Polar-orbiting weather satellites — NOAA (APT) and Meteor-M (LRPT) — broadcast imagery on 137 MHz as they pass overhead. With an SDR and a 137 MHz antenna you can pull down your own live weather pictures.
The pipeline
predict pass (skyfield) → record 137 MHz during the pass (SDR)
→ decode + process (satdump) → image- A scheduler (Python + skyfield) computes when each satellite rises above the horizon and triggers a capture.
- satdump handles demodulation and image processing for both NOAA APT and Meteor LRPT.
satdump live meteor_m2-x_lrpt baseband.cf32 ./out --source rtlsdr --frequency 137.1e6Requirements
| Need | Why |
|---|---|
| 137 MHz antenna | A turnstile or QFH tuned for the band — the single biggest factor |
| Clear sky view | Passes are low on the horizon |
| Right-hand circular pol | Satellites transmit RHCP |
Dongle conflict: if one RTL-SDR is busy with ADS-B, you need a second for 137 MHz captures.
Related: ADS-B Aircraft Tracking with readsb · theLAB Fleet Map