see you name with your callsign it would help this old timer remember. <heh heh> And again ... welcome aboard.

73, Rich - WA1TRY

(01-31-2014, 06:49 PM)KC1AXJ Wrote: Nice article in the paper about the students talking to the ISS last week. Sparked my interest. I'm new to all this..KC1AXJ, so really new. Have seen on youtube folks talking to the ISS from their HT just with the stock rubber ducky antenna. I've been trying on a few passes with my vertical ground plane antenna but no luck yet. Anyone else done this from a HT.

Just wondering..

73

KC1AXJ
Rich - WA1TRY 
Reply
#4
The ISS only occasionally operates their 2 meter ham radio. This could be one reason for not hearing anything. I have never tried myself.
Jim N1ZN
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