- AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Let’s talk satellites
by Paul F. Merrill 10 Aug '20

10 Aug '20

1) We need a separate mailing list for campaign issues in campaign season. The back and forth is valuable because I’ve seen one candidate who I’m very glad to not have voted for, more than one I can’t wait to vote against, and clues as to the personal integrity of others. Useful information, but it doesn’t need to be diluting operational satellite conversations, mentoring, and other useful information. 2) I’d throw a vote in for a different communication platform than this legacy bbs format - apparently even very smart people who can get little flying repeaters into orbit can’t understand how to trim their messages - the digests and nearly unreadable when someone posts a three word comment over 400 lines of nested emails. 3) For the pedants among us, yes...I know that I can view the threads in the browser, but when I rejoined AMSAT earlier in the year, I was very enthusiastic at how much useful information I gleaned from the daily digests - lately...not so much.

1 0

Another mailing list?
by Stephen DeVience 10 Aug '20

10 Aug '20

I'm trying to figure out what satellite antennas I should build next, so I ran some simulations of signal strengths for various ground station and satellite antenna combinations, given a tumbling satellite like the foxes. It turns out a dipole or whip antenna on the satellite is not so good, because some fraction of the time is spent in its null (when the long axis of the antenna is pointed toward ground). It's more reliable to have an omnidirectional, circularly polarized antenna on the bird, which is why things like this exist: https://gomspace.com/shop/subsystems/communication-systems/nanocom-ant430.a… It's similar to the design on Lilacsat-2. It would also make your Lindenblad very happy. I'll have to write something up for the Journal. -Stephen, N8URE

1 0

AMSAT-NA - WE4B
by Clint Bradford 09 Aug '20

09 Aug '20

The future indicates “clear skies” for AMSAT-NA, as far as fulfilling their mission statement is concerned. Say, WE4B - You have been asked several times to report which AMSAT-NA activities in which you have been involved. What HAVE you volunteered to do for AMSAT-NA in, say, the past ten years? Don’t you think actual volunteer hours devoted to an organization is a valuable part of one’s resume - as they runoff office for that organization? Clint Bradford K6LCS WE4B - > Regardless of who wins this election, there will still be a cloud over AMSAT regarding the handling of members? monies until an independent source provides an authoritative summary of both AMSAT?s finances and physical assets.

1 0

new computer doesn't see Keyspan adapters
by Perry Yantis 09 Aug '20

09 Aug '20

I have purchased a new MacBook Pro computer running Mac OS 10.15.6 with USB-C portsIt is just like my old MacBook Pro computer with USB-A ports, running the same OS except while my older computer sees my Keyspan usb to serial adaptors and gives me radio and antenna control, my new computer doesn't see these adaptors for some reason.I have went to Keyspans web page and downloaded a newer driver but still not seeing these adaptors.Does anyone else have this problem or have a solution?I will try calling Keyspan tomorrow. Perry WB8OTH py41(a)att.net sent from my Apple Macbook Pro

2 1

ONE INDIVIDUAL'S VIEW
by GEO Badger 09 Aug '20

09 Aug '20

Hello, I was born the eldest of four into a prosperous WASP familyin southern Cali. I squandered pretty much every opportunity given tome, a West Point appointment, a scholarship to Virginia Tech, those sortsof things. We moved a lot so I never really developed any long termfriendships. I received many "citations” during my four years inthe military. However, those where not the kind you wear on youruniform, they were Article 15's of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.I wasn't at the "appointed place at the appointed time". I chafe atauthority. Upon my honorable discharge from the military I returned toCali and pretty much lived as a 1%'er for a few years. In 1980 SiliconValley called and I went to work as a design engineer to VP of Engineeringfor a number of tech firms in the valley. They included TeledyneMEC, M/A-COM, ThermoFisher Scientific and MBARI among others. During that time I became a pillar in the community, whoknew, and was, and still am, involved with non-profits, all501(c)(3) orgs. Additionally, my wife, MBA in Non-Profit Management fromthe Anderson School of UCLA, has been intimately involved in all aspectsof non-profits. She is currently assisting Burning Man in its transitionfrom a LLC to a 501(c)(3). This has been a difficult process fraughtwith politics and leadership issues. Hmmm. Now, about Amsat: Amsat is not a corporation. It has nocompensated senior management, it doesn't issue stock and it can't besold, taken over or merged. What Amsat is; a club chartered/incorporated underthe articles of 501(c) paragraph 3 which stipulates that it can be aneducational org. Donations can be deducted from the donor’s taxes. A(7) is a social club and donations may not be deducted. You've no doubtheard of political non-profits, the donations to them may not be deductedbut they are used to shield where their money that they distributecomes from. Amsat was chartered in 1969 and IMHO the by-laws are out ofdate. The mission statement and by-laws need to be revamped. Thereneeds to be more members on the BOD. The served terms should be 3 years.There should be term limits so current members rotate off. Thisinsures there is no entrenchment of an "old guard" and thereis an infusion of new ideas and talent. Is Amateur Radio growing? I have no idea, nor does anyoneelse. Is Amsat growing? Same. The satellite biz has changed dramatically.It has become VERY commercialized. I posted an email from a knowledgeable outsideobserver a while back that discussed this. Is there anyone on the BOD or within the GM, who can pick upa phone and make a personal call to Jeff Bezos, Dmitry Rogozin,Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Hiroshi Yamakawa, Jim Bridenstine, orZhang Kejian? I hesitate to guess that the answer is "No",though I threw a ringer in there. These are all young people who wereprobably born after 1969. How does Amsat move forward? Amsat needs to have a dynamicBOD who operates in a fair, honest and open manner and is willing to revampthe mission statement and by-laws to reflect an exciting organizationfocused on education. The GM needs to be invited to BOD meetings and seethe results of said meetings. By meeting with any/all of the aboveindividuals, Amsat can show them that the club is providing the interestand educational directions for young people to become the newengineers/scientists that these space organizations are going to requireto be viable in the future. BTW, status quo, anger, personal attacks and/or the airing ofdirty laundry is the antithesis to Amsat moving forward. Just sayin’….. --- Ciao baby, catch you on the flip side 73 de W3AB/GEO http://www.w3ab.org You can say "over", you can say "out", you just can't say "over and out".

5 4

Another call for forensic accounting and an inventory
by Jeff Johns 09 Aug '20

09 Aug '20

About 24 hours ago I asked if the legacy BoD members and Officer which are running against me during this election cycle would join me to call for a full forensic accounting of AMSAT’s finances. The call to ask them to step-up and help ease the minds of many members was not answered. Why? It could be a myriad of things but because they will not (so far) step forward and help promote financial transparency is very disturbing. If there is nothing astray, then there would be nothing to worry about other than the cost for a third-party to perform the audit. I will once again ask them if they are willing to move forward a motion to authorize a forensic audit of AMSAT’s finances. Along with this audit, a full inventory of all AMSAT assets should be performed. Can any BoD member tell us, the general membership, the last time an inventory was performed? I can’t find anything in any minutes that are published. It’s good business practice to perform inventories. The Treasurer, as a CPA, should be very familiar with inventory practices in business. AMSAT is a business, albeit non-profit. An inventory of physical assets would go a long way to helping to heal AMSAT by removing the cloud. Regardless of who wins this election, there will still be a cloud over AMSAT regarding the handling of members’ monies until an independent source provides an authoritative summary of both AMSAT’s finances and physical assets. If elected, I would make the motion to have this occur in order to ease the minds of members and donors. This needs to happen regardless of who wins seats and I would ask all members to encourage the Board to make this happen. Jeff WE4B http://we4bravo.com

3 2

Re: [amsat-bb] FT-736 power supply part.
by Vince Fiscus, KB7ADL 08 Aug '20

08 Aug '20

At 12:06 PM 8/8/2020 -0400, you wrote: >Your request for info on that part made me look at the parts list I have >had for close to 20 years. >I don't think I ever used it for capacitor info as it was always available >on the capacitor. >I see my information (provided by another ham) isn't accurate on some of >the caps. >It is also possible the info was correct for the P.S. he had, as Yaesu >changed many things on the >736 and didn't document them all. > >Looks like I can't totally trust the parts list....sorry > >Â 73 >Richard / K4RTS Hi Richard, No problem. C24 isn't ceramic. I've been studying the components on that side of the schematic to see what other component could have failed to cause the SCR to blow. If C24 got hot and shorted, I wonder if that could have done it. The 736 is in fine shape, I hooked it to an external supply and current draw was normal. The bad part of all this is that my eyesight is not as good as it was 25 years ago. :-) 73

1 0

Re: [amsat-bb] FT-736 power supply part. Thanks everyone.
by Vince Fiscus, KB7ADL 08 Aug '20

08 Aug '20

At 03:23 PM 8/7/2020 -0700, wa7fwf(a)gmail.com wrote: >Vince, >Â The SCR looks to be the crowbar for a overvoltage, you may have >something else wrong also. > >http://radioaficion.com/mods/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DL7VHFs-FT-736R-mod… > >There is the schematic for a 736R, not sure what the R difference is but >it lists your SCR as a 5P4M, a google search shows many available. > >73 >Kevin Thanks Kevin, and everyone else for the help, I have all schematics and original manuals for the rig, but didn't have one for the PSU. Ha, Murphy's law I think the reason the SCR finally gave out, was I kept the radio on 24/7, and there is a lot of heat in it any way. I need to make up a 12V power cord so I can power it externally. And Talk about good luck, I also noticed I can buy the SCR on ebay, NEC brand. Thanks again everyone for all the help. 73

2 2

Forensic Accounting
by Jeff Johns 08 Aug '20

08 Aug '20

Do any of the legacy, BoDs or Officers, who are running for re-election against me want to join me to call for a full forensic accounting of AMSAT’s finances? Many members want this to occur. No matter the cost, it seems to me this would help to remove the cloud that is currently hovering over AMSAT. Anyone? If elected, I would make a motion for this to occur. I am committed to full transparency for the organization. A full financial audit including an full inventory of all assets of AMSAT would go a long way towards rebuilding the trust of members. Jeff WE4B http://we4bravo.com

1 0

Re: [amsat-bb] Who Let THIS Info Out?
by Bruce Perens 07 Aug '20

07 Aug '20

On Fri, Aug 7, 2020, 2:11 PM Joseph Armbruster via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > This sure makes me wonder, why didn't AMSAT ever do this against me or the > tons of volunteers and engineers before me? You can't tell me this is the > first case of some problem... > Joseph, And no police officer ever kneeled on _your_ neck, or your friends, so it must be the Black person's problem, right? It's the exact same argument. There has been no shortage of conflict between AMSAT management and volunteers. I have a long list of people whom I know were the major developers of previous AMSAT missions, who we don't see here any longer. As I said previously, no one hired lawyers against you because you did not act as opposition to the incumbent board. >

4 5