NOAA Weather satellite pictures from DigitalHam

Recorded at Chapel Brampton near Northampton UK by G6KIZ
Turnstile and Quadrifilar Helix (QHA) antennas and R2ZX receiver

NOAA APT weather satellite images

March 2008. Currently there are 3 NOAA APT weather satellites in operation. All are in circular polar orbits at around 850km altitude and transmit 10w RF in the 137-138MHz band which makes them relatively easy to receive with a simple antenna. The main problem with reception in the UK is the staggeringly stupid decision to allow text pagers to operate in the same band. Pager interference will be seen on most of the pictures as short dark lines where a pager signal wiped out the satellite.

The demodulated signal is processed through a normal PC soundcard and the two greyscale images at different infrared wavelengths combined to produced the false colour images displayed below.

The MCIR-precip composite images give a good idea of where there is likely to be rain by use of bright false colouring. Looking at two images taken a few hours apart can usually show the probable path the rain will follow. Note though that the colours are only an indication of possible rain not that rain is actually reaching the ground.

Feel free to download any images for your own purposes - they can make attractive desktop wallpapers for instance.

Equipment and software
R2ZX APT weather satellite receiver
Homebrew quadrifilar helix antenna
Homebrew turnstile antenna
WXtoImg imaging software

Click on any image below for a full sized image. Times are shown in GMT Daylight Time.


Next Scheduled Satellite Passes over Chapel Brampton, United Kingdom

Satellite
Name
Start of Pass Time Available Direction Maximum Elevation
Degrees (East or West)
Frequency
MHz
UTC Local Time* UTC Local Time*
NOAA 15 04 Jul 05:37 04 Jul 06:37 04 Jul 05:50 04 Jul 06:50 137.50
NOAA 17 04 Jul 10:18 04 Jul 11:18 04 Jul 10:31 04 Jul 11:31 137.62
NOAA 18 04 Jul 12:04 04 Jul 13:04 04 Jul 12:16 04 Jul 13:16 137.10
NOAA 18 04 Jul 13:45 04 Jul 14:45 04 Jul 13:57 04 Jul 14:57 137.10
NOAA 15 04 Jul 15:24 04 Jul 16:24 04 Jul 15:36 04 Jul 16:36 137.50
NOAA 15 04 Jul 17:04 04 Jul 18:04 04 Jul 17:16 04 Jul 18:16 137.50
NOAA 17 04 Jul 20:06 04 Jul 21:06 04 Jul 20:18 04 Jul 21:18 137.62
NOAA 17 04 Jul 21:46 04 Jul 22:46 04 Jul 21:58 04 Jul 22:58 137.62

* local time is GMT Daylight Time.