SatMatch.Com more info then you can shake a stick at

Since writing this article, the site has been updated with most of this functionality replaced with a much easier to use UI. Thanks.

 

 

Satmatch is a cool utility created by Justin @K5EM that shows when you and the grid activator are in both in footprint on a given pass of a satellite.  You can find this utility at SatMatch.com

I always knew that Satmatch was really helpful: Hey AD0DX is activating another rare grid, is the AO7 pass he just tweeted about going to work for both of us? I go to SatMatch.com and boom! there it shows which sats, and what times we have common footprint. No more guessing, no more hoping… It’s just right there.

In early January W3ARD hosted a meeting on the internet where numerous people showed up, and one of the topics was “How I use SatMatch” by Casey (KI7UNJ) and I was blown away by other features that this website had that I was unaware of. So being who I am, I asked Casey for some hints so I could steal all this information write this blog article. So I would say Casey has more to do with this then I do… I’m just spreading his great knowledge. Thanks Casey!

Let start with the basics: Do I share a common footprint with the rover?

When you go to SatMatch.com you are shown a very simple interface. With 3 Boxes and a button:

1. Satellite (what Sats are you going to try to make contact on?)
2. Grid1 (Your or the rovers grid, whichever is farther west)
3. Grid2 (Your or the rovers grid, whichever is farther east)
4. And a Submit Button (make SatMatch do the voodoo it does so well!)

Let pretend that AD0DX is going to DL88 (yeah, lets pretend Ron is activating a rare grid) and I live in EN34ep and want to do an FM sat to make contact. Fill out the boxes

• First choose the sat: Notice it automatically gives you choices to auto fill in the box, as soon as you start typing! In this case I choose all FM sats.
• Enter Ron’s Grid (DL88) You can use either 4, 6, 8 or 10  character grids
• Enter my grid (EN34EP) You can use either 4, 6, 8 or 10  character grids
• Click “Submit

Pretty freakin’ easy wouldn’t ya say? It quickly shows the next 24 hours and all the passes for the sats you chose, where you share footprint with the rovers grid.

This is what (a portion of)  the results look like:

You quickly see what sats and what times you share footprints. Just to be clear this only shows when you have common footprint, not the entire pass.

Then if you click on one of the hyperlinks (the blue print) it shows even more detail:

Wow, it gives you maps and times, it does everything except turn on the radio! Very impressive.

Is that all it can do? I mean there is no other boxes or places I can ask for more information.… Well, No.

Now comes some of the unknown features of SatMatch…. Not as intuitive, but really helpful. This is done by pasting some text in the address bar, once you have the list of passes with common footprint….

What if I want to go out more then 24 hours?

Paste this at the end of the address bar:

?duration_hrs=48

and change the 48 to the number of hours you want to go out.

What if I want a different date, say a month out?

Paste this at the end of the address bar:

?search_start_time=2020-04-20

and change the date to whatever you wish to search for.

What if I want to start at a specific time?:

Add this to the end of the address bar:

?search_start_time=2020-04-20T16:20Z

and change the sate and time (the highlighted part)

Now you want to search a month out and for 48 hours?

Simple, Paste this at the end of the address in the bar:

?search_start_time=2020-04-20&duration_hrs=48

and change the date and hours as needed.

 

Can I just use SatMatch.com to see passes in my grid? Yep you BetchA!

For Linear Birds, past this in the address bar

https://www.satmatch.com/satellite/XW-2A,XW-2B,XW-2F,CAS-4A,CAS-4B,FO-29,AO-07/obs1/EN34ep

and change that last part (EN34ep) to your current grid!

But Paul, I want FM birds only. No problem Por Favor! We got ya!

https://www.satmatch.com/satellite/SO-50,AO-85,AO-91,AO-92,PO-101,LILACSAT-2/obs1/EN34ep

and just change to your grid…

Seriously I’m greedy show me all sats: Boom!:

Paste this

https://www.satmatch.com/satellite/SO-50,AO-85,AO-91,AO-92,PO-101,LILACSAT-2,XW-2A,XW-2B,XW-2F,CAS-4A,CAS-4B,AO-07/obs1/EN34ep

and, change to  your grid.

OK this one is big: All Sats at your grid a month out, for 48 hours:

Easy, paste this:

https://www.satmatch.com/satellite/SO-50,AO-85,AO-91,AO-92,PO-101,LILACSAT-2,XW-2A,XW-2B,XW-2F,CAS-4A,CAS-4B,AO-07/obs1/en34ep?search_start_time=2020-04-20&duration_hrs=48

and change the date, duration and grid to the proper numbers.  I even highlighted the spots to change!

 

OK, this one gets a little complicated, what if you want to show passes with a negative horizon?

• Do your search:
• In the address bar, after your grid put a comma and your location above sea level in KM, then another comma, and the amount in degrees for a negative horizon you want to show so ths grid part looks like this: /EN34,.235,-5EN34 is my grid
  • .235 is how far above sea level I am in KM
  • -5 is how far below the horizon I want to see the passes.

Or you can add the EN34,.235,-5 to your grid box on the main page, just like this:

How simple is that?!

Here is CAS4B in a full negative pass:

I’m sure there is even more features that I’m not aware of, so if you know of any let me know and I will add to the article.

Oh, Don’t forget to say thanks to K5EM ( Twitter @k5em)  for the helpful site and KI7UNJ  (Twitter @KI7UNJ) for all the info he shared with me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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