SSTV from the ISS

I'm currently in one of the desert communities of the Northern Territory, amongst people who have one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world. Yes, I am a foreigner on their land, but they have made me feel very welcome.  It is from here that I managed to receive a SSTV image from the ISS.  My trusty ID-51 did the job nicely.  

I found this very strange as the hi-tech space-age manned satellite beacon out its message across an ancient land, whilst I was there living amongst an ancient cultural group.  It can really do your head in as these two, seemingly incompatible, worlds collide (not literally).  What a great space to be in!

For a brief moment in time the closest Amateur Station to me was 400km straight-up. Fact Check, I found that VK6PCB was in Halls Creek (only about 300km away).

'Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot live in a cradle forever.' 

(Konstantin Tsiolkovsky)

SSB and CESSB from a QMX+

 

What is CESSB, I hear you ask. Wiki has the simple answer. CESSB (controlled-envelope single-sideband) is a narrowband modulation method using a single sideband, whose peak envelope level is controlled so that the peak-to-average power ratio of CESSB is much reduced compared to standard SSB modulation and offers improved effective range over standard SSB modulation while simultaneously retaining backwards compatibility with standard SSB radios. 

See also David L. Hershberger, W9GR's paper here: - http://www.arrl.org/files/file/QEX_Next_Issue/2014/Nov-Dec_2014/Hershberger_QEX_11_14.pdf

Hans, from QRP Labs, is getting very close to releasing firmware that will add (CE)SSB to the QMX and the QMX+.  These are amazing QRP radios in a small form-factor, and getting better with each software release.