Summary of Decoding Russian Meteor-M2 satellite images in real time
The Meteor-M N2 is a Russian polar-orbiting weather satellite launched in 2014, tasked with forecasting, climate monitoring, and space weather analysis. It broadcasts high-resolution digital LRPT images at 137.1 MHz using the QPSK protocol. These signals can be received using an RTL-SDR dongle paired with a compatible antenna. A specialized QPSK demodulator plugin for SDR# software enables real-time decoding of these images, offering significantly better resolution than older analog NOAA satellites.
Parts used in the Meteor-M N2 Reception Project:
- Meteor-M N2 Satellite
- RTL-SDR Dongle (R820T unit recommended)
- V-Dipole Antenna or DIY Quadrafilar Helix Antenna
- 2m band ham radio antenna
- 2m/70 cm dual band ham radio antenna
- SDR# Software
- Oleg Bekrenev's QPSK Demodulator Plugin
The Meteor-M N2 is a polar orbiting Russian weather satellite that was launched on July 8, 2014. Its main missions are weather forecasting, climate change monitoring, sea water monitoring/forecasting and space weather analysis/prediction. Meteor-M N2 transmits images using the digital LRPT protocol at around 137.1 MHz with can be received with an RTL-SDR. The chipset of RTL dongles was created with the intention of doing DVB-T (digital TV) and DAB (digital radio) demodulation , however a curious linux developer named Antti Palosaari, discovered that these cheap TV adapters are actually Sofware Defined Radios (SDR)!
If you don’t have experience with SDR or SDR# software you can take a look at my RTL-SDR analog receiver tutorial. These receiver dongles used to sell for $20, but are now going for around $15, for most cases R820T unit is the better choice. You will need a 137 Mhz antenna check plan for the easy to produce V-Dipole by Adam-9A4QV or a DIY Quadrafilar Helix Antenna. But trust me this signal from space is powerful and almost any 2m band (144 Mhz) or 2m/70 cm dual band ham radio antenna will work good enough.
The satellite is currently active with a Low Resolution Picture Transmission (LRPT) signal which broadcasts live weather satellite images, similar to the 137 Mhz APT images produced by the US NOAA satellites. LRPT images are however much better as they are transmitted as a digital signal with an image resolution 12 times greater than the aging analog US NOAA APT signals. NOAA satellite images are grainy black and white and the color is artificial and added by the processing software. Thanks to the work of Oleg Bekrenev we now have a QPSK demodulator plugin for SDR# that allows the real time reception and decoding of Meteor-M2 LRPT images. The demodulator works very good even with weak signals, it’s capable of decode image with SNR > 5-6. Thanks to that you can receive satellite images with suboptimal antennas.
Read More: Decoding Russian Meteor-M2 satellite images in real time
- What is the main purpose of the Meteor-M N2 satellite?
Its main missions are weather forecasting, climate change monitoring, sea water monitoring, and space weather analysis. - Can an RTL-SDR receive Meteor-M N2 signals?
Yes, the satellite transmits images at 137.1 MHz which can be received with an RTL-SDR. - Which RTL-SDR chipset unit is considered the better choice?
The R820T unit is generally the better choice for most cases. - Does the signal require a specialized antenna?
No, almost any 2m band or 2m/70 cm dual band ham radio antenna works well enough due to the strong signal. - How does the image quality compare to US NOAA satellites?
Meteor-M N2 images have an image resolution 12 times greater than aging analog US NOAA APT signals. - What allows for real-time reception of Meteor-M2 LRPT images?
A QPSK demodulator plugin created by Oleg Bekrenev for SDR# software allows real-time reception and decoding. - What is the minimum SNR required to decode an image?
The demodulator is capable of decoding images with an SNR greater than 5-6. - Are the colors in Meteor-M N2 images artificial?
No, unlike NOAA images where color is added artificially, Meteor-M N2 transmits digital signals that provide true imagery.
