BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:IEEE vTools.Events//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Asia/Colombo BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20380119T084407 TZOFFSETFROM:+0530 TZOFFSETTO:+0530 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=3TU;BYMONTH=1 TZNAME:+0530 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20060415T000000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0600 TZOFFSETTO:+0530 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=3SA;BYMONTH=4 TZNAME:+0530 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20231008T091646Z UID:6EF1A9BF-A26B-4252-AF72-3CBD02A0125A DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Colombo:20230701T090000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Colombo:20230701T170000 DESCRIPTION:On the 1st of July 2023\, the IEEE ComSoc Student Chapter at th e University of Peradeniya proudly showcased our team's passion for satell ite technology and radio communication during the University of Peradeniya Open Day. The open day of the University of Peradeniya was held to celebr ate the 80th anniversary of our university\, and it was opened for the ent ire public in Sri Lanka to come and observe the unseen beauty\, technology and equipment in the university. So our audience was more than 1\,000 ent husiastic public of Sri Lanka\, undergraduates from other universities and professionals who are eager to see the talents of young Pera undergraduat es.\n\nIn collaboration with dedicated undergraduates of the faculty and m entors\, we constructed a turnstile antenna optimized for NOAA (National O ceanic and Atmospheric Administration) satellite frequencies (137.100 MHz - 137.9125 MHz) and paired it with a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) setup. T his report highlights our successful endeavours in capturing Automatic Pic ture Transmission (APT) signals from NOAA satellites\, such as NOAA 15\, N OAA 18\, and NOAA 19\, and educating attendees about the valuable applicat ions of satellite technology in weather forecasting.\n\nOur achievement wa s made possible through meticulous planning and precise equipment settings . We designed and built a specialized turnstile antenna tailored for NOAA satellite frequencies. We specially selected this Turnstile antenna as it covers a broad area\, but the accuracy is quite low compared with other an tennas. Although compared with other directional antennas\, it is better. Hence\, we had to do our experiment outdoors for better accuracy. Also\, w e utilized an SDR setup to receive and process signals effectively. Then\, we configured a 2.56 MSPS sample rate to ensure high-quality signal captu re. Further\, we employed wideband FM mode to receive signals from the NOA A satellites.\n\nUsing the aforementioned equipment and settings\, we capt ured real-time APT signals from NOAA satellites. Notably\, during the even t\, we were able to capture an image from the NOAA 18 satellite. The recep tion and processing of these APT streams were accomplished with software t ools such as SDRSharp and WXtoImg.\n\nWe considered several factors in cho osing the NOAA satellites to execute our experiment. Some of the reasons a re\,\n\n- Most NOAA satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit\, which is close r to Earth compared to higher orbits. This proximity makes them easier to capture because they pass over ground stations more frequently.\n- NOAA sa tellites follow predictable orbits\, allowing ground stations to schedule passes for data reception. This predictability simplifies tracking and com munication.\n- NOAA satellites use specific radio frequencies for data tra nsmission\, which are well-documented and known to ground stations. This s implifies the process of tuning antennas and receivers for capture.\n- NOA A has an open data policy\, making the data from its satellites freely acc essible to the public and various institutions. This encourages a wide ran ge of users to capture and utilize the data.\n- NOAA's satellites provide global coverage\, making it possible for ground stations in various locati ons to capture data\, ensuring redundancy and data continuity.\n- NOAA's s atellites primarily monitor weather and environmental conditions\, which a re of significant interest to various organizations and governments. This focus incentivizes investment in ground station infrastructure for data ca pture.\n\nTo capture the satellite images\, the following procedure was fo llowed.\n\n- Positioned the antenna in a location with a clear view of the sky\, away from obstructions\, while ensuring it's correctly tuned for th e NOAA satellite frequency range.\n- Connected the receiver (SDR) to the c omputer via USB or the appropriate interface.\n- Installed the software ne eded for capturing and decoding NOAA signals on the computer.\n- In the so ftware\, set the receiver to the appropriate NOAA satellite frequency. For example\, NOAA's polar-orbiting satellites typically transmit on 137.1 MH z.\n- Configured the decoding software to match the satellite passing deta ils for our location. This includes setting the satellite name\, elevation \, and frequency correction.\n- Started the decoding software and began ca pturing signals. Details were obtained through the internet.\n- The softwa re processed the captured signals and decoded the satellite imagery and we ather data. It produced weather images and data files.\n- The decoded data was saved for analysis\, weather forecasting\, or educational purposes.\n \nOne of the primary goals of our participation in the Open Day was to edu cate attendees about the practical applications of satellite technology\, particularly in weather forecasting. We had the opportunity to showcase ho w satellite imagery can contribute to enhancing weather prediction and mon itoring\, emphasizing its significance in disaster management and climate studies.\n\nWe extend our heartfelt gratitude to the following individuals for their unwavering support in making our effort a resounding success: P rof. Aruna Gunawardena\, Professor at the Faculty of Engineering\, Univers ity of Peradeniya\, Mr. Tharanga Premathilake\, President of the Radio Soc iety Sri Lanka\, Mr. Vanodhya Warnasooriya\, Former chairperson IEEE Stude nt Branch Chapter\, University of Peradeniya.\n\nThe University of Peraden iya Open Day was an exceptional platform for our team to demonstrate our p assion for satellite technology and radio communication. Our successful ca pture of APT signals from NOAA satellites and the subsequent display of an image from NOAA 18 left a lasting impression on attendees\, underscoring the vital role of satellite technology in various fields. Also\, we were a ble to spread the renowned name of Mother Pera to the entire society\, sho wcasing our talents.\n\nThis event was a remarkable opportunity to inspire interest and awareness about the wonders of space technology and its prac tical applications\, particularly in weather forecasting. We look forward to continued exploration and innovation in the field of satellite technolo gy.\n\nDepartment of Electrical and Electronics Engineering\, University o f Peradeniya\, Kandy\, Sri Lanka\, Sri Lanka LOCATION:Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering\, University of Peradeniya\, Kandy\, Sri Lanka\, Sri Lanka ORGANIZER:ieeecomsocuop@gmail.com SEQUENCE:45 SUMMARY: Satellite Image Capturing at the University of Peradeniya Open Day URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/377545 X-ALT-DESC:Description: <br /><p><span style="font-weight: 400\;">On the 1s t of July 2023\, the IEEE ComSoc Student Chapter at the University of Pera deniya proudly showcased our team's passion for satellite technology and r adio communication during the University of Peradeniya Open Day. The open day of the University of Peradeniya was held to celebrate the 80th anniver sary of our university\, and it was opened for the entire public in Sri La nka to come and observe the unseen beauty\, technology and equipment in th e university. So our audience was more than 1\,000 enthusiastic public of Sri Lanka\, undergraduates from other universities and professionals who a re eager to see the talents of young Pera undergraduates.&nbsp\;</span></p >\n<p><span style="font-weight: 400\;">In collaboration with dedicated und ergraduates of the faculty and mentors\, we constructed a turnstile antenn a optimized for NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) sat ellite frequencies (137.100 MHz - 137.9125 MHz) and paired it with a Softw are-Defined Radio (SDR) setup. This report highlights our successful endea vours in capturing Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) signals from NOAA satellites\, such as NOAA 15\, NOAA 18\, and NOAA 19\, and educating atten dees about the valuable applications of satellite technology in weather fo recasting.</span></p>\n<p><span style="font-weight: 400\;">Our achievement was made possible through meticulous planning and precise equipment setti ngs. </span><span style="font-weight: 400\;">We designed and built a speci alized turnstile antenna tailored for NOAA satellite frequencies. We speci ally selected this Turnstile antenna as it covers a broad area\, but the a ccuracy is quite low compared with other antennas. Although compared with other directional antennas\, it is better. Hence\, we had to do our experi ment outdoors for better accuracy. Also\, w</span><span style="font-weight : 400\;">e utilized an SDR setup to receive and process signals effectivel y. </span><span style="font-weight: 400\;">Then\, we configured a 2.56 MSP S sample rate to ensure high-quality signal capture. </span><span style="f ont-weight: 400\;">Further\, we employed wideband FM mode to receive signa ls from the NOAA satellites.</span></p>\n<p><span style="font-weight: 400\ ;">Using the aforementioned equipment and settings\, we captured real-time APT signals from NOAA satellites. Notably\, during the event\, we were ab le to capture an image from the NOAA 18 satellite. The reception and proce ssing of these APT streams were accomplished with software tools such as S DRSharp and WXtoImg.</span></p>\n<p><span style="font-weight: 400\;">We co nsidered several factors in choosing the NOAA satellites to execute our ex periment. Some of the reasons are\,</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li style="font-weig ht: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400\;">Most NOAA satel lites operate in Low Earth Orbit\, which is closer to Earth compared to hi gher orbits. This proximity makes them easier to capture because they pass over ground stations more frequently.</span></li>\n<li style="font-weight : 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400\;">NOAA satellites f ollow predictable orbits\, allowing ground stations to schedule passes for data reception. This predictability simplifies tracking and communication .</span></li>\n<li style="font-weight: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style=" font-weight: 400\;">NOAA satellites use specific radio frequencies for dat a transmission\, which are well-documented and known to ground stations. T his simplifies the process of tuning antennas and receivers for capture.</ span></li>\n<li style="font-weight: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style="fon t-weight: 400\;">NOAA has an open data policy\, making the data from its s atellites freely accessible to the public and various institutions. This e ncourages a wide range of users to capture and utilize the data.</span></l i>\n<li style="font-weight: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight : 400\;">NOAA's satellites provide global coverage\, making it possible fo r ground stations in various locations to capture data\, ensuring redundan cy and data continuity.</span></li>\n<li style="font-weight: 400\;" aria-l evel="1"><span style="font-weight: 400\;">NOAA's satellites primarily moni tor weather and environmental conditions\, which are of significant intere st to various organizations and governments. This focus incentivizes inves tment in ground station infrastructure for data capture.</span></li>\n</ul >\n<p><span style="font-weight: 400\;">To capture the satellite images\, t he following procedure was followed.</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li style="font-wei ght: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400\;">Positioned the antenna in a location with a clear view of the sky\, away from obstructio ns\, while ensuring it's correctly tuned for the NOAA satellite frequency range.</span></li>\n<li style="font-weight: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span st yle="font-weight: 400\;">Connected the receiver (SDR) to the computer via USB or the appropriate interface.</span></li>\n<li style="font-weight: 400 \;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400\;">Installed the software needed for capturing and decoding NOAA signals on the computer.</span></l i>\n<li style="font-weight: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight : 400\;">In the software\, set the receiver to the appropriate NOAA satell ite frequency. For example\, NOAA's polar-orbiting satellites typically tr ansmit on 137.1 MHz.</span></li>\n<li style="font-weight: 400\;" aria-leve l="1"><span style="font-weight: 400\;">Configured the decoding software to match the satellite passing details for our location. This includes setti ng the satellite name\, elevation\, and frequency correction.</span></li>\ n<li style="font-weight: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 4 00\;">Started the decoding software and began capturing signals. Details w ere obtained through the internet.</span></li>\n<li style="font-weight: 40 0\;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400\;">The software processe d the captured signals and decoded the satellite imagery and weather data. It produced weather images and data files.</span></li>\n<li style="font-w eight: 400\;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400\;">The decoded data was saved for analysis\, weather forecasting\, or educational purpose s.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style="font-weight: 400\;">One of the prim ary goals of our participation in the Open Day was to educate attendees ab out the practical applications of satellite technology\, particularly in w eather forecasting. We had the opportunity to showcase how satellite image ry can contribute to enhancing weather prediction and monitoring\, emphasi zing its significance in disaster management and climate studies.</span></ p>\n<p><span style="font-weight: 400\;">We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the following individuals for their unwavering support in making our ef fort a resounding success: </span><span style="font-weight: 400\;">Prof. A runa Gunawardena\, Professor at the Faculty of Engineering\, University of Peradeniya\, </span><span style="font-weight: 400\;">Mr. Tharanga Premath ilake\, President of the Radio Society Sri Lanka\, </span><span style="fon t-weight: 400\;">Mr. Vanodhya Warnasooriya\, Former chairperson IEEE Stude nt Branch Chapter\, University of Peradeniya.</span></p>\n<p><span style=" font-weight: 400\;">The University of Peradeniya Open Day was an exception al platform for our team to demonstrate our passion for satellite technolo gy and radio communication. Our successful capture of APT signals from NOA A satellites and the subsequent display of an image from NOAA 18 left a la sting impression on attendees\, underscoring the vital role of satellite t echnology in various fields. Also\, we were able to spread the renowned na me of Mother Pera to the entire society\, showcasing our talents.</span></ p>\n<p><span style="font-weight: 400\;">This event was a remarkable opport unity to inspire interest and awareness about the wonders of space technol ogy and its practical applications\, particularly in weather forecasting. We look forward to continued exploration and innovation in the field of sa tellite technology.</span></p> END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR