What Frequencies are in Use By the ISS

 

 

 

 

The following frequencies are currently used for Amateur Radio ISS contacts (QSOs):   

 

    Voice and SSTV Downlink: 145.80 (Worldwide)

    Voice Uplink: 144.49 for ITU Regions 2 and 3 (The Americas, and the Pacific and Southern Asia)
    Voice Uplink: 145.20 for ITU Region 1 (Europe, Russia and Africa)
    VHF Packet Uplink and Downlink: 145.825 (Worldwide)
    UHF Packet Uplink and Downlink: 437.550
    UHF/VHF Repeater Uplink: 437.80
    UFH/VHF Repeater Downlink: 145.80

 

Most ARISS operations are split-frequency (each station uses separate receive and transmit frequencies). The downlink is the earth station's receiving frequency. The uplink is the earth station's transmitting frequency. Earth stations can listen to the downlink frequency and transmit on the uplink frequency when the ISS is in range and crew members are on the air. Please do not transmit on the ISS downlink frequency.


Call Signs in Use

The following call signs are available for use on the ISS:

• Russian: RS0ISS

• USA: NA1SS

• European: DP0ISS, OR4ISS, IR0ISS

        Packet Station Mailbox: RS0ISS-11 and RS0ISS-1Other call signs may come into use as the station and crew change.QSL CardsQSL cards are offered to confirm radio contacts with the ISS. Here's how to obtain one.Orbit Prediction SoftwareCommercial and public domain software is available to help track when the ISS will be in range of your station, and where to point your antenna. Various online programs allow you to follow the path of satellites, including the ISS.You'll find one such pass prediction tool on the AMSAT website. Use the drop-down menu to select the "ISS" as the satellite you want to track and enter your longitude and latitude information. Click on the link provided on that page to view the current location of the ISS.Radios, Modes and Antennas on the ISSThe ISS amateur radios are Ericsson MP-X handheld radios, a Kenwood TM D700 and a Kenwood D710.Two hand-held Ericsson (M-PA Series) transceivers are on board in the ISS Columbus module: a VHF radio that receives and transmits FM voice or packet radio signals in the 2-meter (144 to 146 MHz) Amateur Band, and a UHF radio that receives and transmits FM voice or packet radio signals in the 70 centimeter (435-438 MHz) Amateur Band. Both radios are Ericsson (M-PA) series commercial grade radios. These radios look identical in size and features, but are specially tuned to support thedifferent bands.  Up to 5 Watts of output power is available on any one of 64 possible channels.The Kenwood TM-D700 radio. located in the ISS FGB Service Module (Zarya), supports 2 meter (144-146 MHz) and 70 cm (435-438 MHz) operation. This radio provides a higher output power capability (restricted to a maximum of 25 Watts in ISS operation) supporting FM and packet operations. The higher power capability allows nearly horizon-to-horizon signal reception using simple hand-held radios or scanners. A set of 5 default options, or Programmable Memories, are embedded in the D700 to support ISS operations.There are numerous channels programmed in the radios. Two of these channels on the 2 meter radio band support voice operations (145.80 down/144.49 up for ITU Regions 2 &3 & 145.80 down/145.20 up for ITU Region 1). It is necessary to use two uplinks due to region-to-region ITU restrictions on uplink frequencies. The crew switches between one frequency to the other; scanning is not used. For example, if a crew member begins a QSO over the US, they can track US stations until they hit the Atlantic and then they will quickly lose US stations. They can then switch over to the other frequency and pick up stations in Europe or Africa.Packet OperationsThere are two radios on the ISS that operate as packet digipeaters--at any time, you might hear one, both, or neither.  The Kenwood D700 is 10W and uses the SSID RS0ISS-4 (or -3).  The Ericsson HT is about 5W and uses RS0ISS.  Both respond to the alias "ARISS". With the Ericsson, you'll have better luck using more power and, if you have it, FM Narrow mode.For information about using the ISS packet system, check out this resource provided by JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM.Here's an online resource provided by Andrew Rich, VK4TEC for tracking the ISS and displaying ARISS packet activity.SSTV OperationsSlow Scan Television (SSTV) images can be transmitted from the International Space Station. An SSTV system is an integral part of one of the ARISS ham radio stations, NA1SS/ RS0ISS in the Service Module. It transmits and receives JPEG still images.This system utilizes the Kenwood D700 and D710 radios and the ARISS antennas mounted on the Service Module. The SSTV equipment also includes SpaceCam and MMSSTV software, a radio/computer interface module and data cables. A Kenwood VC-H1 is also used to provide near real-time automatically transmitted images (usually earth views) once every 3 minutes, when active.A Kenwood D710 radio located in the Service Module was deployed by the Russian Space Agency, Energia to provide extended support of imaging experiments using various SSTV formats. It employs SpaceCam and MMSSTV software to transmit stored images.To view, or submit, SSTV received images transmitted from the ISS and to follow SSTV operations, check out the ISS SSTV blog site.HamTV System in DevelopmentThe European Space Agency (ESA) is working with Kayser Italia to develop and manufacture a DATV transmitter on S-band. This transmitter, dubbed “Ham Video”, is presently on board Columbus, but not yet installed. Commissioning is slated for October 2013.The Ham Video DATV transmitter, developed for installation in the Columbus module, features the following characteristics:

• Downlink frequencies:

            2.422 GHz            2.437 GHz

• DVB-S standard (QPSK modulation)

• Symbol rates: 1.3 Ms/s and 2.0 Ms/s

• FEC : ½

• SIF: 352x240 or D1:720x480

• RF radiated power : approximately 10 W EIRP

Ham Video will operate with a Canon XF-305 camera, provided by NASA.

Ham Video is downlink only. No DATV receiver is presently considered. The ARISS DATV transmitter, dubbed " Ham Video", already onboard the International Space Station, will soon be installed in the Columbus module and commissioned. Commissioning will be done in several steps, each during a full pass of the ISS over the Matera ground station.

Updates on the installation and testing of the HamTV are published on our News page.

ARISS addresses a call to amateur radio experimenters who would like to participate to the Ham Video launch campaign. For details review the HamTV Bulletins on our news page.  Review equipment recommendations for an appropriate HamTV ground station.


Antennas

A set of four antenna systems are deployed in the ISS Service Module supporting the current installation of the Kenwood D700 and D710 radios. Each of the four antennas can support amateur radio operations on multiple frequencies and allow for simultaneous automatic and crew-tended operations. Having four antennas also ensures that ham radio operations can continue aboard the station should one or more of the antennas fail. Three of the four antennas are identical and each can support both transmit and receive operations on 2 meter, 70 cm, L band and S band. They also support reception for the station's Russian Glisser TV system, which is used during spacewalks. The fourth antenna has a 2.5-meter (8 foot) long vertical whip that can be used to support High Frequency (HF) operations, particularly on 10 meters. Currently, one of the 3 VHF/UHF antennas is disconnected and the HF antenna has no radio hardware available for use.

Two antennas are installed in the Columbus module, currently serving the Ericcson radios deployed there. Frequencies available for transmission to and from Columbus are 2 meters, 70 centimeters, L-band and S-band. These antennas will also support the Ham TV  DATV transmitter.