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Low Earth Orbit Amateur Radio Satellites
Low Earth Orbit Amateur Radio Satellites
🛰️ Amateur Radio via Satellite – Reach for the Sky
🛰️ Amateur Radio via Satellite – Reach for the Sky
Did you know there are dozens of low Earth orbit amateur satellites you can receive—no license required? That’s right: anyone can listen in and explore the world of satellite communications.
📡 Transmitting Takes a License
📡 Transmitting Takes a License
To transmit and make contacts, you’ll need at least a Technician-class license. Making a successful satellite QSO can be challenging, but it’s incredibly rewarding—especially when you realize you’ve made contact hundreds of miles away using just a handheld radio.
🚶‍♂️ Go Portable or Stay Put
🚶‍♂️ Go Portable or Stay Put
Many hams use a simple 5-watt handi-talkie (HT) and a directional antenna while standing outside, tracking satellites overhead. It’s a thrill to hear your signal bounce off a satellite and reach another operator far beyond line-of-sight.
Prefer to operate from indoors or your mobile station? That works too—just be mindful of antenna placement, elevation angles, and satellite pass times.
🧠Getting Started
🧠Getting Started
Track satellite passes with apps like AMSAT Droid, SatPC32, or Heavens Above
Use a dual-band HT and a handheld Yagi antenna for portable ops
Learn the basics of Doppler shift, uplink/downlink frequencies, and transponder types
If you're interested in contacting the International Space Station, here's a tracker that may pique your curiousity:
Amsat Online Satellite Pass Predictions
There is a lot of information on the AMSAT North America (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) website that we won't reproduce here, but it's well worth a look at the AMSAT.ORG to learn more about what's happening on amateur satellite radio.
📶 Satellite Ops & The Doppler Effect – What You Need to Know
📶 Satellite Ops & The Doppler Effect – What You Need to Know
In the video, you’ll see Wayne Steury working satellite contacts using a budget-friendly Baofeng HT. He’s rapidly switching channels to keep up with frequency shifts caused by the Doppler Effect—the same phenomenon that makes a train whistle rise in pitch as it approaches and drop as it passes.
🌌 Doppler & Satellite Communication
🌌 Doppler & Satellite Communication
As a satellite moves overhead:
Approaching: Frequencies compress and shift higher
Receding: Frequencies elongate and shift lower
This affects both uplink and downlink frequencies, so it’s crucial to pre-program a range of receive frequencies into your radio to stay on target throughout the pass.
🔧 Custom Repeater Shifts
🔧 Custom Repeater Shifts
Unlike terrestrial repeaters, satellite transponders use non-standard shifts. You’ll need to:
Set up custom repeater offsets for each satellite
Account for Doppler shift by programming multiple receive channels
Track satellite movement with apps or software to time your adjustments
Even with a simple HT, you can make impressive contacts—sometimes hundreds of miles away—if you’re prepared and quick on the dial.Â
Tracking Amateur Radio Satellites
Tracking Amateur Radio Satellites
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