FUNcube1 reception on the cheap

Woooo – techie stuff! Receiving signals from the FUNcube1 educational / amateur radio satellite on a very cheap system – receiver cost £10, computer cost £35. (It’s an old monitor so that doesn’t count!) I will no doubt blog this stuff properly on my web pages in due course. Fun fun!

computer bits

Screen detail:

screenshot

435MHz satellite antenna

This is the 70cm (435MHz) omnidirectional antenna for satellites I have just finished – called the “eggbeater” for obvious reasons. It also appears to work well – this afternoon I heard HO-68 telemetry, and FO-29 twice – once on a low pass to the north, then again on a much higher pass, during which I clearly heard Italian (IW3RGK) and German (DL5OCD) amateur stations calling through the satellite. This is very satisfactory for an omnidirectional antenna, especially as I find the receiver in the FT-817 radio is as deaf as a post on 70cm. I shall make a little preamplifier for it before I try any satellite contacts.

antenna

144MHz satellite antenna

I’ve made a new omnidirectional satellite antenna for 2m – a turnstile. Set it up on the balcony this morning (ignore the washing line ) and heard three satellites on 2m – the International Space Station, FUNcube-1 and UKube-1. Also heard HO-68 as a weak signal on 70cm. The next step is to make a 70cm omni antenna so I can hear the UHF signals better, and transmit through the FUNcube satellites.

antenna