First in my original post I wanted to stimulate a debate on the feasibility of Phase 4. I received to many e-mail's off line to count all afraid to say anything on the bb. Everyone supporting my opinion not one negative, thank you all for the support. I did also receive emails from Rick Hambly and Robert McGuire attesting to my lack of intellectual capacity. (attack the messenger not the message) In his Email to me Mr. McQwier also challenged me to submit a resolution to the BOD and he would second it. My plans are to take him up on it. I actually plan on submitting two off them.
First: To form a committee of amateurs in and out of Amsat with technical skills to asses the viability of SDR. The number one reason for this is after three years I have not been able to find one instance where anyone has produced a working SDR transponder. Second: One night recently while talking on two meter ssb to a local retired ham, a retired collage professor with a PHD. Who rights his own SDR software. When explaining what Amsat was trying to do his words were good luck. If this SDR is such a good thing those behind it should welcome a full per review and prove me wrong.
Second: To form a committee of hams to survey hams both in and out of Amsat on what they want in a future satellite. With the goal of bringing in new hams for increasing membership in Amsat.
This is my opinion and I feel free to express it because over the last three years I have donated at least $30,000.00 US dollars in CNC Machine shop work to Amsat. Especially to the Eagle project. As I see it now the project actually has gone backward. How would you feel if you spent a whole winter working on the Eagle Module's pro bono and just because you did not agree with something that your intelligence would be attacked. I just got off Eagle Pedia and could not find updated mechanical drawings as the old design has been scrapped. I want again to state this is my opinion. It is my believe that Rick Hambly and his phase 4 are just a diversion to cover up his past failures with the hardware and software for present projects. How does Amsat realistically plan on paying for such a project that when I confronted him via email that he did not deny would cost a minimum of $5 million dollars. As for the rest, it is being covered pretty well on this bb.
Fred