OSCAR-100 on Es'hail-2

[Graham G3ZVT]

Is anyone on the forum actively using our first amateur geostationary satellite, either tx/rx or just rx?

There's a WEB SDR located at Goonhilly Down, but I understand even a 60cm dish will work for reception.
https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

[G4YVM David]

I'm not but my friend M0MWS is. So far only Rx but his TX is close to being turned on. He will use cw through it. Yesterday he was monitoring a Brazilian station using the satellite with just two watts of power.

Martin will use an 80cm dish.

[G3VKM_Roger]

Originally Posted by rambo1152

There's a WEB SDR located at Goonhilly Down, but I understand even a 60cm dish will work for reception.
https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Reading the news on the Southgate ATC site I saw the link to the SDR before the official opening and was quite impressed. I looked for a start-up guide for newbies, what gear you need, etc but didn't see anything.

Cheers

Roger

[G4CMY_Tony]

If you just want to listen, you don't need any gear except the web browser and speakers on your computer.

Click the link in the first post - this connects you to the receiver at Goonhilly and you will be able to tune across the transponder passband using your mouse.

[G3VKM_Roger]

If you just want to listen, you don't need any gear except the web browser and speakers on your computer.

Yes, found the WebSDR OK before the opening day but was interested in what sort of kit one needs to transmit through the bird?

73

Roger

[dodgy-dxer]

Hi Roger

This is a bit bleeding edge for UKVR

I am looking at a transvertor from Bulgaria

http://www.sg-lab.com/TR2300/tr2300.html

They are €210

Plus a £7 "Wifi" Yagi from various ebay vendors

A TV dish 0.6 or 0.8 m and an SDR dongle to RX seems to be the way to go

Credit goes to forum member and 19 set afficinado G4GIR (luckily retired) for the research

It sounded quite active just now via the web SDR - a station in 3B8 amongst others

73
Fred
G4BWP

[dsergeant]

And maybe with the lousy HF conditions and low activity this maybe a venture for quite a few of us oldies Fred! Interesting that Ian is also getting involved, not worked him for years.

Yes, a bit OT for UKVR.

73 Dave G3YMC

[G3VKM_Roger]

Originally Posted by dodgy-dxer

Hi Roger

This is a bit bleeding edge for UKVR

I am looking at a transvertor from Bulgaria

http://www.sg-lab.com/TR2300/tr2300.html

They are €210

Plus a £7 "Wifi" Yagi from various ebay vendors

A TV dish 0.6 or 0.8 m and an SDR dongle to RX seems to be the way to go

Credit goes to forum member and 19 set afficinado G4GIR (luckily retired) for the research

It sounded quite active just now via the web SDR - a station in 3B8 amongst others

73
Fred
G4BWP

Many thanks, Fred!

73

Roger

[G3VKM_Roger]

Found this on the Southgate ARC site:-

https://www.george-smart.co.uk/2019/02/eshail2-rx/

Cheers

Roger

[NickG0HIK]

I've used the new Satellite four times now and had several QSO's.

The barefoot SG-Labs works well, it comes with a PCB aerial which you can point into the focus of a 2nd hand dish.

Don't get a WiFi yagi , they just dont work at all for anything, been there done that.

Down link is the £8 Octagon LNB running into a £12 SDR Dongle, you will need to make a Bias Tee for the LNB.

So apart from the Transvertor, its a very cheap and satisfying project.

Loads more detailed info on the net.

Yes a bit too modern for this group .

Nick G0HIK

[dodgy-dxer]

Roger

I found this system diagram on Facebook

Fred

[dodgy-dxer]

Nick

Great information - many thanks

I heard a lot of stations via the websdr a few days back

73 Fred
G4BWP

[Jon_G4MDC]

I think there are people would like to know more about the Octagon LNB - I assume it is the one found here.

http://www.g4jnt.com/pll_lnb_tests.pdf

I am not sure I want to play with this on TX as in some ways it is just another repeater but building an RX system for a listen would be much more fun than tuning around on the SDR.
I think I need one of those LNBs now...

[NickG0HIK]

Yes that's the LNB.

They are crystal controlled, so a bit more stable than a standard LNB.

Lots of guys lock the Local Oscillator to a GPS, but I just make do with the thing drifting till it warms up 20 to 30 mins.

If you want to just RX, you could do this for £20 to £30, depending on your junk box. You cant beat that for a new area of the hobby to explore and sense of achievement.

[Jon_G4MDC]

Good to know so thanks for the info.

There are some pretty decent TCXOs around which might replace the crystal as a half way house between the stock one and full GPS discipline.

[Graham G3ZVT]

Originally Posted by NickG0HIK

If you want to just RX, you could do this for £20 to £30, depending on your junk box. You cant beat that for a new area of the hobby to explore and sense of achievement.

And it was in that spirit that I made the OP.

Also, for some of us it will be coming up to 25 years since we last pointed a dish at the Clarke Belt purely for fun.

I've just sent off just over £20 for an SDR stick, an SMA pigtail, and a Goobay LNB. Looks like I've got a project.

[G4GIRLX0]

Hi Nick

Interesting your comments re the WiFi Yagi.

Could you detail your experiences with them in some detail? I.E What doesn't work with them?

Cheers Ian

G4GIR