High-resolution picture transmission

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An HRPT Image from a NOAA Satellite Fran10.jpg
An HRPT Image from a NOAA Satellite

Live Weather satellite pictures are often broadcast as high-resolution picture transmissions (HRPTs), color high-resolution picture transmissions (CHRPTs) for Chinese weather satellite transmissions, or advanced high-resolution picture transmissions (AHRPTs) for EUMETSAT weather satellite transmissions. HRPT transmissions are generally available around the world and are currently transmitted from some polar orbiting weather satellites.

Contents

Broadcast signal
The working frequency band for HRPT is L Band at 1.670–1.710 GHz and the modulation type is BPSK. [1] On NOAA KLM satellites the transmission power is 6.35 Watts, or 38.03 dBm. [2] The METEOR-M series of satellites uses a similar format to HRPT with the same modulation [3] . The METOP satellites broadcast with a bandwidth of 4.5 MHz, these use QPSK and AHRPT. [4]

Reception

Hardware

In order to receive HRPT transmissions a high gain antenna is required, such as a small satellite dish, a helical antenna, or a crossed yagi. Basic reception equipment includes a parabolic dish antenna attached to an Azimuth-Elevation unit. The HRPT signal is further enhanced with a 1.7 GHz pre-amplifier. An HRPT receiver unit and a dish tracking controller are required to steer the Azimuth-Elevation unit controlling the parabolic dish. As an alternative to receiving direct broadcast from polar orbiting satellites, users in Europe and Africa can also receive rebroadcast data from the EUMETSAT EUMETCAST service via Digital Video Broadcasting using a simple stationary satellite dish. [5]

Software

Both commercial and free software for demodulating HRPT transmission signals exists: Example of commercial demodulation software is XHRPT Decoder. [6] Free software exists as a part of GNURadio package, the GR-NOAA blocks and flowcharts distributed by Manuel Bülo. [7]

Free software for decoding data packets contained in HRPT is available, for example SatDump [8] , DWDSAT HRPT Viewer V1.1.0 [9] or AAPP [10] with Satpy. [11]

Satellite status

OrganizationSatellite NameOrbitServiceFrequencyData rateStatus
NOAANOAA-15PolarHRPT1702.5 MHz0.665Mbps [12] Offline
NOAANOAA-18PolarHRPT1707.0 MHz0.665Mbps [12] Offline
NOAANOAA-19PolarHRPT1698.0 MHz [13] 0.665Mbps [12] Offline
EUMETSATMetop-A [14] PolarAHRPT1701.3 MHz4.66Mbps [15] Offline
EUMETSATMetop-BPolarAHRPT1701.3 MHz4.66Mbps [15] Transmitting
EUMETSATMetop-CPolarAHRPT1701.3 MHz4.66Mbps [15] Transmitting
CMA Fengyun 3A [16] Sun-synchronous AHRPT1704.5 MHz4.2Mbps [17] Offline
CMA Fengyun 3B [18] Sun-synchronousAHRPT1704.5 MHz4.2Mbps [17] Offline
CMA Fengyun 3C [19] Sun-synchronousAHRPT1701.3 MHz4.2Mbps [17] Offline
RosHydroMetMeteor-M N2Sun-synchronousHRPT1700.0 MHz [20] 0.6654Mbps [21] Offline
RosHydroMetMeteor-M N2-2Sun-synchronousHRPT1700.0 MHz [22] 0.6654Mbps [21] Offline
RosHydroMetMeteor-M N2-3Sun-synchronousHRPT1700.0 MHz [23] 0.6654Mbps [21] Transmitting
RosHydroMetMeteor-M N2-4Sun-synchronousHRPT1700.0 MHz [24] 0.6654Mbps [21] Transmitting

Notes and references

  1. http://www.scanex.ru/en/stations/default.asp?submenu=alice&id=specifications [ bare URL ]
  2. "NOAA KLM USer's GUIDE Section 4.1". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2009-12-08.
  3. "(R) SRC Planeta". planet.iitp.ru. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-11-26. Retrieved 2009-12-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "EUMETCAST". 5 May 2020.
  6. "USA-Satcom xHRPT decoder setup" . Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  7. "A Simple GnuRadio HRPT Decoder" . Retrieved 2020-01-05.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. "SatDump". SatDump. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  9. "DWDSAT HRPT Viewer - from SatSignal Software".
  10. "ATOVS and AVHRR Pre-processing Package (AAPP)".
  11. "Satpy".
  12. 1 2 3 "NOAA table of Polar-orbiting Satellites Equator Crossing Times and Frequencies". 2011-09-01.
  13. "Operational Satellite Status Information - NOAA Satellite Information System (NOAASIS); Office of Satellite and Product Operations". Archived from the original on 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
  14. http://www.eumetsat.int/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dDocName=pdf_td18_metop%5B%5D
  15. 1 2 3 EUMETSAT Polar System Core Ground Segment:Metop HRPT/LRPT User Station Design Specification REF: EPS-ASPI-DS-0674 DATE: 05/03/03 ISSUE: 1.1
  16. "WMO OSCAR | Satellite: FY-3A".
  17. 1 2 3 "– AHRPT on the series of FY-3 satellites is disseminated at 1704.5 MHz with a bandwidth of 6.8 MHz at a data rate of 4.2 Mbps or on Metop at 1701 MHz with a bandwidth of 4.5 MHz at a data rate of 4.66 Mbps ." Meteorological Satellite Communications David F. McGinnis, NOAA Markus Dreis, EUMETSAT 17 September 2009
  18. "WMO OSCAR | Satellite: FY-3B".
  19. "WMO OSCAR | Satellite: FY-3C".
  20. "WMO Oscar Meteor-M N2-1" . Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  21. 1 2 3 4 "(R) SRC Planeta". planet.iitp.ru. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  22. "WMO Oscar Meteor-M N2-2" . Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  23. "WMO Oscar Meteor-M N2-3" . Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  24. "WMO Oscar Meteor-M N2-4" . Retrieved 2024-08-23.