I'm new to amateur radio, and I would like to listen to those satellites in the orbit.
- Where do I start?
- What types of amateur radio satellites exist?
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4$\begingroup$ This question isn't very focused. Stack Exchange works best when you have a single question with plenty of detail. Please choose only one of your questions and make it more precise — for example, instead of asking "How can I select a satellite" you might ask "What types of amateur radio satellites exist?", which is more definitively answerable. ("Is it advisable" is also fairly subjective and I would recommend making your own decision after asking factual questions.) $\endgroup$ – Kevin Reid AG6YO♦ May 18 '19 at 15:35
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2$\begingroup$ We can recommend appropriate reading materials to answer this question $\endgroup$ – Brian K1LI May 18 '19 at 17:21
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2$\begingroup$ @BrianK1LI yes, but even for that, we'd need to know what the knowledge level of OP is – does Sumithran have a solid base idea of what an antenna, what received signal power is? Are bands of operation clear? The "equipment" tag raises even more questions. So, I think the right thing to do here is ask to narrow down the question – mostly based on own research, which mainly consists of consulting a search engine with something like "amateur radio satellite reception" (i.e. nothing that OP couldn't come up with), and then ask a question based on the basic ideas learned through that. $\endgroup$ – Marcus Müller May 19 '19 at 13:28
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$\begingroup$ Which satellites in orbit? Some send digital signals, some send not-digital, some act as voice repeaters. Different techniques depending on what you are trying to do. $\endgroup$ – Chris K8NVH May 22 '19 at 15:36
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First Steps in Satellites
As with trying anything new, it’s best to take small steps as you learn. Here’s a simple exercise to help you get started: listening for the AO-91 FM satellite.
Go to AMSAT or N2YO.com, or download one of the satellite tracking apps, and get the latest pass information on the FM satellite AO-91 (also known as Fox-1B). AO-91 has a downlink frequency of 145.960 MHz, so it won’t be as affected by Doppler as other satellites.
Use your current 2 meter radio and hook it up to the best antenna you have. If you’re trying this from your car with a mobile whip, try and go to a park or other area with as clear a horizon as possible. If you have a directional antenna, you will have to rotate your antenna to follow the satellite across the sky as it goes overhead.
At AOS, open the squelch on your radio so you can hear static all the time. Start listening for signals through the static. With luck and experience, you will soon hear signals coming through the static as the pass progresses, until the pass is over.
Try several different passes at different elevations above the horizon.
