FM - Weather satellite reception.

Michael_Myers

Has anybody tried this on FM?

http://www.wxtoimg.com

Simply connect a 137-138MHz FM communications receiver, scanner, or weather satellite receiver to your soundcard and get stunning colour images directly from weather satellites. The only other item you'll need is an antenna for receiving the circularly polarised signals.

WXtoImg will work with just about any receiver capable of reception in the 137-138MHz FM band (but for best results requires a 30kHz - 50kHz bandwidth).

Dublinflyer

Yea I have tried it a few times, I don't have exact antenna needed but managed to get some ok images with a vertical VHF that I have on the roof. I only ever did it during the summer so there was little cloud cover but its cool when you get it working. Listening to the static waiting to hear the fax signal and looking at the map watching it get closer. If you are not using it Ham Radio Deluxe is great for this. If it can control your receiver it even compensates for the Doppler effect.

watty

A discone on chimney is best alternative to a Tracking aerial.

A cheaper scanner has wider IF, so copes with doppler shift. A more "professional"/better FM receiver needs retuned about every 30 to 60 sec, and then you need one that doesn't affect the reception while tuning (some synth based receivers will cause distortion on signal every tuning step).

So my cheap handheld Bearcat works better for this than my FT817ND or VR500, though they can receive it better (for a short period).

martinsvi

I've tried this as well with a QFH antenna - http://www.g4ilo.com/qfh.html
and a bearcat scanner, works great as long as you don't have any interference near by. NOAA 19 is the best one to track, NOAA 17 will give you signal but it doesn't contain any data