On 24/03/2008, [email protected] [email protected] wrote:
As I awoke on this Easter Sunday, I was scanning my email (I subscribe to lots of groups and get lots of daily summaries) and once again found myself reading amsat-bb. Amidst the normal, pleasurable messages, I was again (as it seems to happen weekly) faced with a message of disappointment in AMSAT, this time by Brian Beckius. It seems that whatever he was searching for, he didn't find it in AMSAT, and thus proclaimed to all that he wouldn't be renewing his membership.
He's not alone of course. Lots of people aren't very satisfied with the current state of AMSAT-NA or amateur satellites. It's not very hard to understand why: launching satellites actually _is_ rocket science. It's difficult, and even more difficult with limited funds and relying solely on the efforts of volunteers. But the simple fact that it can be done at _all_ should give everyone in amateur radio a sense of justified pride.
Personally, I joined AMSAT because I use the satellites and figured I should contribute at least a little toward the design, deployment and upkeep.
Anything I get above that (and I do!) is sort of a bonus... that's how I look at it.
Darin -VE3OIJ