Tag Archives: Robert Gulley (AK3Q)

SPROUT SSTV and Digitalker Every Sunday

SPROUT SSTV and Digitalker Active Every Sunday – AMSAT-UK

AMSAT-UK Announces SSTV Activity Every Sunday

Slow Scan TV (SSTV) images in Scottie 1 format will be transmitted from the SPROUT satellite every Sunday (Japanese Standard Time) on 437.600 MHz FM (+/- 9 kHz Doppler shift). The Digitalker will also be active.

SPROUT, a 20 x 20 x 22 cm amateur radio nano-satellite with a mass of 7.1 kg, launched successfully with the L-band (1236.5 MHz/1257.5 MHz/1278.5 MHz) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite ALOS-2 on May 24, 2014 at 0305 UT. SPROUT is in a 654 km, 97.9 degree inclination Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

SPROUT (Space Research On Unique Technology) was built by students from Nihon University

— A FM Digitalker will enable the satellite to speak to amateurs around the world.

— The Voice Message Box will record transmissions from radio amateurs and play them back.

— Pre-loaded images from the Message Gallery can be transmitted using Slow Scan TV (SSTV).

— Pictures of the Earth can be transmitted by SSTV and radio amateurs can receive it using free software such as MMSSTV. As part of the Earth mapping project the team ask radio amateurs to contribute pictures they have received from the satellite for display on the SPROUT website.

Callsign: JQ1ZJQ

Size: 214x210x220 mm

Weight: 7.1 kg

Mode: 1200bps AFSK, 9600bps GMSK

CW downlink 437.525 MHz

FM packet downlink 437.525 MHz

Digipeater uplink 437.600 MHz

Digitalker downlink 437.600 MHz

SSTV downlink 437.600 MHz

Many FM radios can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters. For best results you should select the wider filter designed for 5 kHz deviation FM.

— SPROUT English website http://sat.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp/sprout-e/

— SPROUT Japanese website http://sat.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp/sprout/

— Nihon-Univ. Miyazaki Laboratory on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nihon-Univ-Miyazaki-Laboratory/406566642818860

— Telemetry Software http://sat.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp/sprout-e/2-Software-e.html

— Telemetry format http://sat.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp/sprout-e/2-Formats%20of%20telemetry-e.html

SPROUT launch data page

http://sat.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp/sprout-e/2-Launch%20data-e.htmlTLE’s from the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) are also available at http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt

Free Slow Scan TV (SSTV) software MMSSTV http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php

The JE9PEL website has information on other satellites on this launch

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/jaxalos2.htm

(Full details and links may be found here.)

Robert Gulley, AK3Q, is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Robert also blogs at All Things Radio.

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DIY Kit for Aircraft Band Monitoring

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There is an interesting kit being sold on eBay designed specifically for aircraft monitoring of 118-136 MHz (meaning it could also cover a number of ACARS frequencies). The receiver is being sold as a DIY kit, a completed kit, or an assembled kit and enclosure. Prices range from ~$16 to $38 plus shipping from Hong Kong. I purchased a kit and enclosure, as building it is part of the fun for me. I will let you know how the construction goes and how the receiver performs after I get the kit together. Delivery time is estimated to be between 2 and 3 weeks, typical of things coming from Hong Kong.

Here is a picture of an assembled board:

If anyone has experience with this kit let us know your results!

Robert Gulley, AK3Q, is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Robert also blogs at All Things Radio.

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Special EDXC Broadcast: December 5 – 7, 2015

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Robert AK3Q, who shares the following information:

(Schedule Published on the Cumbre_DX group by Alokesh Gupta)

Special EDXC Broadcast 5-7 December

Rhein-Main-Radio-Club will be broadcasting on shortwave about EDXC – Conference at St.Petersburg.

Special QSL-Card for reception reports to RMRC [email protected] or by post Rhein-Main-Radio- Club e.V. , Postfach 700849, 60558 Frankfurt, Germany.

Via Lithuania:
5 December 0800-0900 on 11690 to Asia (Japan) in English
5 December 0900-1000 on 11690 to Russia in Russian.

Via WRMI, USA:
5 December at 2200-2300 on 11580 may be audible in Europe
6 December at 0100-0200 on 11580 may be audible in Europe
6 December at 2300-0000 on 5850 to North America
6 December at 0500-0600 on 9955 to Caribbean and Latin America
7 December at 2100-2200 on 7570 to North America. This may also be audible in Europe.
7 December at 2100-2200 on 15770 to Europe and North America. (DX-clusive via Lehtinen)
.
*(DX-Window No. 542, Danish Shortwave Club International) *

More information here:
https://edxcnews.wordpress.com/category/edxc-conference-2015/

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The Oxo Good Grips Turntable for the Mediumwave DXer

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SWLing Post contributor, Robert Gulley, writes:

I recently purchased an Oxo Good Grips Turntable, 16” from Amazon. As the photos show, the size of the turntable can hold a fairly large radio (CC Radio EP and Select-a-tenna) on the turntable in almost any configuration. (Of course the CC Radio EP doesn’t need the Select-a-tenna, just used for illustration purposes for size.)

At $16.99 I think it is a good bargain, and seems quite capable of turning smoothly even with this amount of weight.

Click here to view on Amazon.com.

Many thanks, Robert! I think that turntable is large enough to hold pretty much any portable radio; thanks so much for the photos (especially the one your kitty cat photo bombed, above!). I have several OXO products in my kitchen and have never been disappointed with quality, so I expect this turntable will last you a very long time.

Readers: If you haven’t checked out Robert’s radio blog, All Things Radio, I encourage you to do so!

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