Trying out Gpredict for Windows, Satellite Tracking Software
Trying out Gpredict for Windows, Satellite Tracking Software
Earlier I had known that Gpredict software is available for satellite tracking, orbit prediction, Doppler tracking, antenna rotator control and visualization, as Linux version. Yesterday I was told that there is a Windows version as well, by a couple of my friends on our LEO Satellite Repeater Contact group. It can be downloaded from sourceforge.net, which also provides many other useful software downloads. I have downloaded it and received a 22.9 MB zip file. It is seen as a Win 32 file, which I have been told that it will work on 64 bit as well. Extracted the zip file to a new folder on my laptop. Gpredict software is by OZ9AEC.
After extracting files to a folder, I clicked open the Gpredict icon and could see an initial sample display from Denmark for six satellites AO-73, AO-85, AO-91, FO-29, ISS and SO-50. Live display of whole lot parameters for ISS were seen. The world map at the top showed the relative position and range of the various satellites. A radar screen showed the directions and beside it was the name of the next satellite pass and the period in which it was due. Clicking on the parameters menu had option to select from the list of satellites as shown in the inset to the left.
Next thing I did was to click the Edit menu and then the Preferences. In the number formats I checked the ‘Show local time instead of UTC’ as I am more used to IST rather than UTC, and then pressed the Time format Reset as well.
After that, in the Ground Stations menu I added a new one with my grid location and named it as my callsign. After that I deleted the Sample profile. Then the display showed my callsign and local time.
Edit menu was used once again to update TLE data from network. After that it showed Satellites updated 446, Satellites skipped 0, Missing Satellites 533 and New Satellites 426.
We can choose the number of satellites to monitor on the front screen from drop down menu at the top right corner as shown in the figure.
I removed satellites which are not currently available for me using the left arrow, and added ones which were missing in the initial list from the left side using the right arrow.
After clicking OK, the newly chosen list of satellites were available on the initial screen. Next suitable satellite pass was also displayed. I did not explore the menus for Radio Control and Antenna Control as I have not configured them. Of course this is just a preliminary report of my initial usage of Gpredict and there are many more things to learn.
As I was finishing this report, I noted that Tevel 4 was in range and was moving on the radar screen along its periphery, meaning that it is a low elevation pass here! Tevel 4 was also visible in the map display and my location was shown to be within its range by a circle. All other selected satellites were also seen on different locations on the map. I am quite happy with my initial trial of Gpredict!