All this requires much much much more power than a 1U satellite is currently capable of producing. At least for always on type operating. We'll get there eventually.
Also, there's definitely the critical mass effect of having a constellation of smaller satellites in orbit. Look at ORBCOMM. No GEO sats but a constellation of LEO sats serves their purpose well. Fox-1 series becoming rapid and reliable satellite platform that can easily find its way into orbit would help with this.Things are looking up!
Bryce
On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 11:03 AM, Gus gus@8p6sm.net wrote:
On 07/22/2014 01:18 PM, Rich/wa4bue wrote:
So there is a need to plan ahead for more accessible birds with more Linear transponders and other features. How do we get there?
We need wideband software receivers that can look at the entire passband, detect individual signals and determine type, and translate them into the downlink passband based upon an operational ruleset that is policy driven and easily changed. Allow SSB, FM and Phil's DV at the same time if that is what we want. Or have FM only on Friday nights to encourage newcomers. Or pass SSB but simultaneously convert to FM on another part of the passband so the FM only guys can hear the action. Or whatever big imaginations and good drugs can dream up.
And since HEO is apparently out of the question, we need meshed satellite groups so that what you uplink on one bird can be heard on the downlink of all of the birds in the mesh. So we can extend operating times beyond a handful of minutes.
-- Gus 8P6SM The Easternmost Isle
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