ISS SSTV active on 145.800 MHz FM in April

ISS SSTV active on 145.800 MHz FM in April

The International Space Station (ISS) amateur radio Slow Scan Television (SSTV) transmissions on 145.800 MHz FM are expected to be activated over several days in April

The Inter-MAI-75 SSTV experiment should be active on:
• Monday, April 2 from 15:05-18:30 UT
• Tuesday, April 3 from 14:15-18:40 UT

SSTV is also expected be active from April 11-14 world wide as part of Cosmonautics Day which takes place on April 12. Detailed times are still being worked into the schedule and will be published later. Images will be related to the Interkosmos project https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interkosmos

The SSTV images will be transmitted on 145.800 MHz FM using the Kenwood TM-D710 transceiver located in the Russian ISS Service module. It is expected they will use the PD-120 SSTV format.

Note the ISS transmissions use the 5 kHz deviation FM standard rather than the narrow 2.5 kHz used in Europe. If your transceiver has selectable FM filters try using the wider filter. Handheld transceivers generally have a single wide filter fitted as standard and you should get good results outdoors using just a 1/4 wave whip antenna.


ISS SSTV MAI-75 image 9/12 received by Chertsey Radio Club on Baofeng handheld

The ISS Fan Club site will show you when the space station is in range http://www.issfanclub.com/

ISS SSTV information and links at
https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/

Listen online to the ISS when it is over Russia with the R4UAB WebSDR http://websdr.r4uab.ru/

Listen online to the ISS when it is range of London with the SUWS WebSDR http://farnham-sdr.com/

Please note that the event is dependent on other activities, schedules and crew responsibilities on the ISS and subject to change at any time. You can check for updates regarding planned operation at:
ARISS SSTV blog and picture gallery https://ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/
ISS Ham https://twitter.com/RF2Space
AMSAT Bulletin Board http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

If you receive a full or partial picture from the Space Station your Local Newspaper may like to know
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/july/now-is-a-great-time-to-get-ham-radio-publicity.htm

The RSGB produce a handy Media Guide and Template press release for anyone to download and adapt, see
http://rsgb.org/main/clubs/media-guide-for-affiliated-societies/

An example of the publicity you can get for the hobby by telling your Local Newspaper
https://amsat-uk.org/2015/04/15/iss-sstv-in-the-press/


http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2018/march/iss-sstv-active-in-april.htm

 

I recorded this short video demonstration of an SSTV transmission during an ISS pass in July of last year.



I'm looking forward to capturing the Inter-MAI-75 SSTV experiment in a few days.

 

Guess I will be standing outside with my trusted Arrow antenna, laptop, and TH-D72A HT - making all the neighbors wonder what I am doing (lol)

 

Looking forward to using the HT with an arrow antenna and the robot36 phone app to decode the pictures.

 

Isn't this a case of where a turnstile mounted a (quarter or a half wave) above a ground plane would be a good antenna?

I seem to recall that being the hot ticket in the 80s for satellite...

--Shane
KD6VXI

 

I'll be in the parking lot at work with my HT and my iPhone running the Black Cat Systems SSTV app.

 

Other than using a remote receiver when the ISS is overhead of that location, I am unclear how I would capture any of the Inter-MAI-75 transmissions here in California...and then some, based on the brief TX schedule and the footprint of the ISS for that duration. Hopefully they let it keep going the full two days instead of the off time.

I am hopeful that the Cosmonauts Day transmissions (April 11-14) will operate longer, typical of past ISS SSTV events.

 

just flew directly over my QTH about an hour ago and nothing heard on 145.800 or 145.825 (aprs). Not a burp!

 

I wish it was during the weekend, instead of a weekday... I work during those hours...

 

When it happens when i'm at work, i just leave a PC turned on and a radio listening to the frequency. And when i return back home, i see the results.
The ISS signal is very strong, so generally i can receive SSTV images with a little vertical GP 1 meter heigh, and a handheld FT60 yaesu. Without correcting the doppler. Just leaving the radio at 145800.

Best 73

 

Too bad the activation times listed for the Inter-MAI-75 SSTV experiment don't include passes over NA. Hopefully the scheduling for the extended event April 11-14 includes us.

As IU2EFA pointing out, most SSTV app's have an auto RX mode. I use MMSSTV, a free download and fabulous contribution by JE3HHT.

http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php

In the past I haven't even bothered with a hard cable audio connection, just used the old standby "acoustic coupler" method, ie, speaker of rig or HT next to PC microphone, set the levels and squelch, and walk away. Come back later and view the History. Here is an example result.



73, John, WØPV

 

Latest reception reports...

https://www.issfanclub.com/sstv-reports

 

Why can't the american's on the ISS send out some sstv pics from space? one new pic a day would be outstanding !

 

3-apr-18, this have been received leaving a old kenwood TH-22E listening with a GP antenna 1.8meters at 145800.

73

 

WOW - Just WATCHED the ISS fly over us in Southern California, and RECEIVED two glorious images (Series 9, 2/12 and 3/12).

Tonight with just a good-receiving HT (Kenwood TH-F6a and Yaesu FT-60R) with Smiley 270A whip antennas. A 36-degree pass.

Clint Bradford