Feb 13 2025

Fram2Ham SSTV Simulation from ISS

Rabea Rogge LB9NJ / KD3AID - Photo credit DLR

Rabea Rogge LB9NJ / KD3AID – Photo credit DLR

Astronaut and radio amateur, Rabea Rogge LB9NJ / KD3AID, will be transmitting amateur radio Slow Scan TV images from space during the SpaceX Fram2 mission, planned for April 1, 0320 UTC (0420 BST).  It will be the first polar-orbit human spaceflight mission to explore Earth.

The International Space Station will be simulating the Fram2 SSTV mode PD-120 transmissions from February 13-17 on 437.550 MHz FM to enable people to gain proficiency in receiving the signals bafore the mission.

The Chair of ARISS International posted:

The ARISS international team is planning an SSTV event to help all participating to be as proficient as possible in acquiring images from Fram2Ham and submitting them in the SSTV gallery. Like previous SSTV events, ARISS will provide special commemorative certificates for those who upload images to the gallery. Certificates will be delivered after the completion of both the Fram2 simulation event and the Fram2 mission.

SSTV Simulation details:
Hardware: ARISS radio transmitter set to low power (5 watts vs. 25 watts for previous SSTV events). This is to simulate the challenges and unknowns of a new radio system on a Dragon capsule that might be in an unfavorable attitude in some parts of the mission flight path.

Operations Frequency: 437.550 MHz FM (+/- 10 kHz Doppler shift). Using the SSTV (public downlink) planned for Fram2Ham, ground users can practice the more challenging 70 cm Doppler correction.

SSTV Mode: PD120. The longer image capture for this simulation (120 seconds, vs. 36 seconds for Fram2Ham’s Robot 36 SSTV mode) will allow ground users to hone their signal polarization switching skills (manually and electronically) as well as precise antenna pointing.

Operations Duration: February 13 (World Radio Day) to February 17, 2025. This long duration, over a weekend, will allow users multiple passes to practice, learn lessons, make corrections, and try again.

Summary:
There are several challenges like low transmit power, variations of antenna orientation, and a short, 3-day mission duration, with only a limited time assigned for the SSTV operation. These challenges require operating proficiency and the use of the best attainable radio station and this simulation shall give the possibility to exercise this. Are you up for the challenge? 📡

ISS pass predictions https://www.amsat.org/track/

Fram2 TLEs (also known as Keplerian, or Orbital Elements) https://www.ariss.org/keps.html

Upload your received pictures to https/ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/

For more information on the Fram2 mission and for youth organizations interested in participating in the Fram2Ham SSTV competition, see https://fram2ham.com/

First human Spaceflight to Earth’s polar regions https://f2.com/

Fram2Ham on Discord https://discord.com/invite/GYQzmSh5sp

Competition details https://fram2ham.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/amapay_user_manual-ver-2-7-2025.pdf

Follow Rabea on X https://x.com/rprogge

Follow ARISS on X https://x.com/ARISS_Intl

Follow AMSAT-UK on X https://x.com/amsatuk

Dec 22 2024

Space Station Slow Scan TV Transmissions

ISS SSTV image received by Jutahariadi Soesilo YD9CKH, December 25, 2024

ISS SSTV image received by Jutahariadi Soesilo YD9CKH, December 25, 2024

Just in time for the holidays and New Year, ARISS is planning an Slow Scan Television (SSTV) event from December 25 to January 5.

2024-12-25 ARISS SSTVSeries 23 will consist in 12 pictures celebrating ARISS memories of 2024.
Starting time of transmsissions will be tentatively December 25 at 14.55 UTC; ending time will be tentatively January 5 at 14: 20 UTC.

On the ISS, the amateur radio station in the Service Module will be used with the callsign RS0ISS; images will be transmitted on 145.800 MHz FM, the SSTV mode will be PD120.

Public is invited to upload decoded images in the ARISS gallery, area “Series 23 Holiday 2025” at: https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/; once you’ve submitted, just clicking on the dedicated button you can apply for the official ARISS SSTV award.

Also, you can request the ARISS QSL by contacting the European QSL bureau: https://www.ariss-eu.org/index.php/ariss-station/european-qsl-bureau

To support everyone interested in such events, the European Space Agency released tutorials about how to receive pictures transmitted over amateur radio by the International Space Station: you can find them on https://issfanclub.eu/2024/11/08/esa-tips-how-to-get-pictures-from-the-international-space-station-via-amateur-radio-2/

More, it’s always possible to decode the audio signals coming from the WebSDR at Goonhilly Earth Station https://vhf-goonhilly.batc.org.uk/

Follow @ARISS_intl on X for official updates, since changes can occur.

Reminder, the images are sent on a (roughly) 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off schedule. So if you don’t hear anything, give it 2 minutes!

Many FM rigs can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters. For best results you should select the filter for wider deviation FM. Handhelds generally have a single wide filter fitted as standard.

You can get predictions for the ISS pass times at https://www.amsat.org/track/

Useful information to receive the pictures can be found here:
https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/

You may be able to get publicity for the amateur radio hobby if you contact your local newspaper and tell them you’ve received a picture (doesn’t have to be perfect) from the International Space Station, see
https://amsat-uk.org/2015/02/04/iss-sstv-in-uk-press/

Nov 11 2024

Space Station Slow Scan TV Transmissions

ARISS SSTV November 11, 2024ARISS is planning a Slow Scan Television (SSTV) experiment from the International Space Station (ISS) on 145.800 MHz FM. It is scheduled to start on Monday, November 11, at 11:50 GMT and end Monday, November 18, at 14:10 GMT.

There will be interruptions on 18:06 GMT on Friday, November 15 and 18:17 GMT November 16, for planned school contacts over North America.

The SSTV transmissions will be made using the amateur radio station in the ISS Service Module. The transmission frequency will be 145.800 MHz (+/- 3.5 kHz Doppler shift) FM, using SSTV mode PD120.

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

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

Many FM rigs can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters. For best results you should select the filter for wider deviation FM. Handhelds generally have a single wide filter fitted as standard.

The ISS callsign will be RS0ISS.

Reports are requested: please send ARISS uploading your decoded pictures in the official ARISS SSTV gallery, details of award certificate on the Submission page:
https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/

You can get predictions for the ISS pass times at https://www.amsat.org/track/

Useful information to receive the pictures can be found here:
https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/

You may be able to get publicity for the amateur radio hobby if you contact your local newspaper and tell them you’ve received a picture (doesn’t have to be perfect) from the International Space Station, see
https://amsat-uk.org/2015/02/04/iss-sstv-in-uk-press/

Follow ARISS on X for official updates during the event
https://x.com/ARISS_Intl

Oct 19 2024

Telebridge ISS Contact with Essex School Students

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Robert Drake Primary School located in Benfleet, Essex, UK.

Update Oct 22: BBC News report on the event is at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8l8lv1v1zo

ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

The Robert Drake Primary School (with about 313 students) is located in Benfleet, Essex about 30 miles east of London along the Thames estuary.

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Sunita Williams, amateur radio call sign KD5PLB. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and may only be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station which is in the east coast USA.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Greenbelt, Maryland, U.S. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign K6DUE, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 21, 2024 at 2:57 PM BST (13:57 GMT) – it was rescheduled to this new time due to Crew 8 undocking sleep shift.

Follow ARISS for updates on
X: https://x.com/ARISS_Intl
Facebook: facebook.com/ARISSIntl
_______________________________

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What do I need to learn to be an astronaut?

2. What do you do to have fun in space?

3. How long has the international space station been in space?

4. Is time different in space?

5. Do you watch TV? If yes, what do you watch?

6. What do you eat and how do you eat it?

7. What advice would you give kids like me who may want to be an astronaut in the future?

8. How do people drink on the space station?

9. How do you get food and water in space?

10. What is your favourite part of Earth to fly over and why?

11. Have you ever walked in space?

12. What is your favourite part of being an astronaut on the space station?

13. Does it take long to get use to gravity back home?

14. Do you get chance to speak to family in friends and how do you do it?

15. Have you seen any shooting stars or comets whilst on the space station?

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the ISS. In the United States, sponsors are the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab—Space Station Explorers.

The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see http://www.ariss.org/

 

Oct 12 2024

Phil Crump, M0DNY awarded the G3AAJ cup

It was with great pleasure that at the AMSAT-UK Gala Dinner, Dave Johnson, G4DPZ, Hon Sec AMSAT-UK presented Phil Crump M0DNY with the G3AAJ cup for his contribution to the amateur satellite service.

Oct 12 2024

Live streaming of Colloquium (Sunday)

The stream will begin at 08:30 UTC.
Sundays programme can be found at https://rsgb.services//public/events/convention/RSGB_2024_Convention_Sunday_programme.pdf