ISS SSTV Series 34 images set for October 22-25 on 437.55 MHz

The International Space Station is scheduled to send slow-scan television pictures to the ground again this week. ARISS says SSTV Series 34, themed "ARISS Hardware," begins Thursday, October 22, and runs through Sunday, October 25. Start and end times have not been set yet, according to the AMSAT News Service.

SSTV events are among the easiest ways to hear the ISS. No transmitter or license privileges are needed to receive. A handheld or mobile radio that covers the band, a modest antenna and a free decoding app on a phone or computer can turn the audio into a picture. A small directional antenna helps, but many operators copy usable images with simple setups.

ARISS says the images will be sent on 437.55 MHz in Robot 36 mode. Each picture takes 36 seconds to send, followed by two minutes off. Expect Doppler shift, so be ready to tune a few kHz as the station passes overhead.

To take part, find the ISS passes for your location and start listening a little before the station rises. Received pictures can be submitted to the ARISS SSTV gallery, and ARISS offers an event certificate to those who do. ARISS radios are switched off during spacewalks, dockings and undockings, so plans can change. Check ariss.org for the final times and the current status of the station's radios.