Two new modes in SatNOGS DB (UNKNOWN and GENESIS_FSK)

fredy · May 28, 2026, 2:43pm

With the latest released changes in satnogs-flowgraphs, we have two new flowgraphs implemented, one for AMSAT EA pocketqubes (GENESIS, HADES etc) and one for generic/unknown cases where mode is not known which will replace the FM mode we currently use.

In order to start using these two new flowgraphs we have defined two new modes in SatNOGS DB, GENESIS FSK and UNKNOWN. In the next days/weeks we aim to create and review suggestions for satellites transmitters to replace old modes with the new ones where is applied. Any help on this process is more than welcome!

Two notes related with these two new modes:

GENESIS FSK currently is only paired with baudrate values at 200 or 800, if this doesn’t apply to a satellite transmitter then please open an issue/work item in Work items · librespacefoundation / SatNOGS / satnogs-flowgraphs · GitLab to support other baudrates
UNKNOWN mode brings two significant details for hunting unknown satellite singals (in comparison with the old FM), the first one is that has variable baudrate which changes the frequency width of the waterfall, audio and IQ artifacts. The second is that in case that baudrate is over 48k (48e3) then it doesn’t produce audio artifact as with the current sampling rate, it doesn’t make sense.

PS For the unknown flowgraph there is a bug found in version 2.5 of the satnogs-flowgraph but there is already a fix in version 2.5.1, however there is a temporary issue with the docker image building so it is not available yet, We are working on fixing it, we’ll let you know when it is fixed.

bali · May 28, 2026, 2:57pm

bali · May 28, 2026, 3:05pm

PE0SAT · May 28, 2026, 6:07pm

Thanks for this update, I have created some obs to see how they are working.

Jan | PE0SAT

bali · May 29, 2026, 1:58am

~~not work.. sorry to say, bad audio~~ ahhh.. the gs client still use old version of satno…

bali · May 29, 2026, 5:04am

scheduling for next two hours (latest version of satnogs client docker = image: librespace/satnogs-client:master-unstable). hope the audio is work

bali · May 29, 2026, 7:36am

still same. not work. in log:
grsat - INFO - Observation: 14185671, Norad: 68446, Name: 0 HADES-SA (SPINNYONE), Script: satnogs_fm.py, Baud: 800.0, Freq: 436.875 MHz

audio not work. bad audio.

PE0SAT · May 29, 2026, 7:43am

I also gave it try, this seems enough SNR https://network.satnogs.org/observations/14183429/ but no decodes.

Are we sure it should be 800, maybe we need to try 200.

Jan | PE0SAT

bali · May 29, 2026, 8:01am

yes sure 800. because the iq raw can decoded using sound modem genesis 800 bd.

i try my script converter from iq raw to wav, and its better

demod_usb2.py.txt (2.3 KB)

bali · May 29, 2026, 8:12am

your client version still old version. but the audio seen same with my newest client.

bali · May 29, 2026, 8:33am

btw if it work, and many station have an ogg audio that work when replay, the hades-sa will become the next silversat ssdv sat

PE0SAT · May 29, 2026, 9:01am

The freedom of the legacy non docker version is the main reason why they are still on 1.8.1 and won’t change soon.

If time allows I will try to get a non docker setup with the latest versions.

Jan | PE0SAT

bali · May 29, 2026, 9:15am

still old flowgraph or latest flowgraph ?

ooh.. you answer my question before i post.. lol

PE0SAT · May 29, 2026, 9:34am

Good point, I made the mistake that the new flow-graphs would also be available on 1.8.1 and they don’t.

I will add some obs on station ID 1696 that is running the Docker solution with a manual docker-compose.yml setup.

services:

  rigctld:
    container_name: satnogs-<set station id>-rigctld
    hostname: satnogs-<set station id>-rigctld
    image: 'librespace/hamlib:4.5.4'
    user: '999'
    read_only: true
    environment:
      MODEL: '1'
    restart: 'unless-stopped'
    command: 'rigctld'

  satnogs_client:
    container_name: satnogs-<set station id>
    hostname: 'satnogs-<set station id>'
    image: 'librespace/satnogs-client:master'
        
    user: '500:500'

    read_only: false
    device_cgroup_rules:
      - 'c 189:* rwm'

    environment:
      SATNOGS_API_TOKEN: 'set api token'
      SATNOGS_LOG_LEVEL: 'INFO'
      SATNOGS_STATION_ELEV: 'set height'
      SATNOGS_STATION_ID: 'set station id'
      SATNOGS_STATION_LAT: 'set lat'
      SATNOGS_STATION_LON: 'set lon'
      SATNOGS_RIG_IP: 'satnogs-1696-rigctld'
      SATNOGS_POST_OBSERVATION_SCRIPT: '/var/lib/satnogs-client/bin/satnogs-post {{ID}} {{FREQ}} {{TLE}} {{TIMESTAMP}} {{BAUD}} {{SCRIPT_NAME}}'
      GR_SATELLITES_ENABLED: 'true'
      GR_SATELLITES_APP: 'gr_satellites'
      GR_SATELLITES_KEEPLOGS: 'true'
      ENABLE_IQ_DUMP: 'True'
      IQ_DUMP_FILENAME: '/raw/iq_<set station id>'
      IQ_DUMP_RENAME: 'True'
      IQ_DUMP_COMPRESS: 'True'
      SATNOGS_SOAPY_RX_DEVICE: 'driver=rtlsdr,serial=<set device id>,biastee=true'
      SATNOGS_PPM_ERROR: '-3'
      SATNOGS_RF_GAIN: '22.9'
      SATNOGS_ANTENNA: 'RX'
      SATNOGS_RX_SAMP_RATE: '2.048e6'
    command: 'satnogs-client'
    
    volumes:
      - /dev/bus/usb:/dev/bus/usb
      - type: 'tmpfs'
        target: '/tmp'
      - type: 'volume'
        target: '/var/lib/satnogs-client'
        source: 'satnogs-client'
      - type: 'volume'
        target: '/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/satellites/satyaml'
        source: 'satyaml'
      - type: 'volume'
        target: '/raw'
        source: 'obs-raw'

    restart: 'unless-stopped'

volumes:
  satnogs-client:
  satyaml:
  obs-raw:
    driver: local
    driver_opts:
      type: nfs
      o: addr=nfs-server.local,nfsvers=3,async,rw
      device: :/volume/obs/raw

This is also to get experience with the new development.

Jan | PE0SAT