Each month we introduce one piece of equipment at the Bradford-Renduchintala Centre for Space AI. We start with the one that connects the lab directly to space: the satellite ground station.

What it does

The station tracks satellites in low Earth orbit as they pass over Bradford and receives their signals in real time: voice, data and telemetry, the housekeeping data that tells operators how a satellite is doing. It works in the amateur satellite bands:

• VHF: 145.80-146.00 MHz
• UHF: 435-438 MHz
• L-band: 1260-1270 MHz

How it is built

The station has three antenna systems: fixed dual-polarisation beam antennas, a steerable high-gain antenna on a Yaesu G-5500 positioner that follows a satellite across the sky, and a portable set-up for field work, shown in the photo. ICOM IC-9700, IC-821 and IC-820 transceivers handle the radio side.

Who uses it

The ground station supports research on tracking satellites in low Earth orbit and on satellite communications, as well as the Centre's educational outreach.

Next month: another piece of kit from the lab. You can see the full list on our facilities page.