On 3 Sep 2009 at 20:12, Rocky Jones wrote:
the APRS satellites on 145.825. We just need several of them in orbit at the same time.
SpaceX has just scored a large contract with ORBCOMM to put their next gen birds in orbit (using the Falcon1E)...a small APRS generic satellite might just substitute for ballast
Robert WB5MZO
The digipeat APRS/text signal on multiple LEO'S is could be an alternative solution to a HEO but i will go a bit further and is it possible to have DSTAR FM transponder on multiple LEO'S? With the new small size transponder made by William PE1RAH it will be something to investigate. DSTAR can even send APRS data D-PRS and digital audio in the same transmission.
Do not forget that any analog FM repeater which does not filter CTCSS tone (audio taken at the discriminator directly) can transmit D-Star signal.
Since my first experience with DSTAR i firmly believe a small cube sat will be soon be possible and with the fabulous linking capabilities of DSTAR communication protocole it will also be possible to have of some sort of intersatellite linking system.
Remain to see how to have a wide FM transponder.
As DSTAR is quite in advance in Japan i will not be surprised to see something coming out there. With the new JAXA H-II transfer vehicule did we overlooked a launch opportunity? again our Japanese friends seems to be quite impress with William pico transponder! did they have something in mind?
Here is some link of interest.
http://www.qsl.net/pe1rah/HAMSAT-info.htm http://www.qsl.net/pe1rah/ http://www.pe1rah.observations.biz/ http://www.aprs-is.net/ http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/h2a/index_e.html http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/htv/index_e.html
P.S. I am looking for someone with DSTAR capabilities to try some DSTAR satellite transmission as the AO-27 first DSTAR test in 2007. I already have Robin AA4RC in my urcall list and i can see his amsat.org text message passing in my screen!!! Just put my call sign in your urcall list the next step is to find a common footprint. Just go on http://www.ao27.org/AO27/index.shtml at the bottom of the page you will have all you need to program your DSTAR radio parameters.
SSTV text chat and file transfer is also possible on DSTAR too.
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Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE