This was a project to try establish an I-gate - more specifically, a SatGate - to gate APRS packets from stations working the ISS.
I have now succesfully achieved that, and with about the most basic set-up possible!
I made a simple 120 degree dipole - cut for 145.825 MHz - and mounted it as high as possible inside my flat. It's not in the roof space, as I didn't want it to interfere with my wire dipoles, but it does give a 1.07:1 SWR and so I did hope for some positive results.
I used an RTL-SDR USB receiver, UISS and Dany/LU4EG's UISS-SatGate2 module. You additionally require a "validation number" to allow you to both send data to APRS2 servers and let it to pass through to the I-gates, including your own!
The station I-gated, (SatGated), was the 3rd packet down on the following UISS main screen screenshot.
and here is the ARISS.NET entry.
2020-10-29 06:33:17 GMT:
ON4BN>CQ,NA1SS*,RS0ISS,qAR,G8VVY-6:=5104.08N/00522.49E-73' Via Satellite frm Belgium, op:Jurgen
I'd tried using a handheld yagi uda but, although the gain is much better, it was virtually impossible to 'point' the antenna and adjust manually for Doppler at the same time!
The 120 degree dipole should give positive results for high passes.
