A simple telemetry system was devised soon after the launch of the Alouette I satellite to obtain topside ionograms directly from the satellite. The video data from a simple receiver are tape-recorded directly with a basic system costing less than 1000. Additional equipment can supplement the basic system to improve the quality of the data and to produce film ionograms. Copyright © 1969 by The Inshtute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.