Weekly Newsletter - August 17, 2025

Highlights

General

• Mire2022 asked about changes in tracking and if there are more Mode packets decoded. 🔗
• Asad asked if there are any active satellites that support LoRaWAN LR-FHSS. 🔗
• Helmi suggested compiling a custom version using RadioLib for the nRF52840 processor, highlighting its support by Arduino IDE or VSCode, while also noting the alternative of using an ESP32 board. 🔗
• megazaic mentioned the low power consumption of nRF processors, suggesting it can operate for months on battery, and shared a video and a photo related to station setup. 🔗
  https://img.tinygs.com/file_11303.mp4
  
• Notsure7 observed Surve-250809 transmitting at a high packet rate, specifically over Spain and wondered about a potential base station location. 🔗
• Stefan/OE6ISP explained that the high packet rate from Surve-250809 is likely due to data transfer, requiring a buffered receiver. 🔗
• Estbhan initially reported that the TinyGS website was inaccessible while the station was still receiving remote commands. Later, mentioned that SarNOGs was giving a Server error 500, but Sonik was working fine. Finally reported that the web was up again. 🔗
• G4lile0 mentioned that Spanish ISPs might be blocking Cloudflare due to the start of the Spanish Football League, affecting access to various sites and shared a link to a related discussion. 🔗
  https://t.me/c/1448773154/78482/155645

Technical Problems

• Estbhan shared an experience with an “Update error: Could Not Activate The Firmware” message during an OTA update while working on a new firmware FSK decoding feature. A USB cable firmware update worked as a workaround and asked if it is possible and safe to increase the OTA flash partition. Later added that there are FSK satellites, normally transmitting at 9600 bps bitrates, that use a scrambling following the poly x^17+x^12+1, sharing a link with a description of it: https://www.amsat.org/amsat/articles/g3ruh/109.html. Also, after G4lile0 response, asked if to increase the OTA flash capacity should configure the station in autoupdate mode ON, at least, for some time, in order to receive the flash capacity increment. 🔗
  https://www.amsat.org/amsat/articles/g3ruh/109.html
• G4lile0 confirmed that Esteban’s issue is related to previous messages and shared links related to the topic: https://t.me/c/1448773154/78468/171860 and https://t.me/c/1448773154/78482/174623. Also, suggested to Esteban that updating to the latest beta using a USB cable will automatically update the partition, and expressed appreciation for the work on adding new FSK features. 🔗
  https://t.me/c/1448773154/78468/171860
  https://t.me/c/1448773154/78482/174623
• Ederson reported that the `/mqtt` command gives the same old MQTT credentials, not new ones. 🔗
• Arkl3ss a newcomer, reported that their device shows “radio error: null” on the TinyGS page but “ready” on the dashboard, seeking explanation and sharing configurations and setup based on https://www.tog.ie/build-your-own-satellite-ground-station-tinygs-compressed/. 🔗
  https://www.tog.ie/build-your-own-satellite-ground-station-tinygs-compressed/
  
  
  
  
• Arkl3ss reported that after a firmware update, an error code disappeared. 🔗
  
• Helmi noticed an incorrect elevation reading for ConnectaIoT-9, with @Stefan/OE6ISP’s station showing -73.75° elevation. Stefan/OE6ISP responded that he moved the station to a bunker, and the issue might be due to damaged TLE data or a memory error. 🔗
• Eduardo asked if a decrease in the number of packages over the past couple of days is normal and if station servicing is needed. AstroPi_TinyGS shared that they are struggling with the same problem. Solpiplog explained that the autodetect system was changed to listen to new satellites, therefore Tianqui sats are not detected so often. G4lile0 added that it’s a problem related to ConnectaIoT satellites, as they don’t have a sat_id. 🔗
• hari21204 asked about an error and posted multiple photos of the local console. Stefan/OE6ISP suggested that there might be no signal from the antenna arriving at the board, and the antenna and connections should be checked. Hari21204 said that he will change the antenna and Stefan/OE6ISP recommended checking the antenna cable with an ohmmeter. 🔗
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Notsure7 suggested using manual mode to check a satellite passing overhead, noting that signal strength depends on satellite orientation, antenna pattern, efficiency, and system losses. As an alternative, Notsure7 proposed using a remote station a few kilometers away to send a test packet for direct comparison with previous results. 🔗
• D reported using a RHCP yagi for LEO ham sats with negative results on TinyGS without an LNA. D mentioned that linear polarization works fine for RX and asked for thoughts. Later, D clarified that the same antenna works for many satellites on linear polarization but not RHCP, and that it works well on linear polarization. D also mentioned picking up LASAR, KOSEN, and SNIPE-D on satroof. 🔗
• Helmi suggested using a tracking system due to the small opening angle of a Yagi and recommended an omnidirectional antenna like a dipole or groundplane antenna. Helmi mentioned having small antennas on the roof, including QFH, Groundplane, and dipoles, receiving around 100 packets a day at different frequencies, with 136MHz causing problems. Helmi added that the bandwidth of the Yagis might be too small and the coupling of linear antennas to circular limits the bandwidth, recommending a low gain, high bandwidth antenna for receiving from 400MHz to 460MHz. Helmi shared an image of the antenna farm and explained that small sats don’t have spin stabilization, so they send with linear polarisation and added You don’t know at which angle. That’s why I prefer low gain omnidirectional antennas. 🔗
  
• Stefan/OE6ISP explained that one reason RHCP might not work for Tianqi is that they are LHCP and attitude stabilized, suggesting trying the yagi away from the satellites. Stefan/OE6ISP mentioned using OE6ISP_6 for FSK satellites only on an RHCP EME beam with the best results, and suggested checking the combiner, connector, or cable if nothing is received with the RHCP. 🔗

Share your setup

• Moonlight0551 suggested that installing a brass standoff on each side will tune the antenna to receiver closer to the satellite frequencies for more packets, mentioning using one of these antennas for a while and that around 11mm in length was the correct one to use. Also shared a link to AliExpress for brass standoffs. 🔗
  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004818052787.html
• Notsure7 shared their temporary 433 setup, noting it was resonant on 470mhz and had to be adjusted to reach 430mhz. The user added that is still too short, and they have 11cm on each side. Later, they mentioned that the antenna was a cheap 2/3€ antenna with a 3m cable used to check its performance with a VNA, and that while it could be improved, it would be easier to make a better one. 🔗
  
• Helmi mentioned the overall length of their dipole for 400 to 450MHz is 340mm. They also added that they use some similar setups with very short cables and dipoles extended with brass hex bolts. 🔗
• Notsure7 mentioned some cheap AliExpress antennas, noting that one in transit seems even worse from the start. 🔗
• K shared that the setup is a standard Heltec v3 Board in 433MHz version. 🔗
  https://heltec.org/project/wifi-lora-32-v3/

Events

• tdr112 invited anyone at WHY2025 to join him in welcoming around 50 people to the network. 🔗
  https://wiki.why2025.org/Session:Build_Your_Own_Satellite_Ground_Station
• tdr112 announced the addition of ~60 new people to the network from WHY2025. 🔗
  
  

New Satellites

• Helmi reported receiving packets from ConnectaIot-9 with a footprint outside of Turkey after G4lile0’s TLE change, questioning if the TLEs are still inaccurate or if the satellite now transmits outside this region. Helmi mentioned that before G4lile0 changed the TLEs, the footprints were different. 🔗
• Stefan/OE6ISP responded to Helmi, mentioning that they are getting packets from all over central Europe. Stefan added a photo showing a distribution of packets. They suspect that the signals might be stronger with the new TLEs, making them more visible, and that the satellites might be using beamforming with phased arrays targeting the receivers. 🔗
  
• G4lile0 announced that Surveillance mode discovered a new satellite signal coming from the Soyuz 25th launch, specifying the LoRa frequency, SF, CR, and BW. A link to the satellite page was also provided. 🔗
  https://app.tinygs.com/satellite/Surve-250809
• K4KDR reported about the Surve-250809 satellite transmitting IoT/LoRaWAN packets, identifying it as a potential end device broadcasting ‘Join Request’ packets. K4KDR explained that this satellite might be using a non-standard frequency and LoRa settings, raising concerns about its transmission practices. 🔗
• SV2HWM reported an obvious error in AstroLine-2 telemetry decode. 🔗
  
• G4lile0 announced that surveillance mode discovered a new 🛰 signal LoRa 437.399 Mhz SF: 8 CR: 7 BW: 62.5 kHz. 🔗
  https://app.tinygs.com/satellite/Surve-250817

Beta Firmware Testing

• schemish got a Heltec Stick Lite v3 via Ali Express working with custom FW, ifdef’ing out display-related calls to skip OLED initialization. WiFi signal is good with an external WiFi antenna. Will be testing satellite RX after connecting the “LoRa Booster” amplifier. The station is available here: https://app.tinygs.com/station/nm6s\_tgs6@5580935440 also mentioned the need to have another look at the display init code. 🔗
  
  
• Notsure7 commented that the board boots fine without a display and confirmed that packets are still being received after yanking out the oled module and restarting the station. 🔗

Where to buy

• RalphyDx asked for help finding a compatible Heltec 433Mhz board. 🔗
• Helmi shared a link related to compatible boards. 🔗

Featured Conversations

• The TinyGS community welcomed new members from the WHY2025 event and discussed antenna tuning, with Moonlight0551 suggesting the use of brass standoffs to optimize receiver frequencies and increase packet reception.
• Users shared insights on antenna setups, including experiences with cheap AliExpress antennas and recommendations for compatible Heltec boards. Discussions also covered troubleshooting OTA firmware updates, partition size adjustments, and the trade-offs between low power consumption and implementation costs using nRF52840 processors.
• The community also addressed discrepancies in satellite footprints, particularly concerning ConnectaIot-9 after recent TLE changes and discussed errors in AstroLine-2 telemetry decoding and issues accessing the TinyGS website, potentially related to Spanish ISPs blocking Cloudflare. Announcement of the decommissioning of NOAA weather satellites sparked conversation.
• K4KDR shared insights on the Surve-250809 satellite, highlighting its unusual transmission behavior as a potential end device broadcasting ‘Join Request’ packets. This raises questions about the satellite’s adherence to standard LoRaWAN practices and its impact on the broader network.
• There were inquiries regarding satellite support for LoRaWAN LR-FHSS, indicating interest in leveraging different modulation techniques for satellite communication and Notsure7 provided practical advice on troubleshooting signal issues, recommending manual mode testing and the use of remote stations for comparative analysis.

What’s next

Stay tuned for more updates and discussions in the TinyGS community! Join the Telegram channel to share your projects, ask questions, and contribute to the growth of the network. Explore the latest supported satellites on the TinyGS website and help expand our global tracking capabilities.