Les,
While I understand the disappointment that North America isn't in the footprint it's worth understanding that QO-100 was probably pure luck & the sheer cost involved would probably bankrupt AMSAT even if it did have the funds sitting around.
What AMSAT (USA & UK/NL) achieve & get into orbit is still impressive in its own right although I think some on the -BB disagree.
Perhaps Es'Hail-2 will encourage other commercial companies to provide bent pipe transponders but it's a huge ask & they may even want a few million dollars for the deal.
Let's enjoy what we have
Peter, 2M0SQL
On Wed, 13 Feb 2019, 09:55 Les Rayburn <[email protected] wrote:
:-)
After listening to the WebSDR of Oscar-100 for nearly 24 hours now, it’s easy to imagine how my parents must have felt on October 4, 1957 as Sputnik transmitted it’s “beep beep beep” message to the world. Everything had changed in an instant.
A geostationary hamsat is a quantum leap forward—and I confess to feeling a twinge of disappointment that someone other than AMSAT-NA accomplished this feat first.
As a teenager, I remember driving a friends brand new, 1974 Corvette Stingray. My first thought was “Man! I gotta get me one of these!” Color me jealous.
73,
Les Rayburn, N1LF Maylene, AL EM63nf AMSAT #38965, ARRL Life Member, CVHS Life Member, SVHF Member
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