Satgen434  Prepare for SatDX Pt4  by GM4IHJ  (BID SGEN434) 19July 97

It is possible to benefit from satellite sub horizon DX opportunities 
with a very simple station. But for regular success, there are several 
aids which can help.

For better reception a good HF antenna will produce a considerable 
improvement. A 3 element beam is an excellent improvement over a 
simple wire or vertical antenna. But you must have an idea where the 
satellite is. So you also need good tracking software to keep your 
antenna on target. Putting a pre amplifier on the antenna is another 
useful aid. Then for transmission you should have a bit of spare power 
in reserve if needed - say up to 25 watts.

However, communications equipment is not the whole story. It is much 
easier to get DX if you can anticipate it via a good propagation 
warning system. Most useful for this is a monitor of the 28 MHz 
beacons. They provide excellent warning of short range Sporadic E 
opportunities. While at long range from your station , you can monitor 
HF beacons out at 3000 and 6000 kms typical range , to get advanced 
notice of really long range RS12 type SatDX via F layer propagation.

For warning of Sporadic E and Aurora, the most positive aids are the 
high powered low VHF TV , FM Voice and Paging stations , up to 2000 
kms from your station. A good receiver of the Drake R8E type is one 
way of getting this warning, and it can also monitor the amateur 50MHz 
beacons. But a much cheaper alternative warning device is a low VHF TV 
( old black and white or mini TV), or an FM receiver. These can be 
left on permanently, and they will reveal both SpE, Aurora and FAI 
propagation, and ( nearer solar max), the super long range F layer 
propagation of TV from other continents at frequencies up to 65 or 70 
MHz , solar flux permitting.

Recently however, the introduction of Fast Fourier Transform Spectral 
Analysers has permitted even deeper investigation and monitoring of 
warning beacons , TV and FM , as well as direct painless monitoring of 
the satellites themselves. With this sort of equipment, there is no 
excuse for missing anything, however fleeting the openings may be.

PS1 G3IOR has reminded me , that I forgot to mention the SatDX we 
frequently get to the southwest of Europe, which was first reported 15 
years ago with satellites ISKRA 2 and 3. It is often the case that 
these signals are very auroral in tone ( though nowhere near the polar 
zones), and they sometimes feature split signals with different tones.

PS2  Motorola are rolling along with their Iridium mobile phone 
satellites. They now have 17 in orbit. The latest quintet are in what 
looks like the 3rd orbit plane . They intend to have 6 evenly spaced 
orbit planes, each one containing 11 equally spaced satellites .