HRPT NOAA & Meteor Satelite

So a few updates on receiving HRPT signals. It has been a very exciting few days! The sun has arrived, longer days, clear blue skies. So it has given me the motivation and comfortable warmth to spend a whole day in the workshop and this is what I produced.

I made a few feeds for an antenna idea.

The signal i got with the patch antenna was meh ok. I tried it out with Inmarsat on GQRX.

 Next I tried the same with the Helical mounted on a DIY parabola

A much stronger signal. For both tests i used a single LNA to boost signals.

Here's my simple setup:

I just cable tied it to a cheap tripod.

So next up, I added a second LNA to the chain

The signal is really good now. I used SDR++ also just to have fun.

Here is a picture of both my LNA in a makeshift power connection

Later in the day I modified the First LNA to power via Bias Tee on the Airspy mini, and also power the second LNA by linking a +V wire from the modified LNA to the second LNA, no GND wire needed.

Here is a short video of this setup receiving Inmarsat

By now the evening pass of Meteor M2 and NOAA 19 is approaching so we try this setup to receive these

Here is Meteor M2 1700Mhz HRPT

And just after came NOAA 19 1698Mhz HRPT

All in all I am happy with this progress.

I handtracked both satelites, however I have built an Antenna tracker rotator and I will of course repeat using this at some point over the spring and summer. I also plan to receive other sats such as Metop, Fengyun, Proba, and other L-BAND signals. If you are interested in receiving HRPT let me know your own progress, tips and improvements. All in all, my HRPT antenna probably cost around £20 to make, excluding LNAs and SDR.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment.