Went out with a bunch of students to observe ISS SSTV downlink. ISS was transmitting but I demonstrated how not to do a pass:
OLD FUD Approach:
1) Prepped the laptop. Battery was dead 2) rigged up heavy battery and 60 Hz inverter (1 hr to go) 3) Booted laptop but it was locked out of network 4) After three tires at password, it locked me out of all my accounts on every PC at the school 5) Gave up and dug out a Kenwood VC-H1 SSTV handheld to go with a TH-D72 (30m to AOS) 6) VC-H1 batteries were of course dead 7) Found new batteries (10m to AOS) 8) From 20 years ago, had a hard time remembering how to work it 9) Nothing heard at beginning with 3 element yagi 10) commented how this is not unusual for ISS to change schedules 11) Then heard it, but too weak 12) I explained how to track in AZ and EL and Polarity to maximize the signal 13) Had to keep asking the mids for the TIME so I knew where to point
MELINNIAL APPROACH:
MEANWHILE I noticed some of the students holding their Phones in their hands at arms length and waving them around. They pointed to ISS... The phones showed exactl;y where the ISS was as the AP placed the ISS and sky track on the sky view. Done!
Im sure most of you are well aware of these things, but for the other old fuds:
The AP was SKYGUIDE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sky-guide/id576588894 And SKYWALK: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/star-walk-explore-the-sky/id295430577 I am sure there are others.
Time for me to get out of the way... ;-( Bob, WB4APR