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Introduction

On December 1, 1961, Amateur Radio entered the space age when the OSCAR was launched. Since then there have been dozens of amateur satellites launched and working them has become easier and easier. This page has several tutorial articles from what you need in the way of equipment to how to know when a satellite is over-head. Today it couldn't be easier--AO-27 and UO-14 can actually be worked using a dual-bander HT!

The article, "An Amateur Satellite Primer" is a good place to start. See also the list of other articles on satellite operation.

Additional resources

The ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs
The ARRL Operating Manual
The ARRL Antenna Book
The Satellite Handbook
The ARRL Satellite Anthology
The Weather Satellite Handbook
QST Magazine

Articles

Note: Some of the following articles are in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To view and print these files, you'll need a copy of Adobe's Acrobat Reader program. (Version 3.0 or later required). More information here.

• An Amateur Satellite Primer (212,925 bytes, PDF file)
  QST April 2000, pp. 36-41
  If you think you might like to work satellites but think it is difficult and expensive, this is a must read
  (Note: This article contains a chart showing the Uplink and Downlink frequencies of several amateur satellites at the time of publication of the April 2000 QST. These frequency pairs can be reversed without notice by the control operator of the individual satellite. If you don't hear the signal near the Downlink frequency, you might want to check for the latest status at: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/status.php )
• Those Keplerian Elements (196,608 bytes, PDF file)
  Operating Manual 3^rd Edition p. 13-19
  What do those numbers mean?
• Loading ARRL Keplerian Bulletins into InstanTrack
  Question submitted to the ARRL Technical Information Service
• A Simple Fixed Antenna for VHF/UHF Satellite Work (501,974 bytes, PDF file)
  QST August 2001, pp. 38-41
  Work the low-earth orbiting satellites with this effective Turnstile Antenna system
• A Low-Loss VHF/UHF Bias Tee (279,405 bytes, PDF file)
  QEX May/June 2002, pp. 52-54
  A simple circuit that lets you superimpose DC control voltage onto the transmission line without altering the RF characteristics.
• An Inexpensive External GPS Antenna (253,745 bytes, PDF file)
  QST October 2002, pp. 36-39
  An easy to build antenna for your GPS unit for better reception.
• Satellite DXing "To Go" (91,398 bytes, PDF file)
  QST June 2002, pp. 40-43
  Working the Amateur Satellites from a mobile.

Note:

Contact information for suppliers mentioned in the above articles should first be confirmed using TIS Address Database Search.

Bibliography (Members Only)

ARRL Periodicals Index Search - This database contains the QST index from 1915 to the present and the QEX index from 1981 to the present. For QST issues from 1970 to the present, and some selected articles back to 1922 (when construction articles featuring tubes began in earnest), identifying keywords have been added to the technical articles. By entering keywords (ANTENNA) or combinations of keywords (CONSTRUCTION ANTENNA VERTICAL HF) into the Title words: field, you may create dynamic bibliographies.
Technical article KEYWORD list. Hints for more successful searching

Suggested keywords for more articles like the ones on this page are: SATELLITE

Web Links:

• ARISS News and Information
  The latest Information about ARISS and the International Space Station
• AMSAT-OSCAR 51 (Echo)
• Keplerian Elements from ARRL
• AMSAT - The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
  AMSAT - Downloadable Software Page
  Operational OSCAR Satellite Status Summary
• Putting Together Your Receiving System
• Orbitessera
  Orbitessera provides a mosaic of orbital information.
  
• Welcome to Heavens-Above
  24 hour predictions for radio amateur satellites over your city
  (This site is not very intuitive, but it does work well - Ed.)
  
• Arrow II Satellite Antenna
  (seen in photo at top)
  Product Review
  QST June 2000, p. 64
  Arrow Antenna Web site
• PCsat, A Naval Academy Amateur Radio Satellite

Article Reprints:

You can get a photocopy of any ARRL published article for $3 ($5 for nonmembers) for each article requested. Contact the ARRL Technical Department (reprints@arrl.org ), 1-860-594-0390) if you wish to get photocopies.

This information was prepared as a membership service by the American Radio Relay League, Inc., Technical Information Service, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594-0214. Email: tis@arrl.org (Internet). ARRL HQ is glad to provide this information on the Web free of charge as a service to League members and affiliated clubs.

If you have any questions concerning the reproduction or distribution of this material, please contact:

TIS Coordinator
American Radio Relay League
225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111
Tel: 860-594-0214 Fax: 860-594-0259
(email: tis@arrl.org)