Fellow Amsat members and satellite enthusiasts,
I have been a member of AMSAT-NA and Amsat-UK since 1993 and have for the most part greatly enjoyed the amateur satellite hobby. I have been around long enough to have suffered through (if one can suffer for a hobby) Mr. McGwier once before in regards his participation in the DSP 2232. I was frankly extremely disappointed to see him become heavily involved in a major AMSAT satellite project. Based on his public statements concerning the DSP 2232, I fully expected him to be very opinionated, intolerant of criticism, and quick to place blame on others when challenged concerning any aspect of his work. I also expected, and still expect, that he will quit claiming he is unappreciated and that the project can succeed only if his advice is followed. I formed this opinion of Mr. McGwier through reading his many long posts concerning his involvement in the DSP 2232 project and by daily using the device both as it was shipped and as others later made it fully usable for satellite work. You may wish to Goggle up the archives from that time and read them. I think you will find many similarities between their tone and content and that of his recent post to this board.
I will not comment on the many inappropriate statements in Mr. McGwier's post save the following:
"I am really personally disappointed in the level of discourse in the AMSAT BB. It is extremely harmful, possibly beyond repair, to our organization. We are seeking serious external funding, and we need to make a significant investment in many areas to get this spacecraft built. I have never been prouder of where the AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-DL engineers are going on your behalf than I am right now. I am very disappointed in the members of this forum. It is so damaging to our public image that if this does not improve and significantly, I will have to recommend that we end its current form. You are hurting your fellow satellite users and the VERY small number of volunteers who make serious personal sacrifices to build these things, and much larger number of volunteers who daily make quiet personal efforts in near silence on all our behalf. In my opinion, there is not a single member of the included thread who can hold their heads high and be proud of it."
It appears Mr. McGwier is fearful that continued discussion of what the designers wish to build may negatively effect the "serious external funding" required to build it. This to me fully supports the view that the designers wish to be funded to build what they wish and not what the amateur satellite community wish to operate. I do not believe attempting to squelch the free exchange of views is helpful. I suggest that better and more timely communication is appropriate including opinions incongruent with those of Mr. McGwier. The current debate started as a result of a lack of communication from the designers. There will certainly be more if the situation does not improve. The designers must realize that communication with the folks from whom they expect support is as much a part of assuring a successful project as the hardware design.
Working as a volunteer, for however many hours, does not excuse being intolerant of the views of other members of the organization nor by itself does it support the validity of one's own views. Perhaps Mr. McGwier will learn to hit the delete button before dispatching more of these all to familiar abrasive, unprofessional, and intolerant commentaries. History offers little hope this will occur. If you think this opinion harsh then read again the last sentence in the above quote:
"In my opinion, there is not a single member of the included thread who can hold their heads high and be proud of it."
The AMSAT VP of Engineering states that no one participating in a thread critical of his views on a single subject can be proud of themselves ...
I believe the exact opposite.