Before you head out for a pass, it's worth a quick check here. Nothing's more frustrating than setting up a handheld yagi on a cold Ottawa morning, waiting through the whole AOS-to-LOS window, and hearing nothing — only to find out later the satellite's transponder has been dark for two weeks. This dashboard saves that trip.
Status is sourced from the AMSAT Live OSCAR Status Page, a community-maintained log where operators post reports after each pass. Ham Sat Tracker pulls and caches this data every 4 hours so you don't have to parse the AMSAT page yourself.
Last updated: April 23, 2026 8:00 PM UTC (2 hr ago)
Not tracked on AMSAT: AO-85 — these satellites are not listed on the AMSAT Live OSCAR Status page. Check amsat.org/status or SatNOGS for the latest reports.
Status reflects the most recent operator report on the AMSAT status page for each satellite's FM or SSB transponder. Active means operators have successfully made contacts. Beacon Only means the satellite is transmitting telemetry but the transponder may not be responding. No Signal means no signal has been heard recently. Always check the AMSAT status page before an important session.
What the Status Levels Mean in Practice
Active means operators have made two-way FM or SSB contacts through the satellite's transponder within the last reporting cycle. This is the green light — fire up the pass predictor, find a good elevation pass (15° or better), and get on the air.
Beacon Only means the satellite's downlink beacon is audible, but the transponder isn't responding to uplink signals. This can be a temporary power or thermal issue, especially on solar-only birds like AO-91 that shut down in eclipse. Worth monitoring — conditions can recover quickly.
No Signal is the most concerning status. It means no downlink has been heard at all. This could be a transponder failure, an orbital decay situation, or simply a gap in reporting from ground stations. Check SatNOGS for recent observation data before writing a satellite off entirely.
Conflicting means different operators are reporting different results — some hearing the satellite, some not. This is common with intermittent hardware issues (like AO-85's battery problems) or satellites that only activate under specific conditions. Try the pass anyway, especially if you're in a well-populated area with a good antenna.
Satellites Worth Watching Right Now
If you're new to satellite operating and not sure where to start, the general priority order is: any Active FM bird first (SO-50, AO-123, ISS when active), then Active SSB/linear transponders for SSB work (RS-44, FO-29), then anything in Beacon status that might be recovering. Skip No Signal birds until the community reports otherwise.
AO-85 deserves special mention — it's been intermittent for years due to battery degradation. Some operators still catch it on good geometry passes when the solar panels are providing power. Check the AMSAT status page for recent AO-85 reports and factor in the time of day and satellite sun angle before giving up on it.
For satellite-specific frequency and CTCSS tone information, see the Ham Radio Satellite Frequencies reference in the blog, or the Ham Radio Satellite Glossary for terminology help.