[email protected] wrote:
I used to look forward to receiving the BB digest daily. It would give me early news related to satellite activities, events coming up, satellite status and most importantly technical advice ranging from antennas to techniques.
Lately it's turned into anything but satellite related stuff. Disagreement is fine, but it's become an obsession for too many respondents out there and is frankly taking too much bandwidth. At the end of the day, we either decide to continue or to move on. Remember, this is a hobby and it's supposed to be fun. I decided to move on. Right after this message was sent, I unsubscribed to the BB digest.
By the way, I met Bob at Dayton while helping out at the booth this past spring. I also met Drew, Rick, Gould, Emily and Martha and many other active people in AMSAT and amateur satellites. I may not fully agree with what they are doing on a micro level. But on the macro level at least I know we have competent, though maybe not popular people making decisions based on facts and science.
I feel they earned the right to continue to make those decisions based not on popularity of those decisions, but by their progress on the open projects. Whatever you think about Echo, and I rarely use it, it is the most versatile bird we have seen launched and a great step back into space for AMSAT-NA. Being able to put a multi-mode, multi-band instrument into the space of a microsat package, and have it perform nearly flawlessly almost immediately doesn't happen by luck or populist decisions. You do the science correctly, practice diligence in execution and things tend to work very well.
The leadership team has a difficult task using very limited resources and time to accomplish what it takes professional engineers years to do with bigger budgets. In addition, any sat project has global impacts and is effected by global events. We sometimes get blinded by local concerns that prevent us from seeing the big picture. Personally, I wish I could do more to help AMSAT, but right now the best I can do is work the booth in Dayton in May.
Anyway, 73 to all and hope to hear you on the sats. Remember, this is supposed to be fun!
de Joe KC8RAN
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Joe, I'm sending this to you and copying the BB. I realize we have some people that think differently. We MUST listen to all as this is an organization. Everyone has a voice and as I stated before, when election time comes around, read everyone's BIO carefully, remember what was said by them and make your opinion heard. The "delete" key is used very often by me. I enjoy discussions and give my opinions when needed. I know Bob and he is a great person to have as a part of our program. This past Symposium I attended in SF was a great opportunity to sit in on BOD discussions (the parts open to all AMSAT members) and listen to the process that addresses our goals and concerns-YES - everyone's! As an area co-ordinator, I speak to many people with concerns, ideas, and directions that they would like to have conveyed to our BOD. The recent wave of S band concerns was heard loud and clear and will fly (see bulletins and proceedings) on Eagle. Opinions are like noses (simile??) - everyone has them. It was proved that after the dust has settled, our BOD was of one mind to address all concerns. Do assist as you can, Joe. I'm at the Dayton booth too and many other hamfests and places to demo and wave the AMSAT flag. You will see along with every member that AMSAT's direction is up and we must all get going to assist our future launches financially as the time is nearing to come up with the monies to "fund these projects." To ALL!! Re-read the last line... 73, Dee Interdonato, NB2F NJ Area Coordinator