1) 1.2M Dish.
2) Horizontal polarized LNB.
3) Power injector (13 or 18V)
4) MSI SDR dongle 12bit 10M Sampling.
5) Laptop.
6) Software to decode DBV-S2 signal from Satellite.
Hardware required for DBV-S2 from QO-100 Satellite
Software Required for DBV-S2 decoding on Linux (Ubuntu)
MSI SDR driver, Leansdr, vlc
This Project has working script for the different Bit rates. 250K,333K,500K and 2M bit rate Changing the -sr 2000e3 parameter for your bit rate as seen on the https://eshail.batc.org.uk/wb// page. Changing the -f 742307200 to adjust to center frequency to be in the middle using --gui flag to see spectrum Remove the --guid when you have the frequency centered as it uses too much CPU if you have a slow PC or Laptop Example of 2M Beacon decoder. rx_sdr -f 742307200 -g 19 -s 2400000 - |./leandvb --inpipe 32000000 --nhelpers 6 --sr 2000e3 --sampler rrc --rrc-rej 30 --standard DVB-S2 --ldpc-helper ldpc_tool -v -d | vlc -
Software Installation procedure.
Dependency software
Soapysdr
MSI api driver
rx_sdr
rtl_sdr DVB-S2 Software
Download the Leansdr from github https://github.com/pabr/leansdr.git
Download and install the SDRPlay API driver https://www.sdrplay.com/windl.php
Download and install the rsp_tcp server not neseitie but handy when testing https://github.com/SDRplay/RSPTCPServer
Download and install GQRX follow the instructions here http://gqrx.dk/download/install-ubuntu DVB-S2 Software.
Install VLC sudo apt-get install vlc git clone http://github.com/pabr/leansdr.git cd leansdr/src/apps
Edit the Make file with your text editor, I use vi and un comment the following line vi Makefile
Uncoment the following line(remove #) # For DVB-S2, find and uncomment LEANSDR_EXTENSIONS<br> make
Set the buffer size echo 32000000 > /proc/sys/fs/pipe-max-size cd leansdr/test make leandvb-ftStay in the test directory git clone -b ldpc_tool http://github.com/pabr/xdsopl-LDPC-pabr cd xdsopl-LDPC-pabr
make CXX=g++ ldpc_tool cd ldpc_test make leandvb-snrIf all worked ok we now need to copy the ldpc_tool in the apps directory cd ../src/app/ cp -R ../../test/ldpc_tool ./There should now be an ldpc_tool directory in the leansdr/src/app/ directory
We are now ready to start testing.
Example of testing signal.
Please make sure you have at least 7 to 8 db S/N (signal to Noise signal of the DVB signal from your Dish by checking it on normal SDR software like gqrx) This script for this project can be downloaded from github here https://github.com/antonjan/qo-100-dbv-s2
rx_sdr -f 742307200 -g 19 -s 2400000 - |./leandvb --inpipe 32000000 --nhelpers 6 --sr 2000e3 --sampler rrc --rrc-rej 30 --standard DVB-S2 --ldpc-helper ldpc_tool -v -d | vlc -rx_sdr can be replaced by rtl_sdr if you are using a normal dongle
Important command line Parameters to consider
--drift track for Oscillator drift
--decim N Decimation if you over sample this could improve the S/N (Signal to noise ratio)
--sampler --rrc-rej add additional filter.
--inpipe BYTES add bigger buffer if your CPU is very busy this could help to resolve the gaps when CPU is busy (E.G. 32000000).
-f HZ Specifies the sampling rate of the I/Q stream on standard input ( I am using RX_sdr and not RTL_tcp witch alow me to use SDRPLAY MSI chipset devicess that can sample upto 10Mhz)
-sr HZ (2e6, 1e6, 500e3, 333e3, 250e3).
--tune HZ For example a signal at 397.1 MHz can be received either with rx_sdr -f 397100000 | leandvb or with rx_sdr -f 397000000 | leandvb
--tune 100e3
--ldpc-helper ldpc_tool (allow U to use external tools to decode DVB E.G ldpc_tool
--standard DVB-S2 (Spesify the Decoding to be done)
Hardware required.
Please note all the hardware is avalable from Giga Technology http://www.giga.co.za
Linux (Ubuntu)
MSI (MSI chipset rtl dongle 12bit 10Mhz sampleing
Power injector for LNB
18V Powersupply
1.2M dish preferd to get proper Signal to noise ration to get stable reception.
LNB and coaxle cable with connectors.
Possible problems.
ldpc_tool is not in apps directory.
Signal to Noise is at least 7-8db (S/N).
Laptop or PC do not have enough CPU available.
Disable --guid and pre processing options to reduce CPU usage.
Computer / Laptop do not have an enough CPU.
1: Select SDR and start Device.
2: Select correct Frequency.
3: Tune into the middle of the stream, every little bit counts
with the bandwidth from the SDR.
4: Select correct Symbolrate.
5: Select mueller and muller filter (for all lower symbolrates
use the gardner filter).
6: Check box Carrier recovery Enabled, if you do this right,
you should see more symbols inside the IQ plot.
Play with the Carrier Recovery Loop Gain and Damping Sliders
until you can see a circle inside the IQ plot and set
appropriate Baseband-Gain Settings without overdriving.
A valid QPSK constellation should also appear.
For weak signals, increasing gain and damping can be
necessary.
If you see the QPSK constellation (4 dots), you can decrease
the gain again.
Keep also your eyes on actual symbolrate (right under).
When symbolrate is going higher, slightly go 1 symbolrate up
and down, the symbolrate must stay around 1500 or the chosen
value.
Then Open up VLC and let it connect to your AMSAT_DBV_Guid Application Listeniing on Port 8888
MPEG-TS output is localhost, UDP at port 8888.
Open VLC
and insert Network Stream: udp://@:8888
I want to modify the Ellies Dual Port LNB so that the output frequency would be ether on 70cm 435Mhz or 2M 145Mhz so that it can be used on the QO-100 Satellite directly to VHF/UHF SSB rigs.
Here is an opened LNB.
Opend LNB
Here you can see the two local filters to the two ports.
The Main Mixer and PLL LO seem to be Rafael Micro RT320n
Top View
The Mixer and LO and PLL seem to be Rafael Micro RT320n
Rafael Micro RT320n
It seem Like the Local Crystal is 25Mhz
Crystal is 25Mhz
What this mean if I change the LO Crystal frequency I should be able to force the IF to the required Output to ether on 70cm 435Mhz or 2M 145Mhz
I have created a Spreadsheet to calculate the required IF frequencies so you can listen to QO-100 on the required Ham band.
I did some calculations and the LO to Crystal frequency = LO / 390
see calculated values
Blue / Red is crystal frequency for your LO in LNB
I think this Satellite will open up one of the most exiting telecommunication capabilities for Africa and Europe.(P4A/B) Es'hail-2 OS-100 Coverage map
Phase 4 AMSAT-DL planed
Qatar Satellite Company’s second satellite, Es’hailSat-2 (OS-100), will be placed in a geostationary orbit by a Space-X Falcon-9 rocket in November 2018. It will carry an AMSAT linear transponder as a secondary payload, giving Radio Amateurs access to a geostationary satellite for the first time.
Es’hailSat-2 will be “parked” 35 786 km above the equator at 25.5°East, nearly due North from Pretoria and Johannesburg (which are at 28°E).
Planned Frequency.
This satellite will have two linear transponders. (250 Khz and 8Mhz wide) Narrow band transponder: Up-links: 2400.050 - 2400.300 MHz modes SSB and CW. 5 Watt up link power, Down links: 10489.550 - 10489.800 center 10 489.675 MHz. Vertical polarization.
It will be so nice to have fixed antennas mounted on mast pointing to the satellite having continuous communication to any where in Africa and Europe. HI ;-) ;-)
Will have to start looking for some equipment and antennas for this one.
Linear transponder
2400.050 - 2400.300 MHz Up-link
10489.550 - 10489.800 MHz Down link
Wide band digital transponder
2401.500 - 2409.500 MHz Up-link
10491.000 - 10499.000 MHz Down link
My RTL dongle needs to listen on the following frequency
LO with 12V injection = lo - 10.489500Ghz + 1M to get center of bottom of the Spectrum on websdr
=9.75Ghz - 10.489500Ghz + 1Mhz = 7395Mhz (this is still debatable )
89 cm dishes in rainy areas at EOC like Brazil or Thailand.
60 cm around coverage peak,
75 cm dishes at peak -2dB.
Narrow Band : linear vertical polarization.
Wide Band: linear horizontal polarization.
S-Band 2.4 GHz Narrow Band-Uplink:
Narrow band modes like SSB, CW
5W nominal Uplink power (22.5 dBi antenna gain, 75cm dish)
RHCP polarization
S-Band 2.4 GHz Wide Band-Uplink (DATV):
Wide band modes, DVB-S2
Peak EIRP of 53 dBW (2.4m dish and 100W) required
RHCP polarization
Azimuth and Elevation details for Johannesburg South Africa. (For now the Elevation is 59.17 and Azimuth 350.43)
Azimuth and Elevation from Johannesburg
Setting up elevation the simple way.
Paper with a piece of string at back of Dish
Here is the Paper details
Gpredict tracking details.
Catalog number of Satellite is 43700
It seems that the satellite is still rotating around the equator
With the new TLE the Satellite has stabilized. at 59.17 Elevation and 350.43 Azimuth
Elevation is now 59.17 and Azimuth 350.43
2.4GHZ Transmitter.
The plan is to use my LimeSDR or hackrf for transmitter with low pass filter and a Power AMP. Details to follow
2.4Ghz Transmitter Diagram
Gnuradio Block diagram for Hackrf SSB
SSB Transmitter for Eshail2
Antenna setup
15db 2.4Ghz wifi Grid Antenna
I would recommend the 24db Grid or rather use 8 watt amp in 15db Grid.
Here is my presentation at the SARL on QO-100
My new transceiver setup.
1) Raspberry Pi 3B +
Hackrf.
MSI SDR dongle 10Mhz Bandwith 12bit. RX.
8W RF Amp.
40db Pre-Amp
My Eshail-2 QO-100 transceiver setup.
Software on Raspberry Pi
Connect remotely via Wifi
