The Quantum Technology Club held their first Brickworks evening of 2024 on the 4th January – the subject being the use of Slow Scan Television (SSTV) on the 2m band using FM.
Around twenty folk gathered to listen to an introduction to the digital image mode, which was completely new to many of them. A demonstration was also given using a traditional shack-in-a-box transceiver (Yeasu FT-991) and a Kenwood field SSTV station (TH-D7E handheld transceiver and VC-H1 Visual Communicator).
Slow Scan Television (SSTV)
SSTV is the transmitting and receiving of images wirelessly using most bands that will support wide-band digital transmissions. These transmissions occupy the same amount of bandwidth as a voice transmission.
The image is scanned, pixel-by-pixel, one line at a time – very similar to the way fax machines scanned and transmitted images over a telephone line. The difference between SSTV and fax images were that the former were in colour.
One difference between using SSTV on HF and VHF is that the images can be clearer on the higher bands. This is because the VHF signal isn’t being refracted off the ionosphere to earth and then bounced back up during its journey from transmitter to receiver. It’s also over a shorter distance, so the signal strength does not degrade as much.
SSTV on 2m in the 90s
Back in the 1990s, SSTV was very popular on 2m FM. This was because there were Class A licence holders (allowed to use the HF, VHF, UHF and higher bands) and Class B licence holders (only allowed to use the VHF, UHF and higher bands). Class B licence holders were just as innovative and eager to experiment with various technologies and the number of stations sending and receiving images on 2m and 70cm was quite high.
Since the Class B licence was abolished, promoting all holders of such a licence to a Class A licence, SSTV on 2m has died a death. This is because receiving images from far flung corners of the world is much more appealing.
2m SSTV from the International Space Station
Over recent years the astronauts aboard the International Space Station have revived SSTV on 2m somewhat by transmitting images from space. These space themed SSTV sessions are few and far between, but they have ignited interest in the mode amongst many radio amateurs who haven’t used the mode before.
Slow Scan Television in the future
Packet radio has had a small resurgence over the past few years since Covid confined us all to our shacks, so the Quantum Technology Club thought it would be a nice idea to revel in a little nostalgia and encourage the use of the mode on the VHF bands – particularly 2m.
The presentation was well received by all who attended and it’s been decided to proceed with stage two and organise a 2m FM SSTV Activity Evening in the coming months for amateur radio operators in the North West. Who knows, it might just catch on; but if it doesn’t, we’ve had an experiment and done something other folk haven’t done for many a year. Watch this website for further details in the coming weeks.
Further Brickworks presentations
We will be holding more Brickworks presentations in the future. They’re designed to help you explore the hobby and learn new things. For further details, please look at our calendar.
About Brickworks
Brickworks is an initiative provided by the RSGB, to affiliated clubs that have pledged to support all radio amateurs, both newly licensed and existing license holders, who want to explore the hobby and gain more experience in its many different facets. Brickworks accredited clubs will lay on a mixture of presentations, practical sessions and activities to help participants in the scheme grow in the hobby.
The Quantum Technology Club is a Brickworks Accredited Club and Weill be holding several sessions throughout the year to help nurture the knowledge and understanding of all radio amateurs. As with all such clubs, we reward learning, experimenting and taking part with a series of Brickworks certificates that are completely free of charge (1) – as are all the sessions and activities we organise.
If you would like to take part in Brickworks activities at the Quantum Technology and receive certificates to reward your progress you can register here. You don’t need to be a member of the Quantum Technology Club to register for the Brickworks scheme or attend our meetings.
(1) Please note that we do charge members and visitors ‘subs’ to help pay for the rental of our venue at all of our meetings.