weather satellite images

kujosHeist

Hi guys,

I was wondering, what kind of set up would be required to receive and decode images from the NOAA weather satellites?

Is there a list anywhere of what's required?
I've seen some old posts about it, but none with a complete list of what's required and where to get them from.

I currently have no equipment or experience in this field.

Thanks

jmcc

kujosHeist wrote: »

Hi guys,

I was wondering, what kind of set up would be required to receive and decode images from the NOAA weather satellites?

Is there a list anywhere of what's required?
I've seen some old posts about it, but none with a complete list of what's required and where to get them from.

I currently have no equipment or experience in this field.

Thanks

http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/~map/weather/notes/buildyourown/
http://www.hobbyspace.com/Radio/WeatherSatStation/setup1.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/Downloading-NOAA-satellite-images-cheaply-and-easi/

It helps to have some experience though.

Regards...jmcc

kujosHeist

that's great thanks

watty

137Mhz FM scanner,
Discone aerial on roof.
Laptop / PC with sound in
3.5mm to 3.5mm cable
Free Weather Fax SW
Orbitron (free) to know when sats are passing.
http://www.stoff.pl/

A posher receiver has to be tuned continiously due to doppler shift, the cheap scanner works better (wider filter).

Discone means you don't need a tracking aerial as it's omnidirectional.

If you listen with scanner and it's rubber duck outside at time and frequwncy given by Orbitron you'll hear the fax tones for a minute or two. The roof mounted Discone makes the pass last long enough for part of spain, UK, Ireland and part of Scandinavia and part of atlantic

St. Leibowitz

watty wrote: »

137Mhz FM scanner,
Discone aerial on roof.
Laptop / PC with sound in
3.5mm to 3.5mm cable
Free Weather Fax SW
Orbitron (free) to know when sats are passing.
http://www.stoff.pl/

A posher receiver has to be tuned continiously due to doppler shift, the cheap scanner works better (wider filter).

Discone means you don't need a tracking aerial as it's omnidirectional.

If you listen with scanner and it's rubber duck outside at time and frequwncy given by Orbitron you'll hear the fax tones for a minute or two. The roof mounted Discone makes the pass last long enough for part of spain, UK, Ireland and part of Scandinavia and part of atlantic

Watty, are you decoding NOAA polar orbiters with a discone ?? I thought a QFH (quadrifilar helical) was required as the signals are circularly polarised. I'm in the process of making one from 8mm flexible copper tubing at the moment.

I was told that while the signal could be received with a discone, to decode properly, a QFH was required.

watty

A discone will give 1/2 the signal.

BUT ... you don't have to point it! It's omni-directional.

Any directional aerial will give LESS signal unless it's pointed properly. A correct handed circular polarised aerial of same gain as a Yagi gives nearly no signal if wrong handed-ness and twice the gain of a Yagi (which at ANY H/V orientation gives half signal for EITHER handed-ness of circular polarisation).

But if you are not using an omni, then you need Az-El drive motor mount to track.

I had a quick look on my saved files.

Cheap Bearcat scanner UBC68XLT worked better than better receivers as the wide IF meant no continuous retuning for doppler shift.

Discone on chimney

click on local link

WX200704071730.jpg

jmcc

Might be worth writing it up as a kind of FAQ or project, Watty,
It sounds like a interesting crossover between radio and software.

Regards...jmcc

watty

Discone on roof.
Decent coax (double screened, low loss)
I use PF125 (the very low loss heavier grade satellite cable), it's 75 Ohm, but even for Transmit on Discone at 10m, 6m, 4m, 2m & 70cm, the mismatch isn't significant compared with a typical "rubber duck".

Cheap 137MHz FM radio (some ordinary AM/FM sets can tune it). There are cheap dedicated open Chassis Airband receivers on ebay, perhaps FM detector can be added (they are AM) and they can maybe be retuned? I don't know.
Real Two way radios with Wideband receive, or communications receivers are POORER unless they support continuous tuning (without muting reception) as their FM IF is too good! Too narrow.
3.5mm jack cable to Line In or Mic
Suitable wefax software on Laptop (free and paid versions exist), to decode. Some of the software does HF Fax or SSTV too.

[Edit: Nearly forgot, Orbitron to tell you when and freq to listen!
http://www.stoff.pl/
I sent him a postcard with photo of where I live.]


There is nothing complicated.