Satellite Operating Guide
Amateur satellites compress a lot of radio activity into short passes and limited bandwidth. Good operating practice is mostly about listening, knowing where your signal is, keeping contacts efficient when the channel is crowded, and giving everyone a fair chance to use the spacecraft.
Listen first
Before transmitting, listen to the downlink and understand what is already happening. On a portable station, small antenna movements can make a large difference. Confirm the pass, account for Doppler, and make sure your uplink is appearing where you expect on the downlink.
Use full duplex
A full-duplex setup lets you hear the satellite downlink while you transmit. That gives immediate confirmation that you are getting into the spacecraft and helps prevent transmitting over another operator. Full duplex can be provided by a radio designed for it or by using separate transmit and receive radios.
FM satellites: keep it short
Think of an FM satellite as a repeater with a very short operating window and a very large coverage area. Do not call CQ on an FM satellite. A normal call is simply your callsign, often with your four-character grid square. Complete the exchange efficiently, confirm the contact, and step aside so other stations can use the pass.
Busy FM satellites and the ISS can become crowded quickly. If a rover or rare-grid station is attracting a pileup, operators who do not need that contact can improve the pass for everyone by listening and allowing the traffic to clear.
Linear transponders are different
Linear satellites provide a passband instead of one shared FM channel. Multiple SSB and CW contacts can occur at the same time, and calling CQ on a clear part of the passband is normal. Operators should still monitor their own downlink, control power, avoid overlapping existing signals, and compensate for Doppler as the pass develops.
Use an appropriate antenna
Directional antennas make portable satellite operation far easier and more reliable. They provide useful gain, allow the operator to manage polarization and fading, and reduce the temptation to compensate for a poor antenna system with unnecessary transmit power. Commercial satellite yagis work well, and many effective directional antennas can also be built inexpensively.
Fixed omnidirectional antennas may work on some passes, but their performance varies strongly with pass geometry. A system that works near the horizon may have a weak overhead pattern, and the best antenna arrangement depends on the station and the satellites being worked.
Log accurately
Record the UTC date and time, callsign, grid information when exchanged, and the satellite used. Many satellite operators upload contacts to Logbook of The World and other award or confirmation systems, so accurate logging matters.
The operating principle
No ordinary station has priority simply because it is louder or has more equipment. Emergency communication is the obvious exception. Outside of that, good satellite operation is cooperative: use the minimum resources needed, listen carefully, make room for others, and remember that there is always another pass.