Talk to Satellites

Do you want to talk to satellites? It’s a lot easier than you would think; there is a huge community of people around the world that interact with satellites all of the time! Tons of amateurs are able to download images from NOAA weather satellites, download health data, telemetry, and science data from amateur radio satellites, and even broadcasting a message using the ISS repeater. If you are unable to get access to a radio set-up for any reason, check the drop down under this section to learn how you can interact with MEMESat-1 with your computer or phone! If you’re interested in getting started with amateur radio follow the steps below:

1. Contact your local amateur radio club! Meet with some current radio enthusiasts to learn more about the hobby and what you may need to create your own set-up. It’s helpful to see how different HAM operators enjoy the hobby, so you can understand what goes into amateur radio stations and successfully (and properly) communicating with other radio operators!

2. Get HAM radio certified! Contact your local amateur radio club and learn more about how, when, and where you can get HAM radio licensed. The typical cost of taking the exam is $15-20, and the certification stays with you for 10 years! The question bank for each level of certification is posted online, so you can study with premade flash cards of the actual test questions. The exam is very easy to prepare for, so don’t stress! The first level of radio certification is Technician, followed by General, and finally Extra. Getting a Technician license will allow you to communicate on Very High Frequency (VHF) bands – these are the bands needed to communicate with MEMESat!

3. Find or create your own amateur radio set-up! Your local amateur radio club may have a set-up that is for members to use! If you just want to listen to satellites, you can create a ~$50 satellite tracking set-up as explained in this guide: https://www.paulschow.com/2016/05/25-satellite-tracker.html. For a ~$325 set-up, watch the video below (it’s a 3 part series). If you want to talk over a satellite’s FM or digital Repeater (like the one MEMESat has), you will need a bit more of a set-up. Radio set-ups can range in price drastically, so I linked to a guide on your first set-up below. There is a free open-source application called GPredict that can be used to interface with motorized antennae so that you can track satellites. This software is primarily used to visualize the ground tracks of satellites on the Earth.

4. Talk to satellites (and other amateur radio users)! Make sure you understand the rules of transmitting on amateur radio (which you should if you passed your HAM certification exam). With your new radio license and set-up you can communicate with satellites and other radio users around the world! Have fun!