- AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

ISS and AMSAT?
by Bob Hammond 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

Recently, there was mention of AMSAT no longer being welcome in the ISS program. Is that true? Or do I need more coffee this morning? Bob W7OTJ

8 18

Lost IP
by Jerry Buxton 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

While the rash of accusations, misinformation, and spin that is the hallmark of AMSAT election time the past two years carries on at a dizzying pace, I feel the need to speak up as (to borrow on a famous quote) "the reports of my complete stupidity are an exaggeration". A background as quoted from historical emails regarding one false claim follows. Names of non-AMSAT Engineering volunteers have been removed and volunteer names are used only when needed for context. 1/26/2016 > Not sure if I closed the loop at the end of last week or not. After > talking with AHA (nice intro from [REDACTED]), and talking with > Notorious [REDACTED], and the space team, everyone is excited about > DVB-S2X for both Phase 4 and Ascent (and HEO). > > AHA is going to come back with some sort of offer/deal/marketing magic > in a couple-three weeks. This would be for the payloads. Ground team > designs an open source receiver from the standard up. > > I think if we want to go for it, we should buy an implementation of > DVB-S2X for ascent, use format 0 for the very low SNR stuff, and start > designing! 7/29/2016 > Attached is an archive with documents for the AHA DVB-S2X IP cores. > Note that there is a folder titled “Confidential – Protected under > NDA”. These documents should not be posted on a public forum (anyone > can get to the github site right?) and should be distributed on an “as > needed” basis to those that understand / have been briefed on the > conditions of the NDA. 8/12/2016 > M , > > Please review the AHA NDA, sign the affirmation, and return it to me. > > If there are others we need to include you may pass these along to them > with the same instructions. Please be sure that we have an affirmation > signed by the others who will be attending the meeting at AHA, before > they have access to the materials. > > I will talk to the Texas contingent after we determine whether we can > have a webinar or not, they can't travel to the meetings in person due > to the length of time involved. > > I will keep the documents secured on an AMSAT server and we can pull > them out to distribute as we determine who needs to see them and have > their affirmation. > > Thanks! > > -- > Jerry Buxton, NØJY > Vice President - Engineering > Here you go! :+) > [in response, with completed NDA attached] ------------------- As stated, the documents are secured on an AMSAT server. There are only two NDA affirmations on file with the documents, on the server. > \P4B\AHA NDA\Affirmations > Buxton NDA Affirmation-signed.pdf > T NDA Affirmation Signed MDT.pdf It should be noted that the same property mentioned in the 7/29/2016 was sent to Virginia Tech partners in the same email as to AMSAT. I do not have any insight to their NDA (if any) with the owner of the IP. With no other NDA affirmations on file to date much less those as requested for the meeting or use of the property, it would appear that neither the team that went to the meeting nor any other person in AMSAT Engineering needed access to the IP? Absent any acquisition of the files from the server by someone who had signed the NDA affirmation for distribution without my knowledge (affirmation is required in order for me to provide them with the passwords for the archives) it would appear that the need for the IP was not realized. This may have been due to the termination of the Heimdallr "CQC" project, or the departure of many CQC ASCENT Engineers to ORI, or both. And there may certainly have been other reasons that our engineers chose not to pursue use of DVB-S2X for a period of time. The IP and NDA still exists and to the best of my understanding of it, the agreement for use and non-disclosure is still effective. There will no doubt be opportunities for use in HEO as was first mentioned in the negotiation and enthusiasm for use of the IP with P4B, CQC, and future HEO, despite the termination of CQC and the hold (at least at this time) on any VT need of help for P4B. When AMSAT Engineers are working an idea as ASCENT or P4B, a design idea as was GOLF, or a project as is GOLF now, if there is technology that is shown to be useful with a proper need to justify the cost of the technology and resulting implementation of new satellites, I have historically supported the Engineering Team by doing what bosses do by providing them with the tools they need to do great work. The AHA is such an example and shows the trust I have had with all of the engineers under my supervision including those who I may not have or do not now, necessarily agree with or see eye to eye. To me it makes no sense to derail AMSAT progress over personal feelings. That's just the me that was elected VPE. Ask any engineer, and we may have disagreed or argued over things along the way but we continue to work together and things turn out happy for everyone. It is unfortunate but part of life that some just cannot put aside differences to reach that common goal. In the recent situation I believe it has something to do with the fact that I am not considered of the caliber of the upper class who knows all things about space and technology and it is probably easily shown that I am in many regards, in their point of view, stupid. I can take that, but as I said these reports of my COMPLETE stupidity are an exaggeration. I could research and respond to other statements that exaggerate my best asset as well, honestly the time spent is better spent doing what we do to keep satellites going up. This email did not happen in two minutes, it was in excess of two hours. I think that is part of the election time disruption plan, distracting everyone and causing extra work and FUD, but despite the high noise floor your dedicated Engineering Team volunteers haven't looked up from their work. And I do not intend to take any more of my AMSAT time to address any other concocted statements, I say that with the hope and belief that you can all realize that these statements only come from one source and no one, ever, has asked the other party (i.e. me in this case) for their statement on the subject before the stuff gets flung to the masses as truth. Even a rocket scientist would realize that you can't accomplish anything of value working with only one half, one "all knowing" engineer's view, of the needed information. And that right there is all that need be said regarding the source of the stuff flying my way. As I said I hope that this gives you some thought to the truth of this instance but I must raise one more important consideration before I close; All or many of your fellow hams in AMSAT Engineering are implicated by this and other not-true, broad claims - I will not tolerate that and I think it is fair to ask that you do not engage in or tolerate that either. Thank you. -- Jerry Buxton, NØJY

3 2

Reading is fundamental
by Peter 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

So, I have spent nearly four hours READING all that is publicly available including the blogs and myriad emails available here or referenced with linksfrom here. I'll go to the end of the story then back up. After reading all that is cited above, its clear to me that the two new board members have exaggerated greatly the degree of wrong doingon the part of the board. It also seems clear that the board agreed to spend 10k to defend themselves against potential legal action from these two board members who then turn around and claim thesemonies were spent irresponsibly (see the initial email regarding Leadership). These funds were spent, in the main, to seek advice on how to proceed, and to create new, formerly nonexistent AMSAT polices to guidefuture administrative conduct. This latter goal was apparently long over due and proprietous. However, its also clear the legal fees exceeded the initially authorized amount of 10k This overage is understandable, dealing with issues like this you tendto get tunnel vision trying to sort this all out and within a few days you run over the limit. I'm not even sure this overage is in any way improper Had it been 50k well, yes, but 4 or 5k is really not a major issue.Additionally, it seems, again from all the emails that no formal vote was held to authorize these additional monies. We're leftto conclude that casual conversations were had that authorized these funds. No one has said this that I could find, perhaps some clarity on that point would help? When the treasurer says no dues were used, I think that is misleading, the point of concern wasn't what pot the monies came from but instead thattheir were resources used that could have been used productively elsewhere had their been tighter supervision of the legal activity. Again, its easyto run over with lawyers and not realize it, this overage doesn't rise to the level or even close to it, of criminal behavior. Describing this overage inthose terms is disgraceful and reckless So, the board was initially off put by the blogs I read. That is not an unreasonable response. Could/should more dialogue have been engaged in? Why yes it should have. This absence of reported deep dive dialogue is troubling, but may or may not havelead to a different outcome. Regardless, more dialogue should have happened, the board's credibility would have been enhanced by trying to sort out what the new directors wanted. I fault the board for not doing this, or if they did, I didn't see it in these writings. I am left with the impression that the two board members are folks who thrive on confrontation while spinning, in these emailsup here, that they are really interested in "transparency" I am convinced this is not the case. I draw all my conclusions on the postings here and thelinks to other cites contained within, and the blogs found by the same means. I feel that Stoddard and Thomspson should resign immediately, for in reading all this, I feel they have exaggerated the degree of misconduct and caused considerableharm to the reputation of AMSAT in the process, as is evident from the emails and posting on this BBS. To the credit of Stoddard and Thompson, it appears that AMSAT has not been run, from an administrative side of things, in a professional manner. Missing HR policiesand no evidence I can find of consultation with business leaders on how to operate a complex organization, is deeply bothersome. Further, an outside review is totally appropriate here. Consider, that had their been policies in place before all of this happened, lawyers would not have been needed.What OTHER policies are missing? What procedures are in place to audit the organization? Are the books reviewed by an outside CPA for instance?The credibility of AMSAT needs to be bolstered and having an expert consultant come in and review all of these potential areas is apparently way over due. That AMSAT lacks proper HR policies after this many years in business is deeply troubling and suggests a more professional operating standard is desperately needed here. Before you pontificate or provide character references for the current board you have an obligation to READ all this stuff, its wearisome, tedious and takes a long time.I read it, YOU should read it BEFORE you go off and make draconian statements. . PeterW2PPLife Member

2 3

August 1 Moratorium on BOD Election Messaging?
by Wes Baden 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

I've now received my 2020 Election Ballot for electing three individuals to the AMSAT BOD. This prompts me to ask--or at least to propose--that a moratorium be placed on this BB for any and all messaging concerning the election, effective August 1. This would include messages from the candidates themselves or anyone submitting posts for or against them. In my opinion at least, there's been a sufficient airing of views as it is and two more weeks provide enough time for any member who's received a ballot but (mercifully) has not seen all the messaging that's appeared in the last month or so. The candidates' written statements, along with election posts here for two more weeks, are enough. Indeed, enough is enough. I long for a return to posts relating to matters such as antennas, software installation, new satellites in orbit, upcoming rovers, helpful advice for newbies, and geeky, technical information for old hands, just to name a few subjects. Is there a site administrator who can implement this? 73 de Wes NA1ME FN54 (always happy to sked if you need this Maine grid).

1 0

Re: [amsat-bb] AmSat Ombudsman
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

Robert, The first part of your e-mail appears to refer to an allegation Clint Bradford K6LCS recently posted on this mailing list, and on other mailing lists and forums. As I said on the QRZ satellite forum yesterday, Clint's allegations about me and that web site are false. In the few times I have publicly criticized Clint in recent years, I did so with my name attached to what I posted, as I did on the eHam satellite forum in 2016: https://www.eham.net/community/smf/index.php?topic=108627.15 This exchange led to a letter sent by Clint to AMSAT and me, which threatened AMSAT with legal action. I am not aware of AMSAT taking actions in response to his letter, and - based on AMSAT's 2016 IRS tax return - AMSAT did not spend any monies on legal expenses that year. As for the other part of your e-mail, the "some reason" packets from your APRS Internet gateway stations no longer appear on the ariss.net web site, you and I had a conversation about that. One of your APRS gateways was rewriting packets received from the ISS packet digipeater, adding a tagline promoting the web site for your Space Communicator Club. The packets containing that tagline were injected into the APRS Internet System (APRS-IS), violating policies of that system. Those packets also cluttered the listing of packets recently heard from the ISS on the ariss.net web site. You told me at that time you were testing a function on one of your gateways to put that tagline onto packets, something that had been happening over the period of a few days. This included the 20-minute period you mentioned, when one of your gateways continued to send packets to the APRS-IS system after the ISS had moved away from North America. As you stated, I contacted Steve Dimse K4HG. Steve owns the ariss.net and findu.com web sites, useful for displaying information on APRS packets. I asked Steve about the packets from your gateway that were showing up on his ariss.net web site. Steve reminded me of the APRS-IS policies regarding packets being submitted to that system. Other than appending the call sign of the gateway that received the packet to the packet path, no other modifications are supposed to be made to packets sent to the APRS-IS system. I mentioned that to you in a separate e-mail, even citing the policies as published on the aprs-is.net web site. I am aware that you and Steve also had an e-mail discussion about this around the same time. After those e-mail exchanges, I heard from you that packets from your gateways would not appear on the ariss.net site. This appears to be an issue between you and Steve, as Steve maintains the ariss.net web site. I have no control over that, and - as far as I know - neither does AMSAT. Have you reached out to Steve recently? 73. Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

2 2

Candidate Statement for the board elections for AMSAT by me
by Robert McGwier 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

Here is my candidate statement for the board elections. My qualifications statement follows further editing. It is complex and detailed so I am taking my time with it. I hope you will support me for the board. I intend to devote my time and attention during my newly begun retirement helping AMSAT specifically and amateur radio in general. FYI, I am now on the grants committee of ARDC and I hope to help all of amateur radio while ARDC administers and grants these dollars to make amateur radio and telecommunications engineering and science better. The following is controversial, but it is clear. I do not like what I am seeing or hearing in and around AMSAT. I will work hard for the members to try and get "stuff" done. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DWwg7Y8lZ578MHn4Z31zE3Sem_38mvrk/view?usp=… -- Bob McGwier Founder, Federated Wireless, Inc Founder and Technical Advisor, HawkEye 360, Inc Adjunct Professor Virginia Tech Former Chief Scientist: The Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology Senior Member IEEE, Facebook: N4HYBob, ARS: N4HY

1 0

best android sat program?
by Ted Krempa 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

.just inherited wife's old android tablet..(Asus ZenPad) What is the recommended sat tracking program for an android tablet? 73, Ted K7TRK

5 4

AB2S - more candidate info
by Howie DeFelice 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

Some people have written and asked for more background information about me. Thanks for asking. I added a resume page on www.ab2s.freeservers.com<http://www.ab2s.freeservers.com> if anyone else is interested. 73, Howie AB2S

5 5

Candidacy statement - Mark Hammond N8MH
by Mark L. Hammond 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

Hello AMSAT members (and fellow satellite enthusiasts), I am honored to have been nominated again and subsequently declare my candidacy for the AMSAT Board of Directors. To succeed and keep the organization moving forward, AMSAT needs a combination of people with technical and non-profit managerial experiences. I encourage you to read a biography about me here: https://www.upwardtoheo.com/biographies/dr-mark-hammond-n8mh and some additional personal information here: https://www.upwardtoheo.com/updates/so-who-is-mark-n8mh Hopefully, you will find I bring a blend of enthusiasm for satellite operations, good technical abilities as a satellite hobbyist and command station, as well as demonstrated effectiveness as a non-profit, higher education administrator that justifies your vote. Also please support my colleagues Paul N8HM and Bruce KK5DO, who share the same vision for keeping amateur radio in space as we move upward to HEO! You can read about them here: https://www.upwardtoheo.com/ 73, Mark L. Hammond [N8MH] AMSAT Director and Command Station

1 0

AMSAT Open Source Policy
by Joe Leikhim 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

/Joseph; you wax on about intellectual property and symbiotic relationships etc, and then ask / //"How does AMSAT benefit b//y pursuing an open source policy?" May I ask, how in the past 10 years has AMSAT benefited by running the proprietary system they are running now? You would think the AMSAT bank accounts would be overflowing and invitations for HEO launches would be so many we would be turning them down? Please answer this before belittling the proposition. / On Wed, Jul 15, 2020 at 7:21 AM Joseph Armbruster <josepharmbruster at gmail.com <https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb>> wrote: />>//>>/You did not really answer the first question: "How does AMSAT benefit />>/by pursuing an open source policy?" /> -- Joe Leikhim Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida JLeikhim(a)Leikhim.com 407-982-0446 WWW.LEIKHIM.COM

2 2