| Name |
Catalog Number |
COSPAR ID |
Frequency MHz |
Modulation
|
Notes |
| TRANSIT |
965 |
1964-83D |
136.653 |
FM/PM |
Note 1. |
| SOLRAD 7B |
1291 |
1965-16D |
136.80 |
FM/AM |
Note 2. |
| ALOUETTE 2 |
1804 |
1965-98A |
136.98 |
Carrier only |
Note 18 |
| ERS 15 | 2411 |
1966-77B |
136.44 |
Carrier only |
Note 4 |
| EGRS
7 |
2412 |
1966-77C |
136.80 |
Carrier only |
Note 4a |
| ERS 20 |
2768 |
1967-40D |
136.26 |
PM |
910 Hz, 4 sec period Note 5. |
| ISIS 1 |
3669 |
1969-9A |
136.41 |
Carrier only |
|
| S69-4 |
4237 |
1969-82E |
137.41 |
Carrier only |
Note 8. |
| TIMATION
II |
4256 |
1969-82B |
137.383 |
FM/AM |
Note 6. |
| SHINSEI |
5485 |
1971-80A |
136.695 |
Carrier only |
Daylight only |
| NOSS |
5680 |
1971-110C |
137.08 |
Carrier only |
Note 9. |
| NOAA
9 |
15427 |
1984-123A |
136.77 |
Carrier only |
Note 16. |
| ECS 4 |
18351 |
1987-78B |
137.139 |
PCM/FSK/PM |
Note 15 |
| ECS 5 |
19331 |
1988-63B |
137.142 |
Carrier only |
Note 15 |
| OXP-1 |
22491 |
1993-09C |
137.05 |
PCM/PSK |
Note 19 |
| ORBCOMM |
various |
various |
137.2000 137.2250 137.2500 137.2875 137.3150 137.4400 137.4600 137.6625 137.6875 137.7125 137.7375 137.8000 & 137.5600 |
SDPSK OQPSK |
4800 bps PCM
Subscriber Communicator
downlink. Note 12. 57.6 kbps, 16 slot TDMA, Spacecraft to GES downlink. Note 12a. |
| NOAA 15 |
25338 |
1998-30A |
137.35 137.62 |
PCM/PM AM/FM |
DSB Note 10 APT Note 11 |
| NOAA 18 |
28654 |
2005-18A |
137.35 137.9125 |
PCM/PM AM/FM |
DSB APT |
| NOAA 19 |
33591 |
2009-05A |
137.77 137.10 |
PCM/PM AM/FM |
DSB APT |
SpaceBEE |
numerous |
numerous |
137.050 137.845 137.975 |
SS-FM LoRa |
SpaceBEE Telemetry paper Note 20 |
| Starlink |
numerous | numerous |
137.055 |
SS-FM LoRa | Starlink Gen2 VHF beacon paper. Note 21 |
| Meteor-M N2-3 | 57166 | 2023-91A | 137.900 | OQPSK | LRPT 72 kbs. Note 22 |
| VLD2 |
- |
- |
136.975 |
D8PSK |
Non satellite emitter in area.
ICAO VHF Data Link Mode
2 |
| 1 |
Launched on 13 Dec 1964 as the
second operational TRANSIT spacecraft, it should be more
correctly called OSCAR -2, O-2 or NSS 30020. Unfortunately, the
navigation system failed within 2 weeks of launch. The telemetry
beacon can be CW
or
modulated depending on solar lighting conditions. The PAM data is 35
steps
with a repeat cycle of about 12.5 seconds. Each step has a duty cycle
of about 75% data value and 25% return to centre frequency value. These
steps vary a 5400 Hz centre frequency sub carrier oscillator, IRIG 10,
that then frequency modulates the RF carrier. Another SCO at 10.5 kHz,
IRIG 12, is
sometimes present. It has a pattern of five pulses with gaps, followed
by a longer gap at about a 1.5 Hz rate. A SSB receiver will resolve,
separately, the carrier as a single tone and each of the sidebands as
"musical" tones. |
| 2 |
The telemetry is a multiplex of
six IRIG-106 7.5%
bandwidth sub carrier oscillators, linearly added and
amplitude modulate the RF carrier. IRIG 3 (730 Hz centre frequency) and
IRIG 4 (960 Hz cf) vary in step over 3.6 second with 8 periods of 450
millisecond each. IRIG 5 (1300 Hz cf), IRIG 6 (1700 Hz cf) and IRIG 7
(2300 Hz cf) are all fixed at their lower deviation limit of 1202 Hz,
1572 Hz and 2127 Hz respectively. IRIG 8 (3000 Hz) drifts from the the
lower limit, 2775 Hz, to the upper limit, 3225 Hz, over time. |
| 4 |
Called SECOR 7 by Space-Track.
The
telemetry is random levels of about 8 seconds duration each, on a 1300
Hz centre frequency SCO that amplitude modulates the RF carrier. The RF
exhibits short term frequency instability. |
| 4a |
Called ERS-15 by Space-Track. |
| 5 |
ERS-20
aka OV5-3,
sounds like a "moan". OV5 series. Unstable carrier (± 100 Hz), amplitude modulated with 910 Hz tone with approx. 4.6 second period. It can be heard about an hour earlier every 2 days for up to 12 hours over a 3 to 4 week period with a repeat cycle of about 7 weeks. An updated TLE was derived by Greg Roberts and Mike McCants in September 2007 |
| 6 |
Called OPS 7613 P/L 1 by
Space-Track.
Telemetry is PAM/FM/AM. 4 SCOs (Ch 4 960 Hz,Ch 6 1700 Hz, Ch 7 2300 Hz
and
Ch 8
3000 Hz centre frequencies). PAM is 30 levels plus a min and max
calibration/sync pulses over 4 secs. Ch 4 floating, Ch 6 & 7 are
repeating
patterns, Ch 8 is a 4 Hz clock. |
| 8 |
POPPY program declassified 12
Sept 2005 by NRO.
Preliminarily called POPPY-6B,
also known as OPS 7613 P/L 4 or NRL
PL162. Historically but incorrectly called S69-4. See NRL Secret Satellites |
| 9 |
POPPY program declassified 12 sept 2005 by NRO. Preliminarily called POPPY-7B. also known as OPS 7898 P/L 2, previously thought to be US Navy Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS), Sub-Satellite Unit C (SSU-C). See NRL Secret Satellites |
| 10 |
DSB -
Direct Sounder Broadcast - 8320 bps TIROS Information Processor (TIP)
data, Bi-phase-level encoded (Manchester), ±67°
PM
modulation, 1W, RHCP. 104, 8-bit words/minor frame. 20 bit sync code (EDE20 hex) + 4 bit S/C ID. |
| 11 |
APT -
Automatic Picture Transmission - 120 line/min Visible and Infrared
video (1600 Hz BW) amplitude
modulates a 2400 Hz carrier that then frequency modulates the 5W RF
carrier, deviation is ±17 kHz. RHCP, ˝ turn, ˝
wavelength resonant quadrifilar antenna (boom deployed VRA on TIROS-N
series spacecraft) |
| 12 |
ORBCOMM spacecraft are frequency
agile and may, can and do vary their downlink
frequency on a orbit by orbit basis. (TLEs) 59 spacecraft have been launched. These are Flight Model 1 to 28, 30 to 36 (now called OG1 models) of which only FM 4, 31, 32 and 36 are still active. FM 29 was Concept Demonstration Satellite 3 and FM 37 to FM 41 were Quick Launch 1 to 5. All have failed. FM 101 OG2 model, launched 8 Oct 2012, decayed 10 Oct 2012 FM 103, 104, 106, 107, 109 & 111 OG2 model launched 14 July 2014 FM 105, FM 108, FM 110, FM 112, FM 113, FM 114, FM 115, FM 116, FM 117, FM 118 & FM 119 OG2 model launched 22 December 2015. FM 104, 105 106, 111, 115 and 119 are not active. |
| 12a |
A Gateway Earth Station (NCC ID
120 (78 hex)) opened
early 2007 at Rutherglen, Australia, about 250 km North of my location.
Multiple 125 msec bursts, 1 sec apart, on 137.56 MHz. Photo GoogleEarth Placemark |
| 15 |
ECS-4
(EUTELSAT
1F4) re-orbited
above geostationary orbit December 2002 and drifting westward at
approximately 5° per day. ECS-4 Telemetry is 160 bps NRZ TDM PCM data, Bi-Phase-Level coded, BPSK on 2560 Hz subcarrier, PM on 137.14 MHz at 8 Watts. ECS-5 (EUTELSAT 1F5) re-orbited above geostationary orbit May 2000 and drifting westward at approximately 7.5° per day, ECS-5 Telemetry is 160 bps NRZ TDM PCM data, Bi-Phase-Level coded, BPSK on 2560 Hz subcarrier, PM on 137.14 MHz at 8 Watts. August 2020 - Carrier duty cycle - 1 minute on, 7 minutes off approx. PCM subcarrier intermittent. |
| 16 |
136.77 MHz is an erratic carrier. 137.505 MHz not heard since December 2014. |
| 18 |
Alouette-2 on 136.59 MHz re-discovered
by Raydel of Cuba in early August 2013. Subsequently found to be transmitting on 136.08 and 136.98 MHz as well. 136.08 MHz was a Wideband FM system for Sounder data with two sub-carriers, 22 and 30 kHz, FM/FM, 4W, 100 kHz bandwidth, 136.59 MHz was a Narrowband PM system for Experiment Data on 4 sub-carriers,3.9, 5.4. 14.5 & 22 kHz, PAM/FM/PM, 2 W, 50 kHz bandwidth and 136.98 MHz was a 100 mW CW tracking beacon Currently, only 136.98 MHz CW is on |
| 19 |
An unknown emitter on 137.05
MHz,
initially reported by Raydel,
has been
identified by experts on the Hearsat list as OXP-1 that was launched
in 1993. The search found that the
closest match was for the Pegasus R/B but a comparison of RCS suggests
the “correct assignments are
22491 for OXP-1 and 22489 for the Pegasus R/B stage. OXP-1 carried an
experimental payload to determine global
VHF frequency utilization prior to the launch of the ORBCOMM
constellation
satellites and measured user density, power levels and interference
world-wide in the 148.00 MHz-150.05 MHz band. 1200 bps HDLC-like format. 9 sec bursts, 33 sec apart. Not active on every sunlit pass nor when in eclipse. Last heard - June 2022 |
| 20 |
Long Range (LoRa)
spread-spectrum frequency
modulation. Semtech
proprietary phyical layer protocol. Speading Factor = 7 or 8, Bandwidth = 41.7 kHz. Implict Header used to indicate variable PacketLength (15 to 255 bytes), Code Rate (4/8) and CRC present. |
| 21 |
SpaceX (Starlink spacecraft)
acquired Swarm Technologies (SpacceBEE spacecraft) in 2021 and has now
added VHF LoRa protocol beacons to their Starlink spacecraft to provide
specialized telemetry, tracking and command functions during launch and
early operations phase, orbit raising and emergency operations. |
| 22 |
Meteor-M N2-3
launched 1134 UTC 27 June 2023. Rate ˝, k = 7 Convolution coded, I = G1, Q = G2, Power I:Q = 1:1, 144 kilosymbols per second. CCSDS Format. SCID 00, VCID 05 with 3 out of APIDs 64 to 69, (MSU-MR channels 1 to 6) or VCID 63, Fill 28 June 2023, LRPT on 137.90 MHz, 72 kbps OQPSK, 3 vis IR channels, APIDs 64, 65 & 66 Check status at HappySat |
| Spacecraft no
longer
heard but
still monitored occasionally |
Frequency |
Last
Heard |
| PROSPERO
(1971 Paper,
1973 Paper
,1975 Paper) |
137.56 |
Nov
2003 |
| MEGSAT-1
2000-57B/26546 1200 bps PCM/PM telemetry
|
137.905 |
Dec
2011 |
| TIROS-N 11060 1978-98A | 137.77 | Dec 2015 |
| TIROS-10
1430 1965-51A
1280 Hz. |
136.232 | Aug
2017 |
| HAMSAT
28650 2005-17B Hamsat not heard since December 2014, heard again from 19 September 2017 to Jan 2018, heard again 27 Jan 2020, 2 Feb 2020. 256 bps on ± 25.6 kHz subcarrier sidebands & ±51.2 kHz unmodulated sidebands |
137.20 | 23
Feb 2020 |
| EGRS 13 3891 1969-37B 136.80 Carrier only Note 3 Previously had IRIG 3 SCO, 730 Hz c.f., 16 segment, 0.67s per segment, PAM/FM/PM telemetry or just 680 Hz or CW EGRS (Electronic & Geodetic Ranging Satellite or Experimental Geodetic Research Satellite) with a SECOR (Sequential Collation of Range) transponder. | 137.80 |
Jan
2019 |
| Meteor-M2
Rate ˝, k = 7 Convolution coded, I = G1, Q = G2, Power I:Q = 1:1, 144 kilosymbols per second. CCSDS Format. SCID 00, VCID 05 with 3 out of APIDs 64 to 69, (MSU-MR channels 1 to 6) or VCID 63, Fill 29 September 2020, LRPT on 137.10 MHz, 72 kbps QPSK, 2 vis + 1 IR channels, APIDs 64, 65 & 68 |
||
| Meteor-M
N2-2 44387 2019-38A 137.90 OQPSK LRPT
72
kbps
Note 17a Meteor-M2-2 Rate ˝, k = 7 Convolution coded, I = G1, Q = G2, Power I:Q = 1:1, 144 kilosymbols per second. 72 kbps mode or 80 kbps Metop LRPT mode with Unique Word (UW) Insertion CCSDS Format. SCID 00, VCID 05 with 3 out of APIDs 64 to 69, (MSU-MR channels 1 to 6) or VCID 63, Fill 22 January 2020 - Limited service restored but LRPT off permanetly |
137.90 | 18 Dec 2019 |
