Checking the ISS pass data I could see it was going to be a good pass for me to listen and so I setup my Wouxun KG-UV980P quad bander on 145.800Mhz to see if I could hear Jack.
Having only a Diamond V2000 vertical antenna, I don’t have the best station for satellite communications however, it has worked well in the past.
Sure enough, as the ISS approached the UK from the South West and reached 2deg above the horizon the signal started coming through. Below is the video I took of the pass.
I ended the video at 6min and 35sec as I thought I’d lost the satellite as it was out to the East over Russia and blocked by farm buildings near my QTH however, once I stopped videoing I remembered to move the VFO down 5Khz and sure enough I was able to hear the ISS right up until the point that Jack signed and ended the QSO.
I really should try to see if I can get some QSO’s via the ISS FM Repeater as the received signal really is very good. Whether the transmitted signal would be as good remains to be seen.
For some time I’ve wanted a full duplex 2m/70cm handheld so I could have a go at working the LEO FM satellites during the summer months from the garden.
Searching through all the handhelds available today I came across the Wouxun KG-UV9K dual band, full duplex VHF/UHF radio.
Since I already own a Wouxun KG-UV980PL Quad bander (6/4/2m & 70cm) I’m familiar with the menu system and the very good build quality so I decided to research it further.
Wouxun KG-UV9K Full Duplex Handheld
Looking at the spec for the handheld it does everything I want and more whilst being reasonably priced.
Jumping onto the Martin Lynch and Sons website I found there were two listings, the radio on its own or the “Pro Pack”.
The radio on its own was £79.00 but, the Pro Pack was only £20 more at £99.00 and came with every option available for the handheld including a programming cable, 2 batteries and a rather nice carry case.
Wouxun KG-UV9K Pro Pack
The full specification and other details for the “Pro Pack” can be found on the ML&S website but, here’s a brief summary:
Pro pack contains:
KG-UV9K Transceiver with 2 antennas
Two batteries Two belt-clips Software and transfer data Cable Fast charger dock and Power Supply Hand speaker mic Battery eliminator Manual Wrist strap Leather case In-car charger SMA-SO239 adaptor Hands-Free kit
Like my Wouxun quad bander the handheld can also be configured as a cross-band repeater, something I’ve not yet found a use for but an interesting feature. Of course being a full duplex radio with two receivers you can listen to signals on 2m and 70cm simultaneously or transmit on one and listen on the other, a feature I’ve wanted for LEO satellite operations.
The radio is really easy to programme using CHIRP and easy to setup via the very logical menu layout. The hand held has a good solid feel to it and I’ve found the battery lasts a good 3-4 days even though I use it to chat with other stations via my AllStarLink node most mornings and the radio is left monitoring all day.
The larger of the two supplied antennas works extremely well having a relatively good gain. I can now easily get into my two local repeaters on 2m & 70cm from within the house, something I’ve never been able to do with my old Retevis RT85 even with a high gain antenna on it.
The receivers in the UV9K are head and shoulders better than that of the Retevis RT85, I’m hearing signals much stronger now and can even get into repeaters that I’ve never even heard on the old Retevis handheld.
The display on the Wouxun is bright and easy to read, even in bright sunshine which is great as I plan to use it outside a lot during the summer months.
The supplied speaker mic gets good unsolicited audio reports on transmit and has clear audio on receive with plenty of volume. The speaker mic doesn’t have any radio control buttons on it sadly, something I really like about the Wouxun UV980PL quad bander as you can control every aspect of the radio without touching the front panel. Would be a nice upgrade for the handheld if it every became available.
Overall I’m really impressed with the Wouxun UV9K Pro Pack. The radio performs very well, comes with every optional extra available and is a bargain at just £99.00.
If you’re looking for a full duplex handheld radio then I recommend you grab the Pro Pack before the offer ends.
Following this a number of girl guides posed questions which were very quickly answered as the ISS passed overhead.
Using my new Wouxun UV-980PL and simple end-fed vertical dipole I got a great signal from the ISS HAM radio station and was able to receive the ISS side of the conversation as the space station approached the N/W Coast of Spain until it eventually dropped below the horizon out of site nearing East Russia.
Below is a short video clip with audio showing the clarity of reception. The ISS peaked at an S9 signal, it was a perfect pass for the special event.
I’m hoping to put up a better antenna for 2/4/6m & 70cm in the next few days so that I can start joining the local nets on these bands and perhaps get contacts through a few more of the FM Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.
I’ll also be writing a full article on the Wouxun KG UV-980PL in the very near future, so if this radio is of interest to you then watch this space.
More soon …
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