What Equipment Do You Need to Work Ham Radio Satellites?

The equipment question is the one I see most often from new operators who want to try satellites. The good news: the bar is lower than you think. I work satellites regularly from a 6th floor condo in Ottawa with a 5-watt radio and a handheld yagi. Here's what you actually need — and what you don't.

The Radio

For FM satellites you need a radio that can transmit on 2 metres (144–146 MHz) and receive on 70 cm (430–440 MHz) simultaneously, or at minimum switch between them quickly. Almost any modern dual-band handheld does this.

Any dual-band HT works for FM satellites. Baofeng, Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom — if it covers 2m and 70cm and has split/duplex operation, you can work SO-50, AO-91, and the ISS with it. You don't need a special satellite radio for FM work.

For SSB and linear transponder satellites (FO-29, RS-44, AO-7) you need a radio capable of SSB operation on VHF/UHF. This narrows the field significantly. The practical options:

• Yaesu FT-818ND — the go-to portable satellite radio. Covers HF through 70cm in all modes, 6 watts, runs on batteries, built-in TCXO for excellent frequency stability. The standard choice for portable satellite work.
• Icom IC-705 — more capable and more expensive. 10 watts, covers HF through 70cm, built-in GPS and Bluetooth. Excellent radio but overkill if satellites are your primary goal.
• Icom IC-9700 — full-featured VHF/UHF/SHF base station with true full duplex capability. The choice for serious satellite operators with a fixed station. Not portable.

If you're starting with FM satellites and might move to SSB later, the FT-818ND is the natural upgrade path. Buy it once and it covers everything.

The Antenna

This is where your investment pays off most. A better antenna improves both transmit and receive simultaneously — unlike more power, which only helps one direction.

For FM satellites: A handheld dual-band yagi is the standard portable satellite antenna. The two most popular options are:

• Arrow Antenna II — 3 elements on 2m, 7 elements on 70cm, available with an optional built-in diplexer. The classic choice. Lightweight, easy to point, and proven over decades of satellite work.
• Elk 5-element log periodic — covers both bands with a single feedpoint, no diplexer needed. Slightly more compact.

A homebrew 3-element yagi for each band costs almost nothing in materials and works just as well. The design is well-documented and easy to build from scrap aluminum tubing.

Can you use the rubber duck? On strong overhead passes (above 50° elevation) with a good FM satellite, sometimes yes. But a handheld yagi makes the difference between hoping and knowing. It's the single most impactful upgrade you can make.

For SSB satellites: The same handheld yagi works well for portable operations. For a fixed station you'd eventually want a pair of yagis on a rotator, but that's a much later step. Many operators work SSB satellites successfully with handheld antennas.

The Diplexer

If you're using a single radio in full-duplex mode (transmitting on one band while receiving on the other), a diplexer isolates the two bands to prevent your transmit signal from overloading your own receiver. The Arrow antenna's optional built-in diplexer handles this neatly.

If you're using two separate radios — one for uplink, one for downlink — you don't need a diplexer. Many portable operators prefer this setup: one HT for uplink, one for downlink, each connected to a separate antenna. More to carry but simpler to operate.

The Phone

This one often gets overlooked but it's genuinely important: your smartphone running a satellite pass predictor is part of your operating kit. You need to know the pass time, which direction to point, and the Doppler-corrected frequencies before and during the pass.

Ham Sat Tracker is designed specifically for this — mobile-first, works offline once you've loaded it, and gives you Doppler-corrected uplink and downlink frequencies at AOS, TCA, and LOS for every pass. The built-in AntTrack feature uses your phone's compass and tilt sensor to show real-time antenna pointing direction during the pass.

What You Don't Need

A lot of satellite-related equipment is genuinely optional for getting started:

• A rotator — completely unnecessary for handheld portable work. You point the antenna manually. Even fixed-station operators often track by hand initially.
• A computer — a phone running a pass predictor replaces the desktop tracking software setup entirely for portable ops.
• High power — satellites are designed for modest stations. 5 watts and a handheld yagi is standard. More power can actually be antisocial on FM satellites.
• Full duplex operation — nice for SSB but not required for FM satellites. Half duplex works fine — you just can't hear yourself through the satellite while transmitting.

A Practical Starting Kit

If you want the most capable starting setup for the least money:

• Any dual-band HT you already own, or a budget dual-band HT (~$30–80)
• Arrow Antenna II or equivalent handheld yagi (~$80–120)
• Ham Sat Tracker on your phone (free)
• Fresh batteries

Total outlay can be as low as $0 if you already have a dual-band HT and build your own yagi. The satellites don't care how much you spent on your station — they'll work with whoever has a good signal and a clear horizon.

73 de VE3AKK