Drew just e-mailed me about my comment: / "It may only affect one bird but there are not that many left up there and no plans to get any more up! "/
and that that might be misleading!
I am happy to correct my statement by saying that what I was referring to was the easy sats, the FM voice, 2m up 70cm down or 70cm up 2m down, that everyone cuts their teeth on!
Drew has pointed out that Sumbandilla is V/U FM, CAS is V/U FM and transponder both, and Kiwisat is U/V FM and transponder.
According to the AMSAT website, Sumbandilla and Kiwisat are both awaiting a launch date and I have just heard that the other one is not up there either but all are slated for this year.
On the basis that they actually make it to orbit (and that's a big *"if"* of course, no sure thing in the launch business!), there will be AO-51, SO-50, AO-27, AO-7, ISS, and the three to come. Throw in FO-29 and VO-52 (not strictly FM easy sats being as they are SSB birds) and we might have 10 usable voice birds.
Take out the two "birdie" issue satellites from the *current* 7 usable easy sats and the TS can not work nearly 30% of the available easy sats.
Factor in that AO-7 is getting old, ISS is rarely in cross band mode, and that brings the figures down to 5 working birds, three (or 60%) of which the TS *can* work.
If Kenwood have fixed the problem (and I haven't heard that they have or how they could retrospectively) and you want to get into serious satellite work, don't hamper yourself with a radio that will not do the job.
I am sure someone will say that my math is wrong but you get the point.
(Standing by with helmet and flak jacket on :-D )