SpaceCam1 News Release Oct, 2005
SpaceCam1 News Release Oct, 2005
ISS Amateur Radio Status: October 1
SpaceCam Status:
ISS Amateur Radio Status: October 6, 2005
Slow Scan TV on ISS update
By Miles Mann WF1F,
MAREX-MG News www.marexmg.org
Manned Amateur Radio Experiment
Hi everyone.
There are currently two projects on board the International Space Station that will support Slow
Scan TV (SSTV). These project are called SuitSat and SpaceCam. The SuitSat project may be activated in
December 2005 and SpaceCam in 2006 (all dates are
subject to change without notice). The goal of this series of memos is to get the world
ready to start decoding SSTV images from Space.
Here is an excerpt from a AMSAT NEWS SERVICE, ANS-261 Sept 18.
The Suitsat amateur radio system, coupled with a school artwork project, is
planned to be installed in an outdated Russian Orlon spacesuit. It will then be deployed from the ISS during an Extra
Vehicular Activity (EVA, or spacewalk). This is expected to occur in the December
timeframe by the Expedition 12 crew. The Suitsat amateur radio system will beam down
special messages and an SSTV image from within the Orlon space suit as it
floats in space. Suitsat radio system will allow hams and students to track the suit and decode special international
messages, space suit telemetry, and a pre-programmed Slow Scan TV image through its
specially-built digital voice messaging system and amateur radio transmitter. As built, Suitsat will be a
transmit-only capability that will run on the space suit's battery power.
NNN
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/09/16/2/?nc=1
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/news/
The SuitSat project will run on batteries for 2 to 8 weeks, while it free floats in orbit as its own
satellite. The SuitSat will be driven by a Kenwood TH-K2 transceiver and a timing controller box. The
controller will transmit a series of voice messages, telemetry and one Slow Scan TV image (Robot 36
format).. The whole series of messages and image is approximately 9 minutes long, and then it repeats.
SpaceCam1:
The SpaceCam project will also send SSTV images from ISS, however it will be mounted Inside the ISS and
will be running for several weeks at a time and will be able to transmit over 400 SSTV images per day
(Robot 36 format).
How to Decode SSTV from Space:
I am still working on this section and will post an updated web page link soon. All SSTV transmissions will be in FM mode and will
most likely be on the 2-meter band. This means that the Doppler frequency drift will not
be much of a problem and you will be able to use your existing 2-meter station or a police scanner to hear
and decode the signals from ISS.
If you have already have been successful in working the Packet station or talked to the ISS crew on
2-meter voice, than you already have most of what you need. What’s left is to connect your computer to the speaker
of your radio and some SSTV decoding software, such as ChromaPix http://www.barberdsp.com/ or similar
software.
There are many choices in SSTV software, some Free, others with more features cost a few bucks.
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/sstvlinkpage.html
So have fun, find your best setup and start practicing how to decode SSTV on 2-meters.
Location of Hardware on ISS
This link will show you images of some of the amateur radio hardware already installed on ISS
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/radiohardware.html
Tips on working ISS on Voice and packet
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/howtouseiss.html
Marexmg Web page
http://www.marexmg.org
Information on the crew's activities aboard the Space Station, future launch dates, as well as Station
sighting opportunities from anywhere on the Earth, is available on the Internet at:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/
73 Miles WF1F MAREX-MG
Until we meet again
DOSVIDANIYA Miles WF1F
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