I think we should try to build LEO's with both kinds of transponders on board. The FM birds are great for getting newbies interested in the sats and with a little encouragement from the "old hats" they'll want to upgrade their equipment to work the more challenging Linear birds. That serves 2 purposes: 1. it gets more hams in general involved with the sats, and 2. It gets more hams equipped and able to work the linear birds. That will mean a larger base of hams that will contribute to projects and push for HEO birds.
Also, I wouldn't discount the commercial launch operators just yet. They are at the beginning of the curve when it comes to regular launch activities. As they get further down the road, the costs will scale back significantly. AMSAT-NA is a non-profit is it not? I can see a day in the future when we could conceivably get a launch opportunity for significantly less cost because of the non-profit status of AMSAT. Assuming the tax breaks involved don't get slammed by this or a future administration, this could position AMSAT for all kinds of future opportunities.
It's a waiting game at this point. Lot's of things could radically change in the very near future, but that's no reason to sit around twiddling our thumbs moaning about the "good ole days" of AO-40. Push forward or push up daisies! It's our choice!
Jeff Moore -- KE7ACY
On Wed, Sep 4, 2013 at 4:26 PM, Michael Mat_62@charter.net wrote:
I don't fault AMSAT one bit for building LEO cubesats. They are facing the
reality of no HEO launches and there's nothing wrong with that. We have to have something up there or this whole branch of the hobby will die. I'm a bit disappointed that they chose to make Fox-1 yet another flying FM repeater and not a linear bird but that's beside the point of this discussion. I just don't think HEO launches are EVER going to be available again and I think telling people "well maybe someday" is just false hope. 73, Michael, W4HIJ