SatDump Data Processing

SatDump is an open-source piece of software dedicated to processing IQ data from satellite reception. Commonly, this software is used for demodulating as well as processing for satellite data.

In the context of the project I’ve been working on, setting this software up is the last step to receive images from the Meteor M2-4 satellite. Being open-source, the GUI can be tricky at first - there are a ton of different settings such as live recording, offline processing, image viewing, and live satellite tracking.

Offline data processing

A very nice feature is live satellite tracking and recording — the software will track a certain satellites passes, and begin recording when the satellite is within a certain elevation angle from your location. Once an image is received for proof-of-concept, the project can move in the direction of setting up a permanent ‘ground station’ that will automatically receive images and build them in real time.

GUI for setting up live records

There are a few passes coming up that aren’t in the middle of the night — hopefully, we’ll have some semblance of an image in next weeks post. Moving forward, finding a place to mount the antenna and keep a small computer to store and process the data are the next steps.