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     Peter Miles
     Northam, Western Australia

     

 

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COMSATBw-1

COMSATBw-1 Background and technical overview.


HOME  > OPERATIONAL > MODES & FREQUENCIES > SATELLITES - RADIO TARGETS >

 

COMSATBw-1 provides the Bundeswehr with secure satellite communications for forces deployed away from Germany. The system supports:

voice communications
IP/data communications
video and other information
communications between deployed units and Germany
communications during exercises and operations
NATO/allied operational connectivity

Pirate activity has been reported on COMSATBw-1, although it is much less consistently documented than the well-known pirate activity on the older U.S. FLTSATCOM/UFO satellites.

Historical monitoring reports specifically identify COMSATBw-1 at 63°E as carrying unauthorized broadcasts. One report from 2010 noted that the 253.750 MHz transponder was carrying an Asian wideband-FM radio station.

 

Details

Satellite: ComsatBW-1
Norad ID: 35943
Operator: German military
Status: Operational over the Indian Ocean.
Frequency Range: 243 - 259 MHz VHF Down Link

X Band: 7.25–7.75 GHz

Mode: FM
Altitude [km]: 35800 km
Orbital position Longitude: 63°
Tracking:  https://www.n2yo.com/?s=35943&live=1 

 

Channel confirmation was achieved by monitoring the channel frequency for consistency with the band plan, verifying the bandwidth and antenna targeting to assess the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio).

Frequency
Bandwidth Status
243.625 MHz 25kHz Confirmed (25kHz) 26 Sept, 2026
251.775 MHz 25kHz  
254.775 MHz 25kHz  
255.450 MHz 25kHz  
259.250 MHz 25kHz  

 

 
Reception
Reports

Date Time Frequency Details
       
Antenna: 5 Element Yagi for 250MHz. https://vk6ysf.com/yagi_250mhz_5el_20220925.html  
Software: SDR Software: SDR++Brown
 

 

Screenshot 1  

 

 

References

Gunter's Space Page https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/comsatbw-1.htm 
Satellite Tracking

https://www.n2yo.com/?s=35943&live=1 

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SATCOMBw 

 

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Page initiated 25 September, 2026 

Page last revised 26 September, 2026   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Space Weather

   https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

    

Michael Faraday born 22 Sep 1791

Shaping the modern electrical age, Michael Faraday (1791–1867) was a pioneering British scientist who transformed our understanding of electricity and magnetism. His discoveries included electromagnetic induction, which laid the foundation for electric generators and transformers, as well as the principles behind the electric motor.

   Notice Board

VK6YSF JS8Call and Olivia 8/250 operations.

Current activity is generally focused - though not restricted to - JS8Call operations on the 20, 30m, and 40m bands.

Olivia 8/250 is used occasionally on the 20m band.

Proposed band and mode activity is often communicated on HamSpots: https://hamspots.net/js8/ or my profile on 

X: https://x.com/vk6ysf97230 .  

Post date: 27 August 2026

 

Local Repeaters

Repeaters Page Updated - Expanded and refreshed information on VHF and UHF repeaters across Western Australia's Central Coast, Perth, the Avon Valley, and the Peel region. New AllStar Link information has also been added, including linked repeater details and gateway information across the State.

Repeaters details:

https://vk6ysf.com/local_repeaters.htm

 

AllStar Link notes:

https://vk6ysf.com/allstar_notes-20260703.htm

 

Post date: 27 August 2026

 

Western Australian SSTV net 

Popular Western Australian SSTV net for both digital and anolog SSTV.

Generally found at 7214.0kHz LSB every afternoon from 08:00 UTC (4:00pm WST)

For more details: https://www.wasstv.net/wasstv.net/index.html

Post date: 8 December 2025

 

VK6MJM LF (136kHz) and MF (474kHz) Beacon

VK6MJM is a  LF/MF station located in Manjimup, Western Australia.

Common Mode: FST4W 300 (Similar to WSPR)  

Note: other modes and sub-modes may be used.

Station details were presented by Peter Hall (VK6HP) at PerthTech 2024.Presentation PDF: Peter Hall VK6HP at PerthTech

QRZ Page: VK6MJM on QRZ.com

Post date: 10 March 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Amateur Radio Station VK6YSF - Promoting amateur radio communication and experimentation.