🚫 VU3 Satellite Restriction: VU3 operators cannot communicate via amateur satellites. Satellite operation requires VU2 (General) grade license.
✈️ ADS-B Aircraft Tracking
📡 What is ADS-B?
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast - aircraft transmit their position, altitude, speed, and identifier on 1090 MHz.
Using your RTL-SDR, you can track all aircraft within ~200 miles!
Software
- • dump1090 (Linux)
- • ADSBScope (Windows)
- • Virtual Radar Server
- • FlightRadar24 sharing
Hardware
- • RTL-SDR dongle
- • 1090 MHz antenna
- • LNA (optional)
- • Raspberry Pi (optional)
📡 RTL-SDR Exploration
📡 Start with RTL-SDR
Software Defined Radio (SDR) opens up the entire radio spectrum for exploration. Perfect for VU3 operators to learn about RF and spectrum usage.
RTL-SDR dongles cost just ₹2,000 and cover 24 MHz to 1.7 GHz!
What You Can Monitor
- • FM broadcast stations
- • Amateur radio bands
- • Weather satellites (NOAA)
- • Digital modes analysis
- • ISS packet radio
Popular SDR Software
- • SDR# (Windows)
- • GQRX (Linux/Mac)
- • CubicSDR (Cross-platform)
- • SDR Console (Windows)
⚠️ VU3 Limitation
Remember: VU3 operators can only monitor amateur satellites with SDR. Two-way satellite communication requires VU2 license.
🔬 Advanced SDR Applications
Weather Satellites
Receive NOAA & Meteor weather images
Spectrum Analysis
Wide-band spectrum monitoring
Signal Analysis
Digital signal processing
🎯 SDR Goal: Set up a comprehensive monitoring station covering aircraft, weather satellites, and general spectrum analysis. Perfect learning tool for VU3 operators!