I am operating station 4950 (jp7dvx) in Hirosaki, Japan. Since setting up this station, I have been unable to decode any signals successfully.
Currently, I am using an indoor antenna due to my environment, which I suspect might be the main limiting factor. I would appreciate any advice or feedback from those who have experience with indoor setups.
Are there specific satellites that are easier to start with in an indoor environment?
Are there any configuration tips for a Ground Plane antenna indoors?
Any suggestions would be very helpful. Thank you for your support!
Have you set up the gr-satellites add on? I followed Bali’s tutorial here. I’m new too so I couldn’t tell you exactly how it works, but it will decode and upload any data your station picks up.
Also I looked at your most recent observation and it looks like your gain value got reset.
In colder regions like Hirosaki, many houses utilize double-paned or Low-E (low-emissivity) glass for insulation. This microscopic metal oxide coating acts as an RF shield and attenuate signals.
So if you can’t receive the ISS FM repeater, it will be very difficult to decode signals from any other satellites.
May I ask the reason to put the antenna/set up indoor? If you have problem with outdoor environment, you can always extend the antenna outside with coaxial cable while the computer stays comfortable inside.
One option is to put your antenna inside the attic like mine. Non metallic roofing is of course preferable. Or if you have a balcony thats also another option, my first setup was with the antenna on the balcony, works great but can only cover half of the sky before I moved it to the attic
Thank you all for the valuable advice! It is very encouraging to receive such helpful feedback.
To cammybwammy: Thank you for checking my observation! I am indeed still learning the ropes with the configuration, and your point about the gain value is well-taken. I will look into the gr-satellites add-on as well.
To JH4XSY: Your comment about the Low-E glass makes perfect sense. Given our climate here in Hirosaki, most modern homes use double-paned Low-E glass, which I suspect is significantly shielding my antenna from the satellite signals. That is a crucial insight!
To alpha_adhito: I really appreciate the practical suggestions for outdoor/attic placement. You are right; staying indoors is a major limitation. I will explore the possibility of extending the antenna to the balcony or attic to get better sky coverage.
I will take these suggestions to heart and experiment with antenna placement next. Thanks again for being such a supportive community!
Thank you all for the quick and encouraging feedback!
Following your advice, I have just scheduled several observations for the ISS (437.8000 MHz FM) to test my current setup. I will try to position my antenna closer to the window as suggested to see if I can overcome the signal attenuation.
Attached is my current schedule for the upcoming passes. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Thank you for the advice! I’ve moved my NAGARA DO-28 antenna to the window. I’m keeping the window open but with the screen mesh closed to keep the bugs out. I hope this helps improve the signal while keeping my room comfortable. Let’s see how the next pass goes!
Thank you so much for checking the logs and the advice! I missed the RF gain setting. I’ve just updated my docker run command with ‘SATNOGS_RF_GAIN=49.6’ and restarted the client. Looking forward to seeing the difference in the next observation!
If you still can’t get signal you can try mounting the antenna outside and then run a coaxial cable to your sdr inside because they cant handle outdoors to well. Your antenna looks at least partially weather proof and i have antennas that are made out of bent copper, pvc and some tape that can handle rain decently well, but you can do this at your own risk, this is just an idea. If you choose to do this i would assume your yagi is fixed in a certain position so you might need to schedule a few passes until one is in the receiving path of your antenna.
Thank you for the advice, crispywaffle42. To be honest, as an elderly physician, climbing onto the roof or drilling holes in my walls is a bit beyond my physical capabilities now. It’s a bit frustrating at times, but I’ve decided to embrace and enjoy this hobby within the limits of my current environment. I’m having a great time learning and optimizing my setup right here by the window. Thank you for supporting my journey!
Thank you for your kind understanding. I really appreciate the support from all of you! I’ll continue to enjoy my window-side station and look forward to the next signals. Happy hunting to everyone!
