How I Work an Amateur Radio Satellite Pass

 Here is a video demo of how I work an amateur radio satellite using my fixed elevation azimuth antenna from within my shack. As I do not have an azimuth-elevation antenna rotator, I can work only about half of a typical pass of satellites, mostly those with a higher power output like Amateur Radio on International Space Station and LAPAN A-2 or IO-86 which have an output of about 5 Watts. The cubesats with power in the range of a few hundred milliwatts are difficult to work, though I used to have contacts on TEVEL series before they started re-entering Earth's atmosphere. Occasional contacts on SO-50 and AO-91 have also been possible, though not on a regular. PO-101 has been difficult, though I have been able to hear others and sometimes others have been able to hear me. Most difficult is of course the PocketQube SO-121 which is much smaller in form factor than even the CubeSats.

Simple way of course, is to go outside with a dual band hand held radio and point it along the direction of the satellite pass. Various mobile phone apps are available to guide you with the direction of the satellite passes and Doppler correction needed, like ISS Detector, Look4Sat and Heavens Above. But I am not using any of them. I just use the display of Argentinian Amsat wepage on my mobile phone, as you can see in the video.

73 de Jon, VU2JO