SSTV Pictures from the International Space Station

[Bill (Smithville NJ)]

(07-18-2015 12:10 PM)Steve Simpkin Wrote:  Additional information:
The NASA website mentioned in the original post only shows the time that the ISS will pass over you and be VISIBLE. It does not show the other times the ISS will pass over you. To see all of the times when the ISS will pass over you (whether it is visible or not), go to the Heavens-Above website at:
Heavens-Above ISS Tracking

Click next to Location in the upper right corner (it initially says Unspecified) and set your current location. Then be sure to select "All" for "Passes to include:"

From where I was (Southern California), I was able to hear a dead carrier on 145.800 MHz starting around 3:30am and ending around 3:34am. I have not been able to find out exactly what time they will be starting the SSTV broadcast but there are several more opportunities for me to listed over the weekend. I used a portable HAM radio and a J-Pole antenna that is about 20 feet above my house to listen.

For more information about this event see:
http://www.rtl-sdr.com/tag/iss/

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the additional info. I had forgotten about "when visible" versus when is the pass. Two different things.

One other item. They usually transmit in SSTV Mode PD180. This mode is normally not shown on the main list of modes in MMSSTV. Just do a Right Click over the RX Mode List and you get a list of all the available modes. Click on PD180 to add it to the main list. Otherwise, it might not auto change to the correct mode.

I left my system running last night, but didn't receive anything. I see that there is a ten minute pass with maximum elevation of 60 degrees around 9:50 this morning - so maybe I'll get lucky then.

NOTE: You can also use one of the many SDR web receivers. One in London one is:

London SDR


There is a list of many others on the SWEBDR Page:

WEBSDR

As to transmissions, following from the AMSTAT-UK page:

Quote:Previous ISS SSTV transmissions have used the SSTV mode PD180 with a 3-minute off time between each image.

That 3-minute off time creates a problem with short overhead pass times. You may get the tail end of one photo, then three minutes of off time, and then the start of the next photo only to find that you have run out of the overhead pass time. That's what happened several times to me back in April. It's just the luck of the draw whether they will be starting a new SSTV transmission just as it becomes optimum for reception at your particular location. Of course, that's part of the fun/frustration.


Bill
WD9EQD
Smithville, NJ