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How to Send Color Pictures via Ham Radio

One of the developments in ham radio over the more than 100 years of its existence is the ability to send color pictures. Usually referred to as SSTV, or Slow Scan TV, this branch of ham radio allows you to work stations around the world and receive a visual card, rather than just a voice contact. You can send color pictures via ham radio on even low QRP power levels, so you don't need a huge investment to go visual.

Things You'll Need

Standard QRP receiver and transmitter, or transceiver
Antenna
PC, preferably with sound card for more software options

Instructions

Send Color Pictures Via Your Ham Radio
- 1
  Go to DX Zone (see Resources below) or another portal for ham radio software.
- 2
  Choose software, preferably freeware, which will work with your particular PC and operating system.
- 3
  Download the software and install it on your machine.
- 4
  Take a digital picture of yourself, or whatever subjects you'd like to send via ham radio. Most hams transmit color pictures of themselves or their ham radio rigs. Another popular category to send is simply a photo that's representative of your part of the world. It's also perfectly appropriate to send color pictures created by you in an art program--anything that would be of interest to fellow hams.
- 5
  Follow the instructions of the particular software program you choose and upload your photo onto your PC so it's ready to be slow-scanned.
- 6
  Transmit over the Scottie S1 mode in the U.S. or the Martin M1mode in Europe. As SSTV is not a broadcast, as such, it requires that you first listen on the frequency you're using to see if it's free for you to send your color pictures.
- 7
  Announce, when the band is clear, the mode you're using before transmitting.

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