HB9RYZ - Swiss Amateur Radio Station - QO-100 - Remote DX-Station Rigi Scheidegg

LEO / ISS Satellite Groundstation since March 2022

LEO/ISS Satellite Groundstation

The goal is to install a satellite 2m/70cm Groundstation at home in order to make active radio contacts with the current and future LEO satellites and the ISS.

There are currently a few LEO satellites in the space which you can work with SSB or FM.

The challenge is the operation in one SAT cycle (5-15 minutes) with the doppler shift etc.

I'm using the S.A.T Tracking Box to control my YAESU G-5500DC AZ/EL Rotor.

Below are many links regarding Ham-Radio Satellites ....

DXCC Satellite Certificate - June 2022

Vice Preseident of Swiss AMSAT-HB

Good SAT Links:
SatBlog from DK3WN
AMSAT Satellite Status
N2YO Amateur Radio Satellites
SAT Live Tracking
AMSAT Communication Satellites
AMSAT Linear Staellite Frequency Summary
SAT-Match for Sked

S.A.T. Box from CSN Technologies for SAT-Tracking - a must HAVE!
AMSAT planned Satellites
AMSAT launched Satellites
SatNOGS Satellite Tracking Project
SPID-RAS AZ/EL Rotor
Sequence Controller FSC52000
ICOM IC-9700 PTT Multiplexer
SATPC32 Tracking Software
Pstrotator Sat Tracking Software

Download: SAT Konzept in German [2’160 KB]

Current LEO/ISS SAT Groundstation

Next SAT & ISS flight over Hünenberg

Es’hail 2 Geo-Satellite QO-100 / QRV since 6.3.19

Qatar’s Es’hail-2 Satellite 2019 - OSCAR 100

Es'hail-2 - Successfully launched into orbit (15. Nov. 2018)
The eagerly awaited start of the Es'hail-2 took place on 15/11/2018 at 20:46 as planned and successfully. This is the beginning of a new era in satellite broadcasting for us radio amateurs.

OSCAR 100 (QO-100) is QRV since February 14. 2019.

Qatar’s Es’hail-2 satellite will provide the first amateur radio geostationary communications that could link amateurs from Brazil to Thailand. The satellite is positioned at 25.5 degrees East.

Es'hail-2 coverage areaEs’hail-2 will carry two “Phase 4” amateur radio transponders operating in the 2400 MHz and 10450 MHz bands. A 250 kHz bandwidth linear transponder intended for conventional analogue operations and an 8 MHz bandwidth transponder for experimental digital modulation schemes and DVB amateur television.

Live QO-100 ans SAT WebSDRs
Live Es'Hail-2 OSCAR 100 SAT WebDR from England
Live Es'Hail-2 OSCAR 100 SAT WebSDR from Italy
Live ES'Hail-2 OSCAR-100 SAT WebSDR in Playa Muchavista

QO-100 live Cluster 1 and 2
Join the QO-100 DX Club
SatNOGS Projekt for Raspberry Pi (not active anymore)
SatNOGS Ground-Station of HB9RYZ (not active anymore)

Good QO-100 Links:
Monitor for SG-Lab Power Amplifier
SG LABS 20W PA V3
Adalm Pluto modified with TCXO 0.5 ppm
QO-100 Dish Pointing online
AMSAT-DL Forum
ISS live Tracking

QO-100 with Heil Pro 6 Headset and EQ from UR6QW

Current QO-100 Setup at Home

QO-100 with HDSDR v2.80, Omnirig v2.1, SDRPlay RSP2 and the ICOM IC-9700 for the Uplink

Configuration
- SDRPlay RSP2 for Downlink 739 MHz (LNB with 25 MHz Ref-In) and HDSDR v2.80
- IC-9700 as Transceiver for the Up-Link 431 MHz and QO-100 Downlink-Converter for 144 MHz
- QO-100 Transverter from PE1CMO (only used for the Uplink on 2.4 GHz) max. 20 Watt
- VARA SAT and Winlink to send e-Mails over the QO-100
- JTDX to use FT8 over the QO-100

You need to install the the ExtIO_SDRplay_RSP2.dll for the SDRPlay RSP2

HDSDR Offset Configuration in the Omnirig SAT Menu:
- Options - CAT to Radio (Omni-Rig) - set Converter Offset - Picture
- Options - RF Front-end Configuration - Picture
- Omnirig v2.1 - Picture
- HDSDR v2.0 in action - Picture

Omnirig RIG-INI File [8 KB] for the IC-9700 Transceiver
Where to buy the GooBay 67269 Single LNB?

1st QO-100 Portable Station Kit (August 2021)

QO-100 Portable SAT-Station (V3) powered by DG9BFC

35cm Camping Dish
Pluto SDR TCXO modified by DG9BFC
Modified LNB with 0.2 ppm and POTY Antenna
SG-LABS 20W PA V3
PA-Driver TQP 3M9008 (+ 20dB)
DC-DC Step Up Converter (12V > 24V)
DC-DC Step Down Converter (12V -> 5V/3A)
LTE 800 MHz Blocking Filter (RX)
SDR Console v3.1.x with the beacon synchronization
USB Sennheiser Headset for Notebook

QO-100 Audio Test with 35cm Dish 1st Set

2nd QO-100 Portable Station Kit (Sept. 2021)

2nd QO-100 Portable SAT-Station

35cm small Camping Dish
Pluto SDR TCXO modified
Modified LNB and POTY Antenne
RF Bias Tee for LNB (12V)
12V Fan for cooling
SG-LABS 20W PA V3
Analog Device preamp CN 0417 (+ 20dB)
AC-DC Mean Well Power Supply (27.6V and 5V)
DC-DC Step Up Converter (12V > 24V)
DC-DC Step Down Converter (27.6V > 12V)
DC-DC Step Down Converter (12V > 5V)
SDR Console v3.1.x with the beacon synchronization
USB Sennheiser Headset for Notebook

Pluto is connected via LAN with the Notebook

QO-100 Audio Test with 35cm Dish 2nd Set

First QO-100 Portable Kit sold to 8Q7QC

QO-100 Portable SAT-Station with 35cm Camping-Dish (V1)

The QO-100 portable SAT-Station is approx. 9kg incl. travel case and 11kg incl. tripod.

MEGASAT Camping dish 35cm
Pluto SDR TCXO modified and in metal case by DG9BFC
Patch-Antenne and LNB TCXO modified by DG9BFC
10-15W Amplifier with skyworks 65017 as preamp (20 dB gain)
mw4ic2230 (30-31 dB gain) as amplifier
old Notebook Power Supply 19V and 4.74A
DC-DC Step Down Converter (19V > 5V) for the Pluto SDR
SDR Console v3.0.22 with the beacon synchronization
No GPSDO necessary to stabilize the frequency
USB Sennheiser PC3 Headset for Notebook
Griffin PowerMate USB VFO Knob
4-Port USB Hub

Thanks to SIGI DG9BFC, who built the main parts and helped me to setup the solution with SDR Console v3.0.22 via a Teamviewer session online.

Complete Documentation [3’988 KB] of the QO-100 portable SAT-Station

8Q7AO, Maldive - Vilamendhoo 2021, South Ari Atoll from Jan 25th - Feb. 7th 2021 by HB9WDF. I'm happy that I was able to hand over my portable QO-100 SAT kit to Michi for his Scuba Diving and QO-100 DX-Expedition. The portable QO-100 station will stay in the Maldives at 8Q7QC Ibrahim, thanks to Charly (DK3ZL).

Lens Test

Download LNB Lens Test 1 May 27. 2019 Results [881 KB]
Download LNB Lens Test 18. November 2019 Results [1’151 KB]

Download [8 KB] [IC-9700-DATA-RIT.ini] the modified IC-9700 INI-File in order to use your IC-9700 as an external Radio within SDR Radio Console v3.0.x. with additional RIT feature from DL3HM.

First OSCAR 100 Beacon Contact

Launch of es'Hail 2 Satellite with SpaceX

Oscar 10 Satellite Operation 1984 - 1985

These are some impressions from my OSCAR 10 SAT-Operation between 1984-1985. I used the ICOM IC-211 E for 2m (10 Watt) for the Downlink and the KENWOOD TR-9500 70cm (10 Watts) with a Home-Made Amplifier (50W) for the Uplink. I used the 14-element Yagi antenna from Tonna for (2m) and the 23-element Yagi for (70cm).

A self developed Commodore C64 application was managing my home built automatic SAT Antenna-Moving solution which was able to follow the OSCAR 10 at any time. A home made Pre-Amp controller unit for 20m and 70cm was managing the RX/TX flow for SAT operation.

OSCAR 10 Satellite QSO Samples - Recorded 1986 by HB9RYZ
Uplink 70cm (438 MHz) and Downlink 2m (144 MHz)

List of all OSCAR Satellites
OSCAR 10 Information and live Tracking
Video - Integration and Start of OSCAR 10
Video - Die OSCAR 10 Story