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DIY Live Photos From ISS

Posted by kdawson on from the snaps-populi dept.

leighklotz writes "The international amateur satellite organization AMSAT is reporting live reception of TV images directly from the orbiting ISS via the ARISS-SSTV project. The images are said to be preparations for the upcoming visit to the ISS by Richard Garriot (W5KWQ), which will provide images from space as part of the Windows on Earth project."

10 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. Nice! by DJ+DeFi · · Score: 3, Funny

    This page is used to test the proper operation of the Apache HTTP server after it has been installed. If you can read this page, it means that the web server installed at this site is working properly, but has not yet been configured.

    --
    You cannot warp because you are warp scrambled.
    1. Re:Nice! by sharkman67 · · Score: 2, Informative

      That's because the url in the article is wrong. AMSAT is http://www.amsat.org/

  2. Windows on Earth? by SEWilco · · Score: 3, Funny

    Windows on Earth? I thought the Microsoft license forbade such a large use. Well, it will be interesting to see what breaks.

    1. Re:Windows on Earth? by nog_lorp · · Score: 4, Funny

      Get your BSOD shelters ready...

  3. I have a question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What would happen if a non-Governmental body - something like, say Wikipedia, only with money, or maybe a slightly eccentric billionaire - were to put ultra high resolution imagers into orbit, with the same capabilities as secret spy satellites and permitted anybody to look at anywhere on Earth - anywhere , at anytime, and pay nothing, or perhaps a token fee? Would the birds be shot down? Would the government (any government) pass legislation forbidding the use of the high-res imagery except by "approved" organisations?

    Yeah, I know, not a particularly realistic scenario, but I am interested in any answers.

    1. Re:I have a question... by dlgeek · · Score: 2, Informative

      There are already regulations prohibiting publishing images above a certain resolution. See the thread the other day on the new google (branded) satellite for more info.

    2. Re:I have a question... by guruevi · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually, with Google shooting (or at least helping out) stuff in orbit that scenario seems to be quite realistic. Nowadays it's just too expensive and not very cost effective to shoot a hunk-a-junk with a camera into space and let everyone have access to it (especially since it would most likely bankrupt the companies that rely on reselling their imagery) but I think Google and the like might actually be able to pull it off, if not just for a marketing stunt. The images would most likely also have to be post-processed so live-viewing is not really an option there. But if a government can do it, so can a private organization (with loads of money) and as far as the law goes, go somewhere where the law doesn't have such a fascist grip on what a free man (or corporation) can do in free space (Outer Space Treaty)

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  4. 145.800 megahertz by atomicthumbs · · Score: 3, Informative

    ... is the downlink frequency. Listen! Use MMSSTV to decode. Sadly, I can barely hear it at 5:10 PM in California with my HT. I need a better antenna. :(

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    http://pinopsida.com
    1. Re:145.800 megahertz by Gordonjcp · · Score: 3, Informative

      Have a look for the WA5VJB "Cheap Yagi" articles. They are fairly easy to make, and give quite an improvement. I built a crossed 2m/70cm yagi - 3 ele on 2m, 5 ele on 70cm, with a diplexer - for LEO satellite work. It took about an hour, all told. I found that tuning up the 2m end was a bit tricky because the tuning is fairly "narrow", but if you're receiving that shouldn't be a biggie. If you can hear the ISS *at all* with an HT's rubber duck, then even a bad 3 element yagi will help!

      You might also try angling the radio so that the rubber duck antenna is perpendicular to the satellite pass. Think about it - the antenna has a radiation pattern like a doughnut, so you want that to have its widest point looking at the satellite. Another thing to try is holding it above a car roof or bonnet (yes, really), so that it acts like a reflector. Experiment to find the best distance - you'll hear quite a sharp peak. This actually works best with UHF downlinks, but it should work with VHF too if your car is big enough ;-)

  5. Source for non-slashdotted pix by leighklotz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Their blog has a few of the test pictures received (of of Exp. 17 Commander) Sergei Volkov. These were received in Portugal and the US. Other images will doubtless show on their blogspot site one Garriot gets involted.