ISS SSTV image 1 received by Murray Hely ZL3MH January 31, 2015

The ARISS Russia Team is planning to support a couple of Slow Scan Television (SSTV) events in the next few months on 145.800 MHz FM.

The upcoming spacewalk (EVA) will result in the amateur radio equipment on the ISS being powered down on Friday, January 15 at about 07:40 UT. Power-up is expected to take place on January 16 at 15:15 UT.

An SSTV session had been targeted for Saturday, January 16 to celebrate 15 years of ARISS school contacts with the ISS crew. The new date will be announced at http://ariss-sstv.blogspot.co.uk/

The SSTV transmissions, in mode PD120, will be made from the amateur radio station located in the Russian Service Module of the ISS using the callsign RS0ISS. The equipment used for SSTV is a Kenwood D710 transceiver running about 25 watts output which provides a very strong signal enabling reception on simple equipment.

A 2m handheld with a 1/4 wave antenna will be enough to receive the transmissions. In the UK we use narrow 2.5 kHz deviation FM but the ISS transmits on 145.800 MHz with the wider 5 kHz deviation used in much of the world. Most rigs can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters so select the wider filter. Hand-held rigs all seem to have a single wide filter fitted as standard.

Check the ARISS SSTV blog for updates and additional information as it becomes available
http://ariss-sstv.blogspot.co.uk/

ISS Slow Scan TV hints, links for PC and iPhone SSTV Apps and a sample PD120 signal are at
https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/

ISS SSTV video and “ISS SSTV Reception Hints” by John Brier KG4AKV
https://spacecomms.wordpress.com/iss-sstv-reception-hints/

Dmitry Pashkov R4UAB reports SSTV activity postponed to Saturday, January 16
http://tinyurl.com/R4UAB-ISS-SSTV-201501