Contents

If you are new to satellite tracking visit http://www.amsat.org/ maintained by The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) for excellent articles written for new satellite users.

In the Ground Control section you find advice for setting up your radio for satellite use.

The most important rule: it's the frequency on the satellite which is important, not the frequency on your radio.

1	Satellites
2	Observer
3	Ground Control
	3.1	Kenwood TS-2000
		3.1.1 Cross Band
		3.1.2 Same Band Split
	3.2	Yaesu
		3.2.1 FT-847
		3.2.2 Other
	3.3	ICOM
		3.3.1 IC-910H
	3.4	Single VFO Radios
	3.5	Linear Transponders
	3.6	Frequency Resolution
	3.7	Options
4	Schedule
5	Current Data
6	Mutual Visibility
7	Visibility
8	Next Passes
9	Single Pass
10	Plot
11	DDE

1  Satellites

This window lists the satellite data files which are used to plot the position of satellites and compute the correct frequencies for the uplink and downlink. The default folder is Satellites located below the folder where you have installed HRD - for example: C:\Program Files\Amateur Radio\Ham Radio Deluxe\Satellites. To change the folder just press Select.

Select up to 100 entries from the Available list by either double-clicking on individual entries or by highlighting one or more entries and pressing  > . By pressing  >>  all entries (up to a maximum of 100) are moved to the Selected list.

It is recommended that you update the data files in the Satellites folder when you start using Ham Radio Deluxe as the files shipped in the kits will be out of date by the time you start to use them. These files should ideally be refreshed every few days.

To download the latest Kepler data files press Download. The files are downloaded to the folder containing your satellite data.
To edit the list of files press Edit List. The file is HRD Satellite List.txt in the folder Satellites located below the folder where you have installed HRD - for example: C:\Program Files\Amateur Radio\Ham Radio Deluxe\Satellites.

Example:

#
#   From AMSAT (recommended for Amateur radio satellites).
#
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/keps/current/nasabare.txt

#
#   From Celestrak
#
# http://www.celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/amateur.txt

New satellite data files can be downloaded from the internet, for example from http://www.amsat.org/ or from http://www.celestrak.com/ maintained by T.S. Kelso.

The only supported file format is two-line element sets, for example:

  AO-7
  1 07530U 74089B   03265.96753648 -.00000029  00000-0  10000-3 0  2356
  2 07530 101.7328 311.4393 0012255  21.1784 338.9793 12.53565904320301
  AO-10
  1 14129U 83058B   03265.06525444 -.00000148  00000-0  10000-3 0  9658
  2 14129  26.3223 129.7582 5974698  27.0721 354.5394  2.05868478124501

The verbose format is not supported. 

The Bare Nasa format elements from http://www.amsat.org/ contain all satellites of interest to radio amateurs.

Alternatively if you look at http://www.celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/ you will see many files which can be downloaded. Just download these files and save them in the Satellites folder selected previously. For more information about the contents of these files browse http://www.celestrak.com/.

All text files in the Data Files folder are loaded into Ham Radio Deluxe, so you should delete old files if you no longer need them.

2  Observer

In the Observer window you enter your location and height above sea level in meters or feet (for users more familiar with imperial measurements: 1 metre is 3.3 feet). You also enter an optional list of stations which are plotted on the world maps. Only the checked [X] entries are plotted.

Enter your location either:

•	By entering your Maidenhead Locator in the Locator field and the pressing  Convert >>  or
•	By entering the Latitude and Longitude directly.

You also select the preferred time format; either Local (default) or UTC. Distance is displayed in either kilometers or miles.

You must press Apply to update the satellite settings.

3  Ground Control

This window is used to adjust your radio's TX (uplink) and RX (downlink) frequency to compensate for the doppler effect which is the apparent shift in frequency of a wave due to the relative motion of source and observer. Doppler shift is calculated in accordance with Kepler's laws.

•	Enter the satellite uplink (your TX) frequency in the Satellite TX field.
•	Enter the satellite downlink (your RX) frequency in the Satellite RX field.
•	Select the VFO you will use for TX and RX (see rest of this section).
•	If you are using a transverter enter the transverter offsets.

When you are tuning remember that the important frequency is the satellite frequency, not the frequency on your radio. The frequency on your radio is the satellite frequency corrected for Doppler shift.

3.1  Kenwood TS-2000

The TS-2000 main and sub frequencies can only be updated by the computer either:

•	In receive mode, or
•	In transmit mode with SAT selected.

As a result a special solution is required when the uplink (TX) and downlink (RX) frequencies are in the same band. When you start the TS-2000 you have an extra TX VFO option Sub+XIT which is only used for same band split operation (see below). When selected the Sub VFO is used for transmitting, doppler correction is applied by adjusting the XIT value.

3.1.1 Cross Band

In normal cross-band satellite mode (for example transmit on 70cms and receive on 2m) select:

•	TX VFO	B/Sub (the TS-2000 always uses the Sub VFO for TX),
•	RX VFO	A/Main,
•	SAT	on,
•	Split	off.

The TS-2000 must be in satellite mode so that the TX frequency can be updated by the computer.

Be careful with the TS-2000's TF SET button, each time you press TF-SET, the uplink (TX) frequency and the downlink (RX) frequency are swapped. So if the frequencies in HRD are the opposite of those shown on the radio just press TF SET once.

3.1.2 Same Band Split

An example is talking to the astronauts on the ISS where theTX frequency is 145.200.000 MHz and the RX frequency is 145.800.00 MHz. You cannot use SAT mode as this is only used for cross-band operation, so you use Split mode.

•	TX VFO	Sub+XIT,
•	RX VFO	Main,
•	SAT	off,
•	Split	on.

XIT will be switched on as soon as you check TX [X] updates. If you switch it off then HRD will switch it on again.

The RX (main) frequency on the TS-2000 is set to the correct RX frequency (satellite + doppler correction).

The TX (sub) frequency on the TS-2000 is set to the TX satellite frequency, the doppler correction is applied by adjusting the XIT value. When you transmit the TS-2000 displays the TX (sub) frequency +/- XIT so the frequency displayed on the TS-2000 is the correct frequency (satellite + doppler correction).

When you start transmitting you may hear beeps from the radio - it takes HRD a few seconds before it detects that you are transmitting. When HRD detects transmit mode it stops updating the RX (main) frequency intil you return to receive as the frequency cannot be updated by the computer while transmitting with SAT off.

3.2  Yaesu

3.2.1 FT-847

You must select SAT mode on the FT-847 so that Ham Radio Deluxe can read and set both the TX and RX frequencies. It is not possible to determine the state of the FT-847's SAT button so you must press the SAT button in HRD so that it shows SAT as being enabled.

In normal cross-band satellite mode (for example transmit on 70cms and receive on 2m) select:

•	TX VFO	B/Sub,
•	RX VFO	A/Main,
•	SAT	on,
•	Split	off,
•	Tracking	off (you do not need to enable tracking, the computer does everything for you, also the tuning response with HRD is much faster with tracking off). To switch tracking off press the A > B button underneath Track.

The FT-847 must be in satellite mode so that the TX frequency can be updated by the computer.

When in SAT mode the FT-847 takes a long time to respond to 'Read Frequency' requests - especially if Tracking is on, as a result when you tune the FT-847 with the radio's tuning dial the displayed frequency will not update very quickly.

3.2.2 Other

The transmit frequency of some Yaesu radios such as the FT-817 and FT-857 cannot be changed while in transmit mode, so it is not possible to apply Doppler correction while transmitting. If you think your Yaesu radio can be updated while transmitting please contact HB9DRV via http://forums.ham-radio.ch/ .

3.3  ICOM

3.3.1 IC-910H

In normal cross-band satellite mode (for example transmit on 70cms and receive on 2m) select:

•	TX VFO	Sub,
•	RX VFO	Main,
•	SAT	on.

The IC-910H must be in satellite mode so that the TX uses the Sub frequency. If the bands on the radio are the same as HRD but reversed then press M / S to switch the Main and Sub frequencies. Because the IC-910H cannot display the same band on both Main and Sub HRD cannot update the frequencies unless the correct bands are select using the radio controls.

In same-band mode:

•	TX VFO	Main,
•	RX VFO	Main,
•	SAT	off.

A few notes:

•	The TX mode is not updated from the radio.
•	The software has to switch between Main and Sub so that the Sub VFO is updated, it is not possible to detect the radio's current Main / Sub selection so the radio operates in main mode ll the time. If you press Sub you will see that radio switch back to Main as soon as the Sub frequency is updated.

3.4  Single VFO Radios

If you are using a single VFO radio such as the FT-817 then you use the same VFO for TX and RX. Use the TX (F1) button to switch between TX and RX. When you switch to TX the transmit frequency is loaded into the radio before it switches to transmit, when you return to receive the receive frequency is loaded into the radio after it switches to receive.

So the rule is: always use the TX (F1) button to switch between transmit and receive.

3.5  Linear Transponders

Check [X] the Linear Transponder Tracking option if you are using a linear transponder such as HAMSAT / VUSAT / VO-52. These satellites receive a specific range of frequencies (typically 40 - 100 kHz) in one band, convert them to another band and amplify the converted signal for transmission back to your planet. The converted signal is inverted - LSB becomes USB etc. - this is known as an inverting transponder.

Do not use the satellite tracking built into your radio - let HRD do the work for you (for example on the FT-847 this is the Tracking option). To set up the linear transponder frequencies:

•	TX center	The center frequency of the uplink (TX) band. For example on VO-52 the uplink band is 435.220-435.280 MHz (LSB/CW) so the center frequency is 435.250.000 MHz.
•	RX center	The center frequency of the downlink (RX) band. For example on VO-52 the downlink band is 145.870-145.930 MHz (USB/CW) so the center frequency is 145.900.000 MHz.

As you tune your RX frequency the TX frequency will be correctly adjusted by applying [1] offsets from the center frequencies and then [2] Doppler correction.

To adjust your transmit signal so that it matches the receive frequency use the spin button to the right of the TX center field. It will be necessary to adjust the transmit signal as your radio(s) may not be correctly aligned, also the linear transponder in the satellite may also not be correctly aligned.

The tracking option in a radio cannot correctly compensate for Doppler, this is one reason why many QSO's drift gently across the linear transponder's available bandwidth. Only correct computer control will ensure that two or more stations stay on the same frequency while the satellite passes overhead. When using the linear transponder option HRD will correctly control your radio's frequencies so that are they are both compensated for Doppler shift.

3.6  Frequency Resolution

The frequency resolution is set the 1 Hz for:

•	All ICOM,
•	All Elecraft,
•	All FlexRadio,
•	All Kenwood and

All other radios are set to 10 Hz. If you have a radio which supports 1 Hz resolution and is not in the above list please contact HB9DRV.

3.7  Options

•	VFO	The VFO used for the uplink (TX) and downlink (RX). If checked [X] the selected VFO is updated regularly as the satellite frequency is corrected for doppler shift.
•	Satellite	The satellite frequency. Click the Open button to select a new frequency from a popup window containing the Favourites definitions or enter the new frequency.
•	Transverter	If you are using a transverter enter your transverter's intermediate frequency here and check the [X] box. If you are not using a transverter either leave this field empty or do not check the [X] box. The radio frequency is calculated as: Satellite - Transverter + Doppler shift.
•	Radio	The radio frequency as computed by HRD taking doppler shift into account.
•	Satellite	Select the current sateliite from a dropdown list which contains the entries selected earlier in the Satellites window.
•	Plot for	Determines the amount of information that is plotted over the surface of the planet for the current satellite.
•	TX > RX	Copy the Uplink satellite frequency to the Downlink satellite frequency.
•	RX > TX	Copy the Downlink satellite frequency to the Uplink satellite frequency.
•	TX <> RX	Exchange the Uplink and Downlink satellite frequencies.

4  Schedule

This window shows the pass schedule for the satellites selected in the Satellites window.

5  Current Data

This window shows all computed information for a selected satellite. This window provides the data for the DDE Server window. Press Viewer to display the data with the default text file viewer, usually Notepad.

6  Mutual Visibility

The mutual visibility window answers the question 'when is a satellite simultaneously visible from two or more locations'. The information is determined up to 99 days in the future for any stations from the list defined in the Observer page. The satellite is considered to be visible if the elevation is the same as or greater than the selected value.

Use the Viewer option to display the data in Notepad, an example:

Satellite ......: P3E
Future .........: 7 days
Min elevation ..: 5 °
Time format ....: Local

+--------------------------+
| Station        | Locator |
+--------------------------+
| Observer       | JN46PT  |
| PD5DP (Henk)   | JO22XU  |
+--------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------+
| AOS                 | LOS                 | Duration |
+------------------------------------------------------+
| 13/08/2005 19:08:20 | 14/08/2005 00:22:54 |  5:14:34 |
| 14/08/2005 17:02:53 | 15/08/2005 04:32:42 | 11:29:49 |
| 15/08/2005 14:32:35 | 15/08/2005 17:51:31 |  3:18:56 |
| 15/08/2005 21:29:32 | 16/08/2005 01:03:22 |  3:33:50 |
| 16/08/2005 07:52:18 | 16/08/2005 08:31:57 |    39:39 |
| 16/08/2005 14:48:29 | 16/08/2005 22:16:16 |  7:27:47 |
| 17/08/2005 15:46:20 | 18/08/2005 02:28:51 | 10:42:31 |
| 18/08/2005 18:49:15 | 19/08/2005 06:34:29 | 11:45:14 |
| 19/08/2005 14:22:10 | 19/08/2005 20:07:51 |  5:45:41 |
+------------------------------------------------------+

7  Visibility

The visibility window gives you an overview of the satellites you have selected in the Satellites window.
Select the satellites which are displayed:

•	All	Displays all satellites,
•	Visible now	Displays only the satellites which are currently visible,
•	Visible in next…	Displays the satellites which are visible at any time in the time period you select, for example the satellites visible in the next 60 minutes.

Press Viewer to display the data with the default text file viewer, usually Notepad.

For each entry in this display the columns are: 

•	Vis	Whether the satellite is currently visible.	
•	Satellite	The name of the satellite.
•	Azimuth	The azimuth of a satellite is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian. It is customary to reckon the azimuth of a line from the south point of the horizon around by the west from 0[deg] to 360[deg].
•	Elevation	The angular distance above the horizon.
•	AOS	Acquisition of signal is the elapsed time at which the satellite becomes visible and a signal can theoretically be heard. If empty then the satellite is already visible.
•	LOS	Loss of signal is the elapsed time after which the satellite is no longer visible and the signal can theoretically no longer be heard.
•	Lon	The satellite's current longitude.
•	Lat	The satellite's current latitude.
•	Range	The distance of the satellite from the observer's location measured in kilometers. (A mile is 1.6 kilometers, a kilometer is 0.62 miles.)
•	Altitude	The altitude of the satellite above sea level measured in meters.
•	Range Rate	The value required to calculate the Doppler frequency adjustment. 

8  Next Passes

This window shows up to 1,000 passes for a selected satellite. Note: do not select more than 100 passes unless you have a very powerful computer, minimum CPU frequency of 2 GHz is recommended.

Press Add Alarm to add an audio alarm when a satellite is about to pass overhead.

Press Plot to plot a selected pass in the Single Pass window.

Press Viewer to display the data with the default text file viewer, usually Notepad.

9  Single Pass

This window plots a single pass for the satellite selected in the Next Passes window. The elevation is plotted on the left y-axis, time is on the x-axis. Select Azimuth, Altitude or Range to be plotted on the right y-axis.

If Popup info is checked a vertical dashed marker line is displayed which either tracks the current time or is positioned by clicking on the chart with the left mouse button.

As the marker position changes, the azimuth, elevation, altitude and range are displayed in the marker fields.

10  Plot
This window shows the position of one to four satellites above the surface of the planet.

11  DDE
This window controls the DDE server. If you want to use HRD's data with another program you must start HRD's DDE Server. Select the DDE format: currently only Nova is supported. Press Start to start the DDE server.