HearSat Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I track the satellites I want to receive?

You will need a satellite tracking program for your personal computer.
Satellite programs are available for several operating systems (DOS,
Windows 3.x, Windows 9x, Linux). If you search the WWW you will find
many different programs to choose from. A good place to start is the
AMSAT website at: www.amsat.org

A very popular shareware program is Dave Ransom's STS Orbit Plus. This
program is used by NASA (what better recommendation do you need?).

You will also need to provide up-to-date "Two-Line-Elements". "TLE's
are the data that programs use to compute and display (or tabulate) a
satellite's position in space. TLE's are available on this website, and
from other sources. You must update your "elements" regularly to make
sure that your satellite predictions are accurate. Most Low-Earth-Orbit
satellites should be tracked with elements which are no more than
2 weeks old. Others - such as Mir - maneuver frequently to dock with
supply vessels, or to boost their orbit, and require special element
updates. Short duration mission spacecraft - such as the US Space
Shuttle maneuver frequently and may require several element sets per
day to be tracked accurately.

It is important to note that Low-Earth-Orbit satellites pass your
location very quickly and can typically only be heard for a few minutes
four or five times per day. Using a tracking program will quickly help
you to understand why.