UHF-Satcom.com - S-Band monitoring                                                                                                                 (09/04/2008 10:48:55 +0100)

If you are a commercial user of S-Band and need to hire an excellent ground station facility, visit the RAL Groundstation. If you have any frequency info to contribute to this page, please email it to "info at uhf-satcom.com"

At S-Band, most of the satellite downlinks fall in the 2.2GHz to 2.3GHz band. This band is specifically reserved for Space to Earth transmission of TT&C, ranging data and payload data. Most of the traffic could be described as uninteresting, as its either CW, PSK or spread spectrum, but there are some fantastic opportunities to perform some Doppler analysis in order to determine the satellite and it's orbit. The frequency charts below show results from investigations of what can be heard at S-Band. Most American satellites operate in the standard SGLS channels, frequency details of which can be found below, whilst non-American satellites generally have a varied band plan. Sven Grahn from Sweden has written an excellent page about his S-Band adventures, you can read about them here. Bob Christy has also compiled an S-Band frequency list mostly covering classified satellite downlinks. Michael Fletcher from Finland has written up his s-band experiments with the JAXA / Selene moon orbiter, here.

The antenna and preamp are extreamly important at these frequencies. For most of the loggings on this page, a 90cm dish, 3.5 turn S-Band helical feed and a VK5EME preamp were used. The dish provides needed gain and directionality. An alternative to a helical feed is a patch antenna. In cases where GSM telephone interference is high, a patch has been found to reject these out of band signals.

Recently, the VK5EME preamp boards have become available from Monitoring Monthly, a UK based radio magazine, details here. The Monitoring Monthly magazine also seems to have a reasonable bias towards satellite monitoring, and frequently mentions this website in its pages.

The preamps to the left are in use at various ground stations in the UK and Hungary. The enclosure for the top two preamps has been custom milled out of a solid block for mechanical rigidity reasons.

The preamp pictured at the bottom is a new design by G4DDK with a measured noise figure of 0.30 - 0.33dB and 25 - 26dB associated gain at 2.3GHz. The LNA is currently under test, but initial results appear to suggest that it delivers a worthwhile increase in SNR over the MiniKits LNA. The G4DDK LNA is supplied as a kit of parts which should take around 2 hours to build for an experienced constructor. This LNA runs from a seperate +12V supply which is split out from the RF path using a mini-circuits wideband bias-T.


A simple 3.5 turn LHCP helical antenna centred on 2250MHz is described below - this antenna can be used with prime focus or offset dishes. It is possible to wind this antenna in the opposite sense (i.e. RHCP) to use as an S-Band omni (pictured below, right) in order to monitor LEO and HEO satellites. Another omni directional antenna is pictured below right is a QFH as designed by Michael OH2AUE.

The dimensions for the helical are not overly critical, but should be within a couple of mm of those quoted. The ground plane can be made from PCB or aluminium, and it is recommended that a SMA or N-Type connector is used. The helix element can be made of 1.5mm or 2mm wire - the prototype used 2mm silver plated copper wire. The helix element can be made self supporting, but it is better practice to make a supporting rod from nylon or plastic. The first quarter turn of the helical should be spaced 2mm from the ground plane when using 2mm wire for the helix element. It is worth experimenting with the matching by soldering a copper strip to the first quarter turn in an attempt to improve the impedance match. Another alternative is to mount a metal block on the ground plane that can be swivelled near to the helical element to improve the matching. There is a nice simple design for a S-Band helix and LNA here. Work is progressing to assess the suitability of Sirius / XM active S-Band antennas for satellite DX'ing purposes - the results will be published here.

 

 

S-Band QFH (OH2AUE design)

S-Band 'omni' helix antenna

S-Band sky survey - xBr, Freq, pjm, Greg, lem. Note: All frequencies mentioned here have been verified.

Military Geostationary satellite Downlink Frequencies (log started by xBr)
Position	Freq		Modulation / Satellite / last heard date dd/mm/yy and by who
60W		2208.584	carrier - GOES-10
53W		2257.480	DSCS 3-14
49.1W		2232.497	many sidebands - DSP-F17
49.1W		2237.4948	carrier - DSP-F17 
49.1W		2232.500	carrier - DSP-F17
41W? 		2232.4959	90056
41W?		2277.4854	90056
39W?		2262.8180	carrier - Milstar-1?
38W		2232.5109	carrier - DSP-F16
38W		2237.4958	carrier - DSP-F16
34W 		2227.5080	carrier - 25134 Skynet-4D
34W		2227.5140	carrier - 26695 Skynet-4F 
27.5W 		2277.5000 	90054
22W		2252.4929	carrier - UFO-F7
15.5W		2262.4926	carrier - FLTSATCOM-8 (xBr)
13W? 		2232.4950 	90016
12W		2257.5084	carrier - DSCS III-F12
10W		2242.4880	carrier - SDS3-F2 (sub carrier 1.024 MHz, 1.700 MHz)
8W		2205.3280	carrier - 24209 Telecom-2D (Also with Syracuse payload)
1W              2252.500        carrier - 30749 Skynet-5A
3E		2207.1300	carrier - 23730 Telecom-2C (Also with Syracuse payload)
6E		2227.4849	carrier - Skynet-4C
8.5E		2237.4800	carrier - DSP-F20 (sub carrier 1.024 MHz)
		2232.4979	carrier - DSP-F20
16E		2203.4470	carrier - 26694 Sicral-1
28.5E		2262.5070	carrier - Milstar-5 (sometimes on 2267.5130)
29E		2252.4810-488	carrier - 22787 UFO-F2
35E		2227.4760	carrier - 22921 NATO-4B
53E		2227.4974	carrier - 25639 Skynet-4E
53E		2252.4921	carrier - Skynet 5B
57E		2257.5120	carrier - DSCS III-F8
60E		2257.5114	carrier - DSCS III-F13
70E		2237.4990	carrier - DSP-F21 (sub carrier 1.024 MHz)
		2232.4974	carrier - DSP-F21
72E		2252.4900	carrier - 25967 UFO-F10?, 28117 UFO-F11?
		2262.4990	carrier - 25967 UFO-F10?, 28117 UFO-F11?
75E		2242.4950	carrier - SDS3-F3 (sub carrier 1.024 MHz, 1.700 MHz)

Civilian Geostationary Satellite Downlink Frequencies (log started by xBr)
Position	Frequency	Catalogue # / Satellite Name / last heard date dd/mm/yy
8W		2205.328	carrier - Telecom-2D (Also with Syracuse payload)
3W 		2246.495	27509 METEOSAT-8
0W 		2245.495	28912 METEOSAT-9
3E		2207.130	carrier - Telecom-2C (Also with Syracuse payload)
13E 		2264.815 	Hotbird?
13E 		2269.990 	Hotbird?
21.5E 		2270.193 	EUTELSAT W6

Graveyard ex-geostationary Satellite Downlink Frequencies (log started by xBr)
		Frequency	Catalogue # / Satellite Name / last heard date dd/mm/yy
		2237.501	DSP-F9 (90050) drifting GEO
		2237.495	90060 (failed DSP-F19 on GTO)
		2237.518	DSP-F7 (90067) drifting GEO
		2237.530	90073 drifting GEO DSP??
		2237.530420	DSP-F6 (90041) drifting GEO
		2237.540300	DSP-F10 drifting GEO (162s unlock period)
		2252.525	SKYNET-2B (drifting GEO)
		2257.500	DSCS III-F1 drifting GEO
		2277.500	DSCS III-F5 drifting GEO
	
Earth Orbiter Downlink Frequencies (log started by xBr) - updated by Freq, pjm, Greg, lem
		Frequency	Catalogue # / Satellite Name / last heard date dd/mm/yy
		2201.500	19460 USA-32 PSK - not TX'ing all the time
		2201.700	26959 BIRD-2 earth imaging (02/11/07)
		2202.000	31115 Beidou-M1 Chinese navigation satellite (17/11/07)
		2202.500	19460 USA-32 - not TX'ing all the time
		2202.530	21949 USA-81
		2203.200	24971 IRS-1D (27/02/08)
		2203.200	23751 IRC-1C (02/10/07)
		2203.200	25758 IRS-P4 Oceansat-1 (05/10/07)
		2203.200	26957 TES (29/10/07)
		2203.500	19460 USA-32 PSK - not TX'ing all the time
		2204.400	25940 CBERS 2 (06/10/07)
		2204.400	27003 BADR-B ? (28/10/07)
		2205.930	20436 Spot-2 (29/02/08)
		2207.487	25157 GFO
		2207.500	31140 NFIRE (29/10/07)
		2207.500	10033 AMS-2 (wide sweeper) (30/10/07)
		2208.000	22490 SCD-1 Satélite de Coleta de Dados (Freq)
		2208.000	25504 SCD-2 Satélite de Coleta de Dados (Freq)
		2208.000	28368 DEMETER Wideband (27/02/08)
		2208.000	29107 Cloudsat wideband data (21/10/07)
		2208.163 	26708 Odin (Swedish Science)
		2209.580	25789 Quikscat (21/10/07)
		2210.000 	30777 CFEsat (05/11/07)
		2211.000	27391 GRACE (13/11/07)
		2212.500	27640 Coriolis (01/10/07)
		2212.800	23827 IRS-P3 (13/10/07)
		2212.800 	29092 Yaogan-1 (06/11/07)
		2212.800	32289 Yaogan-3 (16/11/07)
		2214.950	25635 Orsted (sound sample) (19/02/08)
		2215.000	25280 TRACE (30/10/07 - not on over Europe)
		2215.000	25560 SWAS (Freq - not on over Europe)
		2215.000	27642 Icesat (02/11/07)
		2215.000	27421 Spot-5 (29/09/07)
		2215.000	27540 Integral (01/10/07 150000Km altitude)
		2215.000	24285 FAST (Freq)
		2215.000	29049 Formosat 3C (27/02/08) - went off air when out of range of Greenland.
		2215.000	29050 Formosat 3D (29/10/07)
		2215.000	29052 Formosat 3F (29/10/07)
		2214.900	27370 HESSI (10/11/07)
		2217.500	25544 ISS / Space Shuttle (Shuttle TX's when docked to ISS)
		2218.000	25260 Spot-4 - worldwide crop monitoring (27/02/08)
		2218.000	27421 Spot-5 (29/09/07)
		2222.500	28054 DMSP F16
		2222.500	29522 DMSP F17
		2222.500	28095 NOSS 3-2
		2222.500	26905 NOSS 3-1
		2222.500	31701 NOSS 3-4
		2222.500	21147 LaCrosse-2 (31/10/07)
		2222.500	25017 LaCrosse-3
		2222.528	27640 Coriolis P98-2 - wind vector measurements
		2225.000	27386 Envisat - Earth environment monitoring (27/02/08)
		2225.000	23560 ERS-2 (19/02/08)
		2226.500	23605 Helios-1A (19/02/08) ** Needs confirmation **
		2227.500	##### GPS - several GPS satellites have a beacon on this frequency
		2230.000 	23710 Radarsat - Canadian synthetic aperture radar (14/10/07)
		2230.000	29499 METOP-A weather satellite (Uplink 2053.4 MHz)
		2230.000 	31598 Cosmo-Skymed (06/10/07)
 		2230.000 	27942 UK-DMC (13/11/07) PSK
 		2230.300	28497 ESSAIM-4 wideband PSK (29/10/07)
 		2231.595 	27843 MOST (wideband PSK data) (20/10/07)
 		2232.000	27858 Scisat-1 (13/11/07)
 		2232.500	26905 NOSS 3-1 (03/01/08)
		2232.500	28095 NOSS 3-2 (30/10/07)
		2232.500	28537 NOSS 3-3 (19/02/08)
		2232.51673	29249 USA-184
 		2233.333	28890 Bejing-1 DMC (29/10/07)
 		2235.000	26958 Proba-1 (27/02/08)
 		2236.666	27941 Nigeriasat-1 (29/10/07)
		2237.500	25991 DMSP F15
		2237.500	28054 DMSP F16
		2237.500	29522 DMSP F17
		2237.500	10033 AMS-2 (wide sweeper) (30/10/07)
		2237.500	23533 DMSP F13
		2237.500	21798 DMSP F11
		2238.450	28496 ESSAIM-3 wideband PSK (29/10/07)
		2242.482	24680 USA-129
		2242.482	26473 LaCrosse-4
		2242.500	----- USA-186 
		2242.500	90027 USA-179 (also tx's on 251.7, 256.375 MHz)
		2242.500	90025 USA-137 (SDS-3 F1)
		2242.500	90026 
		2242.500	90004 SDS-2 possibly - weak wobbler
		2242.500	90020 SDS-2 possibly
		2242.500	90028 USA-125 (SDS-2 F4)
		2242.500	10033 AMS-2 (DMSP F1)
		2242.500	24753 DMSP F14 
 		2245.700	28649 IRS-P5 Cartosat-1 (19/02/08)
 		2245.700	29710 IRS-2A Cartosat-2 (27/02/08)
		2247.500   	26374 STEP-2 (21/10/07)
		2249.000	26464 Cluster FM8 - solar wind and magnetosphere experiment (29/09/07)
		2249.500	23233 DMSP F12
		2249.500	23533 DMSP F13
		2249.500	25991 DMSP F15
		2249.500	28054 DMSP F16
		2249.500	29522 DMSP F17
		2249.500	29651 USA-193 (xBr) (31/10/07)
		2250.000	28051 IRS-P6 ResourceSat-1 - TX is doppler corrected (05/10/07)
		2250.000	23323 IRS-P2 Oceansat-1 (13/10/07)
		2250.000	25544 ISS / Space Shuttle
		2250.000	26033 Acrimsat (Freq)
		2252.500	25991 DMSP F15 wideband data
		2252.500	28054 DMSP F16 wideband data
		2252.500	10033 AMS-2 (wide sweeper) (30/10/07)
		2252.500	23533 DMSP F13
		2252.500	28054 DMSP F16
		2252.500	23233 DMSP F12 wideband (01/10/07)
		2252.500	24753 DMSP F14 (29/10/07)
		2256.000	26463 Cluster FM5 - solar wind and magnetosphere experiment (29/09/07)
		2256.220	28939 Astro-F Akari (01/10/07)
		2256.220    	28773 Astro-E2  (01/11/07)
		2256.220	29506 SHI JIAN 6D (SJ-6D) (04/11/07)
		2256.220	29479 Hinode Solar-B (21/10/08)
		2257.530	21949 USA-81 (also transmits on 258.150 MHz) (19/02/08)
		2260.800	27392 GRACE-2 (13/11/07)
		2265.000	23802 Polar - HEO (05/10/07)
		2265.000	25789 Quikscat (21/10/07)
		2267.500	25991 DMSP F15
		2267.500	23533 DMSP F13 PSK
		2268.465	29108 Calipso / Parasol / Cloudsat (21/10/07)
		2270.000	26411 Cluster FM7 - solar wind and magnetosphere experiment
		2273.000	29658 SAR-Lupe-1 TT&C / ISL link (known as Magnifying Glass) (01/10/07)
		2273.000	31797 SAR-Lupe-2 TT&C / ISL link (known as Magnifying Glass) (01/10/07)
		2273.000	32283 SAR-Lupe-3 TT&C / ISL link (known as Magnifying Glass) (01/11/07)
		2273.500	27430 Haiyang-1B (27/02/08) 
		2277.000	26410 Cluster FM6 - solar wind and magnetosphere experiment
		2278.377	24912 ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer at L1 - 1.5M km from Earth) (02/10/07)
		2277.500	26905 NOSS 3-1
		2277.500	28095 NOSS 3-2
		2277.520	29249 USA-184
		2280.000	31698 Terrasar-X TT&C - German X-band synthetic aperture radar (01/10/07)
		2280.000	26405 CHAMP (19/02/08)
		2280.500	19822 Edos-D / Akebono - 1.5MHz wide, multiple sidebands
		2282.500	29678 COROT wideband data (01/10/07)
		2282.500	31304 AIM - Polar Mesospheric Clouds study
		2282.500	26953 Quickbird-2 (06/10/07)
		2282.500	19460 USA-32 (Wav recording by xBr) (13/11/07)
		2282.500	23851 MSX (1kHz tone) (13/11/07)
		2287.500	25544 ISS / Space Shuttle
		2287.500	28485 SWIFT (1/11/07)
		2287.500	28230 Gravity Probe-B (11/11/07)
		2287.500	25682 LANDSAT-7 (possibly only on over the north west USA)
		2287.500	14780 LANDSAT-5 (possibly only on over the north west USA)
		2295.000	26631 EROS-A1 (27/02/08) - may be commanded from Kiruna E/S
		2295.000	29079 EROS-B (13/11/07) - may be commanded from Kiruna E/S
		2401.200	28375 AO-51 Amateur radio satellite (not always on)
		
HEO's / Molniya orbit (log started by xBr) Sven Grahn has written an excellent article on tracking OKO.
		2298.000	Cosmos-2388/2393 channel A. (OKO early warning)
		2304.000	Cosmos-2388/2393 channel B. (OKO early warning)
		2286.000	COSMOS-2422
		2292.000	COSMOS-2422
		2320.1865	26390 Sirius-1 TT&C (20/03/08)
		2322.290	Sirius-1,2,3 QPSK audio downlink
		2329.3825	26483 Sirius-2 TT&C (20/03/08)
		2329.400	26626 Sirius-3 TT&C (20/03/08)
		2330.710	Sirius-1,2,3 QPSK audio downlink
		
Lunar Orbiter Downlink Frequencies
		Frequency	Catalogue # / Satellite Name / last heard date dd/mm/yy and by who
		2212.000	32054 KAGUYA R-Satellite
		2212.000	32054 KAGUYA VRAD-Satellite
		2218.000	32054 KAGUYA R-Satellite 
		2218.000	32054 KAGUYA VRAD-Satellite
 		2234.533	32274 Chang'e'1 Chinese lunar orbiter (27/10/07)
 		2241.579	32054 KAGUYA R-Satellite
		2260.416	32054 KAGUYA R-Satellite
		2260.416	32054 KAGUYA VRAD-Satellite
		2263.602	32054 KAGUYA main spacecraft downlink (30/10/07)
		2287.313	32054 KAGUYA R-Satellite
		2287.313	32054 KAGUYA VRAD-Satellite
				
Earth Orbiter Downlink Frequencies - The satellites listed below have NOT been heard
		Frequency	Catalogue # / Satellite Name
		22xx.000	07816 DMSP 7 - probably dead
		2202.500	30773 Midstar-1
		2204.000	32062 CBERS 1	
		2205.000	27598 Fedsat-1	
		2208.000	27004 Maroc-Tubsat
		2209.680	29268 Kompsat-2
		2215.000	26619 EO-1
		2215.000	26953 Quickbird-2
		2220.000	27597 ADEOS-2
		2230.280	22823 Spot-3
		2232.120	22823 Spot-3
		2238.150	22823 Spot-3
		2238.500	22823 Spot-3
		2244.000	26620 SAC-C may be only TX'ing over Argentina
		2245.000	28931 ALOS / DAICHI
		2252.000	25756 Kitsat-3
		2252.000	27945 Kaistsat
		2255.000	26620 SAC-C may be only TX'ing over Argentina
		2256.000	26032 Kompsat	
		2256.220	25731 SJ-5
		2267.520	32062 CBERS 1
		2264.000	28891 Topsat
		2282.500	25756 Kitsat-3
		2282.500	27945 Kaistsat
		2287.500	25994 Terra - may be uplinking to tdrss

NASA/USAF Space Ground Link Subsystem (SGLS): (list supplied by xBr)
		Uplink		Channel		Downlink 
		1763.7210	Channel 01	2202.5 
		1767.7250	Channel 02	2207.5 
		1771.7290	Channel 03	2212.5 
		1775.7320	Channel 04	2217.5 
		1779.7360	Channel 05	2222.5 
		1783.7400	Channel 06	2227.5 
		1787.7440	Channel 07	2232.5 
		1791.7480	Channel 08	2237.5 
		1795.7520	Channel 09	2242.5 
		1799.7560	Channel 10	2247.5 
		1803.7600	Channel 11	2252.5 
		1807.7640	Channel 12	2257.5 
		1811.7680	Channel 13	2262.5 
		1815.7710	Channel 14	2267.5 
		1819.7750	Channel 15	2272.5 
		1823.7790	Channel 16	2277.5 
		1827.7830	Channel 17	2282.5 
		1831.7870	Channel 18	2287.5 
		1835.7910	Channel 19	2292.5 
		1839.7950	Channel 20	2297.5
 

(above) SGLS Channel 9 2242.500 survey - June 2006 - click picture to see full resolution version.

(above) SGLS Channel 9 2242.500 survey - 13/06/07 - click picture to see full resolution version.

 The pictures below show FFT spectrum analysis of various S-Band downlinks - they were made using RF-Space SDR-14 or SDR-IQ software radios. There is a large collection of FFT pictures on the S-Band Gallery page.

2238.530 - Low earth orbit - TX is doppler corrected!

2237.483 AMS2 Low earth orbit - a wobbling carrier

 

2232.500 DSP 38W

2217.500 ISS / Space Shuttle

2202.005 Beidou-1M TT&C

2282.500 AIM -switching mode during pass

2278.377 ACE TT&C

2273.000 SAR-LUPE-2

The Spectran screen shot below is of the signal from the Smart-1 satellite that was in orbit around the Moon. The signal was very strong, peaking 20dB over noise in 2.5KHz. The nominal frequency of Smart-1 wass 2235.100MHz. This signal was captured on the 6th May 2006 at 18:46GMT. Further information on Smart-1 can be found here.

(above) Smart-1 2235.1MHz signal received on a 1.8m dish with 3.5 turn S-Band helical feed (as described above)

(above) Smart-1 2235.1MHz signal received on an S-Band omni.

(above) METOP-A 2230MHz TT&C signal received on an S-Band omni a few days after launch.