010 How to receive and track LoRa Satellites (TinyGS). Incl. innovative ideas for your projects

Satellites are fascinating but costly and therefore only available to governments, the military, and, recently, also billionaires like Elon Musk (SpaceX) or Jeff Bezos (Amazon).
Undiscovered for most, there is another trend: Universities and small companies can build and launch satellites. Because most of these satellites use open transmission standards, everybody can listen to them. Today we will look at a hobby project which enables us to do so. In addition, the project uses some innovative concepts, where we can learn a lot for other projects. And it shows what the Maker community can achieve if we want.
Links:
LoRa board used CN: s.click.aliexp...
LoRa board SMA CN: s.click.aliexp... or amzn.to/3uSrQV2
Semi-Rigid Coax Cable Male-Male CN: s.click.aliexp...
Semi-Rigid Coax Cable Female-Male CN: s.click.aliexp...
Power Supply 5V/2A CN: s.click.aliexp...
T-Beam 915MHz US: amzn.to/3LQXit1
Project: tinygs.com/
How to create your own "Tasmotizer": github.com/4m1...
Antenna:
Calculator: m0ukd.com/calc...
Rod: ebay.us/fJnG13 (2 or 2.5mm)
SMA connector: s.click.aliexp... or s.click.aliexp...
The links above usually are affiliate links that support the channel (no additional cost for you).
Github: www.github.com...
My Patreon Page: / andreasspiess
If you want to support the channel, please use the links below to start your shopping. No additional charges for you, but I get a commission (of your purchases in the next 24 hours)
My Amazon.com shop: www.amazon.com...
For Banggood bit.ly/2jAQEf4
For AliExpress: bit.ly/2B0yTLL For Amazon.de: amzn.to/2r0ZCYI
For Amazon UK: amzn.to/2mxBaJf For ebay.com: ebay.to/2DuYXBp
/ spiessa As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

[@tinygs]

Thanks a lot Andreas! Keep tuned, new tinyGS features and experiments to come. Thanks!

[@HB9BLA]

Cool! I assume you will get a few new stations this WE...

[@andyd428]

Love this. I first started following your electronics channel a while ago. I've just reclaimed my HAM license after 17+ years so was looking for content, particularly around Satellite and found this. I'm now ordering a LoRa module...lol

[@HB9BLA]

Enjoy it!

[@sciencearoundus]

omg, after looking at this channel I fell in love with communications, I am personally an electronics and communications student but never understood the relation between them. Your really cool man. Thank you so much for creating this second channel

[@HB9BLA]

Welcome aboard! I fell in love with wireless 50 years ago ;-)

[@mattghoward]

love your channels - great content and well structured and explained clearly - thanks mate

[@HB9BLA]

Much appreciated!

[@behnamahmadzadeh688]

Just want to thank you for these great information you share on KZbin. Your channel is one of the best. I hope you will continue this great job. These practical videos worth millions.

[@HB9BLA]

Thank you for your kind words. Yes, I plan to continue.

[@DunOpondo]

Very informative. Thank you

[@HB9BLA]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mcconkeyb]

Nice, another project to add to my project backlog! If only I had a higher income, I could start getting some of my projects off the backlog list. :-)

[@HB9BLA]

This one is not too expensive (or was a few month ago). Now everything seems to be expensive :-(

[@TheKilowattChallenge]

I would love to see a video on how you build a sensor which uses LORA through satellite and upload the data to TTN. Would be even cooler if it was solar powered 😁

[@HB9BLA]

This video exists on the other channel (search for "Lacuna")

[@2e0txe]

I have a satnogs station, but wasn't aware of this project. With the current shortages of Raspberry Pi's Im going to have a go setting up one of these in the meantime!

[@HB9BLA]

You still should get these LoRa boards.

[@steveparkes]

I've only just noticed this is a different channel and I wasn't subbed :) KZbin has recommended the videos and I've watched them in the past as well. I really should wear my hearing aids to notice the different intro :) Planning on setting up my tinyGS station tomorrow if I'm finished the project that was meant to finish yesterday by then. 73's M7SPK

[@HB9BLA]

Welcome aboard. Yes, this channel is very specialized...

[@IndependentNewsMedia]

Very interesting video.

[@HB9BLA]

Glad you think so!

[@andrewsweet43]

I think this is a reupload of an older video from Andreas' other channel. Hence the dead purchase links...

[@HB9BLA]

I changed the links now. All videos with the hat are re-uploaded (with HAM-related content)

[@urbanbushcraft3018]

Perfect as always. Danke!

[@HB9BLA]

Bitte, gern geschehen!

[@chuxxsss]

Morning Andreas, have a nice day tomorrow.

[@HB9BLA]

Thank you. Same to you (it is still before midnight here)

[@rbalbuquerque]

Congrats for your new channel! I already saw all your videos. I would like to suggest you to do more videos on antenna subject like projecting, calculating and building, this is an very interesting field of amateur radio! 73, PY7OD

[@HB9BLA]

We will see about the antennas. There are a ton of other channels showing antennas. Maybe if I find an interesting aspect you will see antennas on this channel. For example measuring the field with a drone ;-)

[@cyberphox1]

Cool 😎

[@HB9BLA]

Thank you!

[@JuanPablo-di3zp]

Very interesting ! 73s from Argentina. LW3EQG

[@HB9BLA]

73 and congratulations to your football success!

[@RixtronixLAB]

Nice video, thanks for sharing :)

[@HB9BLA]

Thanks for watching!

[@ManuOutdoor]

Spannend! 73 us Züri!

[@HB9BLA]

Fand ich auch...

[@mikejaras]

Always fun to follow your projects and I'm for sure learning a lot. Now I used one of my T-Beam v1.1 modules to set up a TinyGS. But so far I have not received any packets. You show a way to set up a test at 13:10 with a second module but when I tried that I can't find the the Test satellite ISM 433 as you used. Do you know if it's removed after you used it? 73 from SM0SML

[@tinygs]

HI SM0SML, try again, it should be fixed now. Good luck!

[@mikejaras]

@@tinygs So, I found the ISM_433 thx, that's some fast response!, but no luck with my test. It seems like the board I'm using is not recognized successfully. And it looks like the board template is not overriding the board type from the drop down. I added a template for the T-Beam v1.1 but it's actually using the selected board in the drop down instead. Here is my config for the t-beam: {"name":"T-beam v1.1 + oled","aADDR":60,"oSDA":21,"oSCL":22,"pBut":38,"led":14,"radio":1,"lNSS":18,"lDIO0":26,"lRST":23,"lMISO":19,"lMOSI":27,"lSCK":5,"lTCXOV":0.0} [update] I Used VS Code and added the board to the drop-down menu and did a successful test with the ISM_433 satellite. Now I'm waiting for some real packets.

[@HB9BLA]

I hope it works now!

[@stevelawrence486]

Is there a reason for such a large power supply? I assume we would stay away from a switching PS like a usb adapter, but would a older style "wall wort" supply work, I believe they are linear supplies and less rf noisy.

[@HB9BLA]

You are right, we have to pay attention with switchers. But often, they are ok.

[@ahsimiksnabac6576]

andreas, i am a London based musician/filmMaker and sculptor, and Arduino fan, i have a keen general interest in communications (thats why i am a communist). we are looking into purchasing a property in the swiss apls (italian side), its at 1700m elevation. we are thinking about setting up a super LoRa ground station, and sat. earth station. as the property will be occupied most all the time, and at such an elevation, i should think it would be a good location for such. we would very much like ur feedBack on such a plan. all the best, thanks much for ur time and consideration, over and out!! misha

[@HB9BLA]

For satellite operation, the most important criteria is the lowest elevation you can see satellites. This depends on your surroundings more than the level above sea. So watch if you have mountains around you that block the sight.

[@sheggy012]

Will there be only reuploads on this channel or will there be fresh videos? I'm always looking forward to new Videos and then everything seems familiar to me.

[@HB9BLA]

The videos where I wear a hat in the thumbnail (also blue title) are re-uploads. The others not. I try to create one new one every week for the moment.

[@reinholdu9909]

FYI: Both links for LoRa board purchase fail (already)

[@HB9BLA]

Thank you. Changed by now.

[@rverm1000]

I am interested in how you got the Lora radio setup to talk to the satellite. I want to launch a boui on the ocean and see where it goes.

[@HB9BLA]

These are receivers, not transmitters (as the title of the video says). Transmitting usually is only legal for licensed Radio Amateurs

[@rverm1000]

@@HB9BLA I'll half to check out u s laws on that subject

[@Lordabememes]

I have a question please , why we can receive US navy stellite with a simple dipole antenna and we can not do the same thing with inmarsat satellite with an an appropriate dipole ?

[@HB9BLA]

You have to google for the satellites you have in mind. nmarsat should be possible with a small antenna.

[@Lordabememes]

@@HB9BLA i tried with a half wave dipole and an LNA but nothing!

[@HB9BLA]

Unfortunately, I cannot do remote debugging :-(

[@6pfk]

tinygs a good idea. Is there a big list of all cube sats?

[@tinygs]

Great you like it! Here you have the list with the cube sats and their current status: tinygs.com/satellites

[@6pfk]

@@tinygs are they all the cube sats receivable by the public?

[@HB9BLA]

Yes, it is a good idea!

[@6pfk]

@@HB9BLA only thing I have found is Satnog big crowd sourced database.

[@WA4OSH]

Andrea's. It looks like the FossaSats are in orbit and on 401.7 MHz. Have you received them yet?

[@HB9BLA]

Yes, they are in orbit now. 4 or 5. I receive them regularly.

[@WA4OSH]

@@HB9BLA Andreas. I've ordered a. 0.5 low noise figure LNA and a saw filter for 403 MHz 5MHz bw and will build a tinygs here in Seattle. The other one will have the same LNA with a 433 MHz saw. Can you see a LoRa satellite like Norby with a spec-an?

[@HB9BLA]

You have to check where the satellites are. Most of them are not on 403MHz. You should find the info on TinyGS. BTW: I have no filter or LNA for the satellites receiver.

[@WA4OSH]

@@HB9BLA the FossaSats are at 401.7 MHz in the passband of the 403MHz saw filter I ordered.

[@HB9BLA]

You are right. But look at the others. The official satellite frequencies are around 437MHz.

[@danielymilva]

Excellent as usual. Thanks. Will give a try this weekend. 73 de HB9IIU

[@HB9BLA]

Enjoy!