WEATHER SATELLITES

(Thanks to Douglas Deans of the British Remote Imaging Group for developing these weekly updates)

***NOTE: January 24, 2005: HearSat TLE distribution suspended due to Space Track HomeLand Security regulations .

Please visit www.space-track.org to obtain theKeplerian elements.

WEATHER SATELLITES
================
APT, DIGITAL and GEOSTATIONARY WEEKLY STATUS.
==========================================
Author : Douglas S Deans.
Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 have updates.

SECTION 1: POLAR APT REPORT -- 25th July 2005
=====================================

Satellite Frequency (MHz) Status Image Quality

NOAA 12 137.500 on good
NOAA 14 137.620 off n/a
NOAA 15 137.500 on good
NOAA 17 137.620 on good
NOAA 18 137.9125 on good

CHANGES SINCE LAST REPORT
Note 4 added for NOAA 18 APT.

THIS WEEK'S POSSIBLE EVENTS
None expected.

NOTES.

1. NOAA 9 was permanently deactivated some years ago and is tumbling
freely. Unfortunately it has a sporadic carrier on 137.500 (varies
quickly according to orientation) and can cause interference to NOAA 12
and NOAA 15.

2. Tiros-N and NOAA 6 are putting a carrier out on 137.500 and will
interfere with NOAA 12 and 15 when their footprints overlap.

3. NOAA 16's APT transmission system failed a few months after launch.

4. It now seems unlikely that NOAA 18's APT channels (currently channels 1
and 2) will be changed to the channel 2 and 4 (daytime) nominal
configuration until late August. Watch this space.

5. Elements are available from :-

http://www.space-track.org and
http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/

LAUNCHES.
NOAA N' launch.....NET December 2007.

Douglas Deans.
Dunblane, Scotland.

SECTION 2: POLAR DIGITAL REPORT -- 25th July 2005
========================================

CHANGES SINCE LAST REPORT.
NOAA 14 AVHRR back to life. See note 4.

THIS WEEK'S POSSIBLE EVENTS.
None expected.

Satellite Frequency Mode Remarks
(MHz)
NOAA 12 1698.0 HRPT Good signal.
NOAA 14 1707.0 HRPT Good signal (see note 4)
NOAA 15 1702.5 HRPT* Backup channel, weaker signal
NOAA 16 1698.0 HRPT* Good signal (see note 6)
NOAA 17 1707.0 HRPT* See note 5.
NOAA 18 1707.0 HRPT* Good signal.
Feng Yun 1C 1700.4 CHRPT No data (see note 7)
Feng Yun 1D 1700.4 CHRPT Good signal.

NOTES.

1. If you have a good LNA and analogue decoder (Timestep for example)
all satellites with "Good signal" or better can already be received
using a 1.5m helical beam (RIG Journal 64) or a small dish (60 to 80
cm) with helical feed.

2. * These satellites have channel 3A/B which allows the composition of
almost true-colour images of daylight passes using R3G2B1
colour scheme. For more info on colouring see RIG Journal 69.

3. ~ 10 Channel imager, use colour scheme R1G9B7 or R1G2B7 for
daylight passes to get near true colour images.

4. On 14th April 2004 NOAA 14's AVHRR scan motor stalled. It was assumed
that it would be unlikely to work again.
However on the 16th July 2005 it unexpectedly sprung to life with
nominal currents and more importantly nominal synch delta values. Good
imagery is once again being reported.

5. Problems have developed with STX-3 (1707 MHZ). Power has dropped from
approx. 8W to about 2.4W resulting on a greatly reduced signal strength.

6. On Friday 19th September 2003 NOAA 16 developed AVHRR synch. problems
similar to those on NOAA 14 (and previously NOAA 15).
Since then reports have been mixed. Some periods of good data, some
poor. Currently data is mostly unusable.

7. Although all channels are being transmitted on Feng Yun 1C, there is no
image data, so the channels are effectively empty.

Arne van Belle, WERKGROEP KUNSTMANEN
Co-ordinator Radio Observers (www.kunstmanen.nl)

Douglas Deans.....with thanks to Lawrence Harris for his regular updates and
notes.

SECTION 3: CONTINENTAL GEOSTATIONARY WORLD
===========================================
WEATHER SATELLITE REPORT -- 25th July 2005
====================================

CHANGES SINCE LAST REPORT
GOES N launch firmed up.

THIS WEEK'S POSSIBLE EVENTS
None expected.

Europe & Africa
------------------

Satellite : Meteosat 7 (0°)
Data : HRI (digital) - 1694.5 MHz
Wefax (analogue) - 1691 & 1694.5 MHz
Operational : Present --- end January 2006 (Note 1).

Satellite : Meteosat 8 (3° W)
Data : HRIT (digital) and LRIT (digital)
Operational : From February 2004 (Note 2).
Satellite operational overlap from February 2004 ---- January 2006.

Satellite : Meteosat 6 (10°E) (Note 4)
Data : HRI (digital) - 1691 MHz (Occasional wefax for ranging)
Operational : Standby for Meteosat 7 and Europe RSS.

North America
----------------
East.

Satellite : GOES 12 (75.1° W) (note 7.)
Data : GVAR (digital) - 1685.7 MHz
LRIT (digital) -1691 MHz
Operational : Present .......

West.

Satellite : GOES 10 (135° W)
Data : GVAR (digital) - 1685.7 MHz
Wefax (analogue) - 1691 MHz
Operational : Present ---- Sometime in 2006

Satellite : GOES 11 (in storage)
Data : GVAR (digital) and LRIT (digital)
Operational : Sometime during 2006
Satellite operational overlap ---- to be confirmed.

Asia (Russian Operated Satellite)
--------------------------------------

Satellite : GOMS / Electro 2
Data : Not yet specified (HRIT/LRIT likely)
Operational : To be launched 2006.

Asia (European Operated Satellite)
----------------------------------------

Satellite : Meteosat 5 (63°E) (Note 3)
Data : HRI (digital) - 1691 MHz
Wefax (analogue) -1691 MHz (from time to time)
Operational : Present....end of 2005

Asia (Indian Operated Satellite)
-----------------------------------
Satellite : Metsat
Data : None available.
Operational : Present....

Satellite : Insat 3A (Note 5.)
Data : VHRR (digital) 2599 MHz
Operational : Present ............

Asia & Oceania (Japanese Operated Satellites)
-----------------------------------------------------
Satellite : MTSAT-1R (145° E)
Data : HiRID and HRIT (digital) and
Wefax(analogue)/LRIT(digital) shared.
Operational : Present......
Satellite operational overlap ---- not yet applicable.

Asia & Oceania (Chinese Operated Satellites)
----------------------------------------------------
Satellite : Feng Yun 2B (Storage position)
Data : SVISSR (digital) - 1687.5 MHz
Operational : Present ......

Satellite : Feng Yun 2C (105°E)
Data : SVISSR (digital) and LRIT (digital)
Operational : Expected late January 2005.
Satellite operational overlap ---- not yet applicable.

NOTES.

1. If necessary the satellite may operate beyond this date.

2. HRIT & LRIT data will not be disseminated through the satellite but will
be provided via Hotbird satellite in DVB mode. See the Eumetcast status
report for more information.

3. Meteosat 5 now operates with only one channel.

4. Meteosat 6 is the standby satellite for Meteosat 7. Whilst in standby is
being used to provide a 10 minute rapid scan service of Europe on HRI.

5. Insat 3A is a combined data and meteorological satellite.

6. For those interested in EMWIN data, the following sats/frequencies apply.

GOES 7 (175 W) 1690.725 MHz.
GOES 10 (135 W) 1690.725 MHz
GOES 12 (74.5 W) 1690.725 MHz
For further info. there are many sources but the following is
particularly informative:-
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/emwin/user-intro.htm

7. Full LRIT (no WEFAX) on GOES East commenced 01 March 2005 and
Full LRIT on GOES West scheduled for 01 October 2005.
For further information go to :-
http://noaasis.noaa.gov/LRIT/

8. MSG-1 became operational on 29th January 2004, and is now known as
Meteosat 8.

LAUNCHES
GOES N 28th July 2005.
MTSAT 2 late 2005.

For updates/additions or errors (in this section) reply to
Dave Cawley Information@Time-step.com
or Douglas Deans.

SECTION 4: EUMETCAST REPORT -- 25th July 2005
=======================================

Service Status Hotbird Satellite (13° E)

EARS On Transponder 117: 10853.44 MHz
RSS On Transponder 117: 10853.44 MHz
Meteosat 8 On Transponder 117: 10853.44 MHz
DWDSAT On Transponder 117: 10853.44 MHz
(requires subscription)

CHANGES SINCE LAST REPORT.
Meteosat 8 note updated.

THIS WEEK'S POSSIBLE EVENTS.
Meteosat 8.
Pre-announcements.
Following the successful trial on 22 June 2005 of the shift in the lower HRV
window, it is planned to introduce this as the new operational configuration
on Wednesday 31 August 2005.
For more details see
http://www.eumetsat.int/en/dps/news/pdf/Changes_EUMETCast_August_2005.pdf
The following services will be affected:
0 deg SEVIRI High Rate Meteosat-8

On 02/08/05, the Clear Sky Reflectance Map (CRM) will be added to the set of
Meteorological Products on EUMETCast.
The product will be distributed twice per week (Sunday and Wednesday at
13:15). As the product will not be automatically
available to all users, those interested in receiving it are requested to
register with the User Service on ops@eumetsat.int.
CRM is also available via the Online Archive service.
For more details see:
http://www.eumetsat.int/en/dps/news/pdf/Changes_EUMETCast_August_2005.pdf
The following service will be affected:
0 deg Meteorological Products Meteosat-8

My thanks to David Taylor for his help with reports.
Any reports for this section should be sent to :-
Douglas Deans douglas@dsdeans.freeserve.co.uk

NOTES.

1. For further information on the Eumetcast service see :-
David Taylor's web site
http://www.satsignal.net => Weather Satellites, ATOVS or
MSG Data Manager.
or Eumetsat's web site
www.eumetsat.int

GENERAL
=======
To download element sets for all satellites visit the following sites :

http://www.space-track.org and
http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/