Observation 893146: NOAA 19 (33591)

Satellites & Observations Observations
1

Regarding Observation 893146

Dear all,
I have set up a ground station with Wimo TA-1 Turnstile antenna ==> Coax ==> RTLSDR Bandstop filter ==> RTLSDR Wideband LNA ==> Coax ==> RTLSDR ==> Raspberry Pi.
From the observation, you can see that I couldn’t receive anything. The waterfall looks empty. I turned the bias t on through the command line. It didn’t work. I tried connecting the antenna to the RTLSDR alone through the coaxial cable with bias-t turned off. Still, I couldn’t receive anything. I used ecoflex 10 plus cable. The observation results are same for all the other satellites as well.
Would this be something wrong with the soldering of the PL connector in the antenna or any other issues?
I would be glad to get inputs to the issues. Thank you.

2

Your signal chain has a lot of components, each of which could be responsible for the lack of signal.

My suggestion would be to eliminate each component in a step wise fashion. First start by connecting the RTLSDR directly to the antenna and use a normal computer or laptop on which you can run gqrx or SDRsharp. Try to see if you can receive FM stations, then find signals near 137 and 145MHz. Then add the coax cable and redo the tests, add the bandstop filter and redo the tests, add the LNA and redo the tests. Hopefully you can identify which component is the culprit.

1 Like
3

I tried connecting the antenna to the RTLSDR and used SDRSharp for the FM signal but there was a static signal in the waterfall. I couldn’t see them oscillating in real time. I will share the pictures in a while if it is not clear.

4

Did you get a genuine RTL-SDR V3 or a fake, like I did? The fake one won’t switch on the Bias T and doesn’t have a nut on the SMA connector. Open it up and there won’t be a thermal pad either or the same guts as the real RTL-SDR V3. 4 screws each end instead of 2 is another indicator you have a fake.
Leave all the gain setting alone in the satnogs setup also the PTT setting of the real SDR will not need to be set as it will be close to 0 as you will see in your first CW waterfall.

Cheers Bob vk2byf

5

I somehow able to see the FM signal in SDR Sharp by connecting the RTLSDR along with the antenna but I couldn’t receive NOAA APT signal.
Also, when I connect the antenna to the raspberry pi through coax cable with rtlsdr, there is no signal in the satnogs waterfall like before observation result.

6

It seems to be okay with the rtlsdr. I have two screws at the sma side. It should be a genuine receiver. I used V dipole antenna before and started with the VHF TA-1 turnstile from 05/08/2019. So I am not sure if I have to do any configuration changes in satnogs. The CW waterfall was using V dipole antenna.

7

You don’t. The only thing that changes is the frequency range of satellite frequencies your station will allow to be scheduled.

While you are doing all this testing, make sure your station is in testing mode.
Are you able to go back to the V Dipole? Just for an RF sanity test.
Did you change the gain setting? Its tempting to turn it up, but that will often result in a blank waterfall. Try something low, less than 10 for a test.

1 Like
8

The station is in testing mode. Haven’t changed any gain settings yet. I din’t try to go back to the v-dipole.
I replaced the pi with another one. And just connected the antenna with RTLSDR without any LNA.
Please look at this observation. Is it working now?
(http://network.satnogs.org/observations/895982/)

I will add the whole errors log as well:

Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:24:56,101 - satno gsclient - ERROR - Cannot connect to socket 127.0.0.1:4533
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: linux; GNU C++ version 6.2.0 20 161010; Boost_106100; UHD_003.009.005-0-unknown
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:24:56,138 - satno gsclient - ERROR - Cannot connect to socket 127.0.0.1:4533
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: Exception in thread Thread-2:
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: Traceback (most recent call las t):
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: File “/usr/lib/python2.7/thre ading.py”, line 801, in __bootstrap_inner
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: self.run()
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: File “/usr/lib/python2.7/thre ading.py”, line 754, in run
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: File “/var/lib/satnogs/local/ lib/python2.7/site-packages/satnogsclient/observer/worker.py”, line 134, in _com municate_tracking_info
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: self.send_to_socket(p, sock )
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: File “/var/lib/satnogs/local/ lib/python2.7/site-packages/satnogsclient/observer/worker.py”, line 180, in send _to_socket
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: position = sock.send(“p\n”) .split(’\n’)
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: File “/var/lib/satnogs/local/ lib/python2.7/site-packages/satnogsclient/observer/commsocket.py”, line 76, in s end
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: self.s.send(message)
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: error: [Errno 32] Broken pipe
Aug 06 17:24:56 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: linux; GNU C++ version 6.2.0 20 161010; Boost_106100; UHD_003.009.005-0-unknown
Aug 06 17:25:00 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: gr-osmosdr 0.1.4 (0.1.4) gnurad io 3.7.10
Aug 06 17:25:00 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: built-in source types: file osm osdr fcd rtl rtl_tcp uhd miri hackrf bladerf rfspace airspy soapy redpitaya
Aug 06 17:25:00 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: Using device #0 Realtek RTL2838 UHIDIR SN: 00000001
Aug 06 17:25:00 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: Using 32 buffers of size 16384.
Aug 06 17:25:00 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
Aug 06 17:25:00 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: [R82XX] PLL not locked!
Aug 06 17:25:00 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: Exact sample rate is: 1000000.0 26491 Hz
Aug 06 17:25:01 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: [R82XX] PLL not locked!
Aug 06 17:25:01 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: /var/lib/satnogs/.gnuradio/pref s/vmcircbuf_default_factory: No such file or directory
Aug 06 17:25:01 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: vmcircbuf_createfilemapping: cr eatefilemapping is not available
Aug 06 17:25:01 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: gr::vmcircbuf_sysv_shm: shmat ( 2): Invalid argument
Aug 06 17:25:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:25:38,206 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:25:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:25:38.155206+00:00)
Aug 06 17:25:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:25:38,221 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “post_data (trigger: interval[0:02:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:27:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:25:38.173227+00:00)
Aug 06 17:25:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:25:38,230 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “post_data (trigger: interval[0:02:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:27:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:25:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:25:38,748 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:26:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:26:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:26:38,173 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:26:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:26:38.155206+00:00)
Aug 06 17:26:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:26:38,683 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:27:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:27:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:27:38,173 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:28:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:27:38.155206+00:00)
Aug 06 17:27:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:27:38,219 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “post_data (trigger: interval[0:02:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:29:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:27:38.173227+00:00)
Aug 06 17:27:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:27:38,225 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “post_data (trigger: interval[0:02:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:29:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:27:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:27:38,752 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:28:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:28:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:28:38,179 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:29:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:28:38.155206+00:00)
Aug 06 17:28:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:28:38,715 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:29:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:29:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:29:38,174 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:29:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:29:38.155206+00:00)
Aug 06 17:29:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:29:38,219 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “post_data (trigger: interval[0:02:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:31:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:29:38.173227+00:00)
Aug 06 17:29:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:29:38,225 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “post_data (trigger: interval[0:02:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:31:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:29:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:29:38,890 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:30:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:30:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:30:38,186 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:31:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:30:38.155206+00:00)
Aug 06 17:30:39 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:30:39,019 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:31:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:31:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:31:38,176 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:32:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:31:38.155206+00:00)
Aug 06 17:31:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:31:38,216 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “post_data (trigger: interval[0:02:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:33:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:31:38.173227+00:00)
Aug 06 17:31:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:31:38,222 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “post_data (trigger: interval[0:02:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:33:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:31:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:31:38,742 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:32:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:32:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:32:38,177 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:33:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:32:38.155206+00:00)
Aug 06 17:32:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:32:38,690 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:33:38 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:32:42 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:32:42,154 - satnogsclient - INFO - Closing socket: <socket._socketobject object at 0x700db068>
Aug 06 17:33:07 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:33:07,006 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Job “spawn_observer (trigger: date[2019-08-06 14:24:56 UTC], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:24:56 UTC)” executed successfully
Aug 06 17:33:38 raspberrypi satnogs-client[632]: 2019-08-06 17:33:38,181 - apscheduler.executors.default - INFO - Running job “get_jobs (trigger: interval[0:01:00], next run at: 2019-08-06 14:33:38 UTC)” (scheduled at 2019-08-06 14:33:38.155206+00:00)

9

It seems to be working but that signal 895982 is not a NOAA satellite which are usually very strong and I used to receive these without a LNA before SatNOGS.

Set up your turnstile. Hook up your LNA at the antenna. Run your coax to the shack and connect it to the RTL-SDR. Before you hook up the antenna end of the coax measure to see if there is 5V Bias-T. If yes go ahead. Now do some testing. Add you filters later if needed and make sure they pass the Bias-T voltage.
Hope this helps, Bob vk2byf

2 Likes
10

Yes, it was not NOAA. I will set things up as you said and will get back. A great feedback and suggestions from all of you so far. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

11

The Bias T is giving 5V with LNA attached to it but still waterfall is empty. When the receiver is directly connected to the TA-1 antenna and pi, waterfall is empty. But when I connect the receiver to the antenna and used SDRSharp to see NOAA satellite, I could receive the signal but then noise level is high (-30 db) changing the actual pattern of the NOAA signal slightly.

While UHF antenna functions well and received lot of data with Bandstop filter and LNA connected. How should I proceed now? Would be great to get some suggestions on this?

12

Try some (all) of the suggestions from the wiki;
https://wiki.satnogs.org/Troubleshooting#Blank_or_solid_purple_waterfall.3F

Let us know what you find.

1 Like
13

Hi @kannans!

I had also trouble with my TA-1.

Important note. The TA-1 has center and shield connected inside the antenna!

I described my procedure here:

Try to use the rtl-power tool adding one brick after another, as Cees suggested.

At first I would try a different power supply on the raspberry pi. I have one culprit here with that one connected to the RPI there‘s so much noise that I do not see a single signal.

I would go and test my station in VHF Airband first. See, if you have a local Tower that transmits weather reports 24/7.

Good Luck!

73 Oliver

1 Like
14

I had a bad experience with excessive noise in the waterfall on my 3 Raspberry Pi setup.
I fixed it by:
Using a LM338 5V home-brew analoug regulator to feed the raspberry Pis Instead of switching regulators.
Putting all the raspberry Pis in an aluminum cases and grounding it.
Checking and fixing the RTL-SDR V 3 genuine, aluminum cases grounding. Beware you didn’t get a fake from China.
You will know by the 4 screws in each end and large PPM offset with drift. No nut on the SMA connector.
Set RF gain around 30. No IF.
Check it out ID-568 and ID-724

2 Likes
15

Troubleshooting as you suggested seems pretty okay. Still it doesn’t give anything in waterfall. I will go through the other testings suggested below and see if I could figure out. Thank you for the comments.

16

From the different sites, I verified that its a genuine RTLSDR dongle. I will set the values of RF gain and see how does that affects the waterfall and get back to you.

1 Like