Working the FM-Sat SO-50

Simon 2E0HTS has released a video that shows him making contacts via the amateur radio satellite SO-50.

This satellite carries an FM transponder that receives signals on 145.850 MHz and retransmits them on 436.795 MHz (+/- 10 kHz Doppler shift). Operation is a little more complex that some other satellites since the transponder needs to initially be activated by a CTCSS (PL) tone of 74.4 Hz which starts a 10 minute timer and then a 67 Hz tone is used for the contact.

The order of operation is: (allow for Doppler as necessary):
1) Transmit on 145.850 MHz with a tone of 74.4 Hz to arm the 10 minute timer on board the spacecraft.
2) Now transmit on 145.850 MHz (FM Voice) using 67.0 Hz within the 10 minute window.
3) Sending the 74.4 tone again within the 10 minute window will reset the 10 minute timer.

You can set the memory channels in your handheld as follows:
Ch TX       RX        CTCSS

1 145.850 Timer Reset 74.4 Hz
2 145.850 436.805 67 Hz
3 145.850 436.800 67 Hz
4 145.850 436.795 67 Hz
5 145.850 436.790 67 Hz
6 145.850 436.785 67 Hz

At the start of the pass tune to 436.805 and then decrease the frequency during the 10+ minute pass.

Watch Simon 2E0HTS working CT2GOY, F0FVK, SP5XSD & EA6SW/portable 6, via SAUDISAT 1C SO-50

Simon 2E0HTS Ham Radio Operator Blog
http://www.hamradiooperator.blogspot.com/

You can read Howard G6LVB’s SO-50 article at
http://www.g6lvb.com/Articles/operatingSO50.htm

SO-50
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=4

N2YO Real Time Satellite Tracking
http://www.n2yo.com/

Satscape Satellite Tracking Software
http://www.satscape.info/home/?q=node/2

An article by John Heath G7HIA ‘Getting started on amateur radio satellites’ can be downloaded from
http://www.uk.amsat.org/267

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