Last Updated on February 13, 2024 by KC7NYR

Amateur Radio Satellites

The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (as AMSAT is officially known) was first formed in the District of Columbia in 1969 as an educational organization. Its goal was to foster Amateur Radio’s participation in space research and communication. AMSAT was founded to continue the efforts, begun in 1961, by Project OSCAR, a west coast USA-based group which built and launched the very first Amateur Radio satellite, OSCAR, on December 12, 1961, barely four years after the launch of Russia’s first Sputnik.

Today, the “home-brew” flavor of these early Amateur Radio satellites lives on, as most of the hardware and software now flying on even the most advanced AMSAT satellites is still largely the product of volunteer effort and donated resources. Though we are fond of traditions our designs and technology continue to push the outside of the envelope.

For over 48 years AMSAT groups in North America and elsewhere have played a key role in significantly advancing the state of the art in space science, space education, and space technology. Undoubtedly, the work now being done by AMSAT volunteers throughout the world will continue to have far-reaching, positive effects on the very future of both Amateur Radio, as well as other governmental, scientific and commercial activities in the final frontier.


How do I start with satellites?

Here a few few quick pointers which might help you. We are sometimes asked if a license is required to RECEIVE satellites in the Amateur Satellite service. The answer is ‘no’. You only need a license if you intend to TRANSMIT, e.g. use one of the transponders to make two-way communication with other radio amateurs. Further reading visit, https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/how-do-i-start/


Live Real Time Satellite trackinghttps://www.n2yo.com/


ISS & Satellites on 2 Meters – by WA9ONY

Weather Satellites – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Weather Satellite Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) by WA9ONY

Source Credit: David Haworth WA9ONY
http://www.stargazing.net/david/
http://www.qrz.com/db/WA9ONY


A number of low earth orbit (LEO) OSCAR satellites use frequency modulation (FM). These are also commonly referred to as “FM LEOs” or the “FM Birds”. Such satellites act as FM amateur radio repeaters that can be communicated through using omni-directional antennas and commonly available amateur radio equipment. Due to the relative ease of tuning FM as compared to SSB and the decreased distance of LEO satellites from earth stations communication can be achieved even with handheld transceivers and using manual doppler correction. The orbit of these satellites however causes the available time in which to communicate to be limited to only a few minutes per pass.

List of FM LEO satellites
Satellite name(s) OSCAR
Designation
Uplink (MHz) Downlink (MHz) CTCSS (Hz) Status
Hope Oscar 68 HO-68 145.825 FM 435.675 FM 67.0 Beacon only
Sumbandila Oscar 671 SO-67 145.875 FM 435.345 FM N/A Lost
AMSAT-OSCAR 512 AO-51 145.880 FM 435.150 FM N/A Lost
145.920 FM 435.300 FM 67.0
145.880 FM 2401.200 FM N/A
1268.700 FM 435.300 FM 67.0
1268.700 FM 2401.200 FM 67.0
Saudi-OSCAR 50 SO-50 145.850 FM 436.795 FM 67.0
(74.4 to activate)
Active
Saudi-OSCAR 41 SO-41 145.850 FM 436.775 FM N/A Lost
SUNSAT-OSCAR 35 SO-35 145.825 FM 436.250 FM N/A Lost
436.291 FM 145.825 FM
1265.000 FM 436.2500 FM
TechSat 1b-OSCAR 32 SO-32 145.850/145.890/145.930 FM
1269.700/1269.800/1269.900 FM
435.225 FM N/A Lost
ISS3 ARISS 437.800 FM 145.800 FM N/A Active
AMRAD-OSCAR 274 AO-27 145.850 FM 436.795 FM N/A Interference over USA
AMSAT-OSCAR 16 AO-16 145.920 FM 437.026 DSB-SC5 N/A Lost
UoSAT-OSCAR 14 UO-14 145.975 FM 435.070 FM N/A Lost
LituanicaSAT-OSCAR 78 [5] LO-78 145.950 FM 435.1755 FM 67.0 Lost
European-OSCAR 806 EO-80 435.080 FM 145.840 FM 210.7 Beacon only

Auxiliary Communications Emergency Solutions


More Information

AMSAT Online Satellite Pass Predictions

Amateur Radio Satellite – N2YO – Tracking

 


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