Projects · 137 MHz · Archive
Weather Satellite Images
How I received pictures straight from NOAA's polar-orbiting weather satellites with a simple antenna, an SDR dongle and free software.
These satellites are retired
NOAA has shut down all three of its APT weather satellites: NOAA 18 on June 6, 2025, NOAA 19 on August 13, 2025, and NOAA 15 on August 19, 2025. There are no more APT signals to receive on 137 MHz. I'm keeping this page and my image archive up for history's sake.
What APT satellites were
NOAA's APT (Automatic Picture Transmission) satellites were low Earth orbit (LEO) weather satellites operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They captured images of Earth's weather and transmitted them in the APT format, providing valuable data for weather analysis and forecasting.
Because the satellites broadcast with omnidirectional antennas, anyone with a simple setup — like a 2-meter omnidirectional antenna, an SDR (software-defined radio) dongle and the right software — could receive and decode the signals. The result was real-time or near-real-time images of cloud formations, storm systems and other weather, which helped with weather monitoring and with understanding weather patterns, both locally and globally.
My setup
Using a 2-meter omnidirectional antenna, an SDR dongle and free software, I received and decoded images from NOAA 15, NOAA 18 and NOAA 19. You can still browse the images I collected.
In 2024 I was working on a few new antenna designs for these satellites before they were retired. For live satellite weather images today, see my GOES satellite station.