Overview
Newly deployed amateur satellites, often referred to as "birds," are initially in a blank period before being detected by ground stations.
This refers to the short window of time between deployment and the official capture of signals by a ground station, which is dependent on the signal-capturing capabilities of the operator's ground station.
Why track new satellites
For all ground stations receiving new amateur satellite deployments, except those operated by the responsible launch company, they can only rely on other data (launch site location, inclination, and azimuth) to estimate the TLE root number.
Even though TLE has been completely depleted, it's undeniable that the number of TLE elements remains important and cannot be easily replaced.
Even now, after the launch of numerous satellites, it is still necessary to classify and re-evaluate objects as they pass through.
If the ground station is unable to function, it indicates that the satellite will operate at a high load for an extended period after deployment (e.g., a 2W telemetry link operating for half a month). Therefore, it's crucial to quickly capture the satellite so that it can support the next steps in ground station operations, which would then allow for the activation of the satellite's auxiliary payloads.
Initial root count of the orbit
The initial number of orbital roots is generated by ground stations based on the rocket's launch location, angle, launch direction, and estimated orbit height.
Taking the Libre Space community's launch tracking standards as an example:
CAS500-2 Rideshare: VSFB SLC-4E - 2026-05-03 06:59 UTC
This includes the task name, launch site, and launch time.
CAS500-2 Rideshare: CAS500 second satellite parallel ridesharing mission.
VSFB SLC-4E: The Vandenberg Space Force Base SLC-4E launch pad. This launch pad is responsible for launching the Falcon 9 series of rockets.
Once the data collection was complete, the Libre Space community immediately began collecting satellite frequency data through public channels and estimated the number of satellites based on the separation time before launch.
Subsequently, this involved coordinating and tracking the Satnogs ground station network.
The Satnogs network was established with support from the Libre Space Foundation, and the community mentioned in the previous text is also a part of that foundation's community.
Individual reception
Host, Satnogs is really impressive! Are there any ground station setups that allow individuals to enjoy it as well?
Some of you might find that if you observe satellite downlink as CW in your new setup, simply setting the K5 to USB and adding a small directional antenna should allow you to try it.
However, if you want more effective data, you can try the RTLV3+LNA+U handheld configuration, which is what I am currently using.
Constellation chart: Not listed ~
Regarding receiving signals from V-band satellites, it's still the same statement:Eliminate all potential sources of interference in your area, including streetlights, indoor lights, and any other devices that you suspect might be causing problems.
Based on the initial TLE and ground receiver example.
This is a newly deployed satellite. We can see the frequency, timestamp, and other information.
However, for the initial orbit root number (red curved line), the signals exhibited misalignment, excessive signal offset, and partial LOS signal misalignment.
This means that the signal moved faster than expected, which indicates an underestimation of the angle (the specific calculation process will not be described).
Therefore, don't rely too heavily on the initial number of roots; it's always better to start early.
Wishing you all a pleasant experience!
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