My go at WXSAT

[pontiend]

I had a little go at this last night.using Analoueusats directions
Installed SDRSharp.I got stuck for a while SDRSharp could not see the dongle.I finally found out that I had to run one of the unziped files. ' install-rtlsdr'.
After some trial and error I got radio stations.Next installed WXtolmg set that up could not get that sorted .Went to bed.This morning I realized that I needed to install VCS.After some more trail and error got things working.I doubt that I will receive anything with the little aerial that I have been practicing with. It can only see north.
One never knows though dose One.

 

[Analoguesat]

If you can get the aerial horizontal and near a window facing north or south you stand a chance of getting some sort of picture during a pass. If you can get it outside a few feet from the wall so much the better.

Good hunting

 

[pontiend]

I freely admit that I no idea what I am doing .I get there with the belt and braces big hammer approach.I do not expect anything from the bodged up aerial that I have.It is a surprise that when I got home I have this.May be I am getting some ware.

 

[Analoguesat]

You are doing fine.

I spent a few days tinkering before I got anywhere. I used the "lets try this and see what happens" approach.

If there no speckly picture starts to scan then there is probably insufficient signal - try relocating the antenna to a window.

 

[pontiend]

As you sugested I have laid the antenna flat on the table on the patio.I need to build a better one.Problem better weather means outdoor time.I will keep fiddling with the settings at night though.

 

[Terryl]

The big problems we face in testing this is the fact that the satellites involved only make a few passes over the area your at.

There is no way the average someone without an RF generator and a proper signal modulator can fine tune the setup, you have to sit by and wait for a bird to come over.

This is the problems I'm having in the quest for a better antenna for these satellites. (also waiting on the post to arrive)

Pointiend try a half wave antenna, it will give you a bit more signal gain to the dongle, you can try a mid point feed design, this would be two radials of a 1/4 wave length each attached at the middle (the feed point) to each other. (two 1/4 wave ground radials would also be needed)

I am working on improving this type of antenna setup. (called a cats whisker antenna)(also ran out of stainless steel welding rod)

 

[pontiend]

I have a roll of 5 mm cunifer brake pipe about 4 meters sitting in the garage doing nothing.It was lousey weather yesterday.I decided to have a go at making a quadfilier antenna following instructions of the internet.First picture is from last night I could not resist trying it.Second one is this morning after a bit more work on it.Not sure about it yet, the signal is stronger though.I need a satellite now.Thumbnails are the bits

 

[Lazarus]

What you might call a "you can't bend it" job

 

[pontiend]

Even if it dosn't work it looks good.

 

[Terryl]

I tried that one, didn't work as expected, I'm on my MK-9 antenna design now.

Note: the best one I have tried so far was the cats whisker antenna, but it still had drop outs due to polarization problems.

I have found that it's hard to make a true circularly polarized omni directional antenna, most of the designs out there would require at best a satellite tracking rotor to keep them on the beam.

 

[Terryl]

The antenna that is pictured above is a full wave design, that type is not that good for a right hand circular polarized signal, a 1/2 wave would work far better.

The MK-9 design will incorperate 1/2 wave active radials and 1/2 wave reflectors, and will look like the one at the top of the page except it will be a bottom feed..

 

[pontiend]

I enjoyed making that antenna yesterday,nothing much else to do.There is an improvement not a lot though.It dose look good,but it is looking like simple is better.

 

[pontiend]

This is the best that I can do up to now.All noaa 19 16.05

 

[Terryl]

How long were the radials cut to????

And what type of coax was used......Your getting there but you need some more gain to the receiver.

 

[pontiend]

2 812 mm
2 758 mm
1 374 mm
1 356 mm
2 182 mm
2 178 mm
Cable wf 100 3 foot
15 foot antenna extension cable.The thin stuff.That may be some of the problem.Tomorrow.I will use sat cable from the antenna to the dongle.I will see if that makes a difference

 

[pontiend]

Noaa 15 7.49
No success yet Installed proper sat cable.Something is happening plenty of clanging and beeping going on.Perhaps it is a setup problem .Still only a map though.ATM the antenna can only see straight up a bit east and west and north.Later I am going to fasten it to the garage.The best place would be down the garden on the shed .That is for later though.

 

[pontiend]

I have been reading calibratetion instructions.re volume should be 40-85% my recording is showing 5.6.How do I adjust the recording volume.

 

[pontiend]

When the image has been rendered the volume shown bottom right is 125.7.
Is this something to do with my problem.

 

[Analoguesat]

Just to the right of the "gear wheel" there is a volume slider. Whack that right up to maximumIt appears to be set at about 75% atm.

Go into the computer audio properties and make sure the vbcable is selected as default for both playback and recording and make sure the volume is set to maximum if its changeable

Go to the volume slider in the bottom right taskbar and make sure its set to maximum

Vol will only show when a signal is being received - you want the bar to be green rather than red when a noaa is at maximum part of its pass

 

[pontiend]

Thanks Analoguesat.I did not know that it was that volume control that I need to adjust.Mine goes up to 60 db.I thought that there was a volume control that I was missing.VBcable is now set as default for recording and play back in computer settings.See what happens on the next pass.Fingers crossed.
The antennas new home for a while.It can see south between the houses there.