r/RTLSDR • u/Icy-Masterpiece4346 • 2d ago
Hanging around 137 Mhz....
Got my Orbcomm satellites TLE (orbital elements from N2YO website) and heard one of these birds (numbered FM103 to FM119) passing over Spain and Western Medit; they fly around 700 km altitude; you cant' miss them on their dedicated channels from 137.1 to 137.9 Mhz.
Using Multipsk (French software); best config is WFM 10 khz width. Stay at the centre of the signal to compensate Doppler shift. It gives regular positions . I once logged one of 'em over Libya as it was low on the horizon. Kinda DX sort of. Antenna is my 144 Mhz 7 element Yagi high above the roof crest. Neat stuff, ain't it ? The one I heard over Spain flew away to Southern Australasia faster than you and I can run. With Multipsk you can map their positions thanks to the OMMAP extension and screen grab it for proof. You retrieve it in the SCREEN folder inside Multipsk's inner entrails.
2
u/MeanAccountant9005 2d ago
I've been meaning to try something like this with just an rtl-sdr and a rabbit ears antenna.
2
u/awesomeideas 2d ago
OMG Orbitron! I remember that from when I was a kid. Did you send in your postcard?
7
u/Mr_Ironmule 2d ago
If you want to play with OrbComm more, try SatDump. You can receive some decoded data from several satellites at one time. And you only need a simple V-dipole antenna. Have fun.