Hi Gang,
Just letting you know that the July/August Journal was uploaded to the printer's ftp site this past weekend. Again a slow trickle of articles slowed down publication. It's a good issue with BoD minutes, some more history of AMSAT (we're 40 you know) and other interesting articles on Field Day and a portable antenna pointing system plus more. Hope you enjoy it and sorry for the delay. I do have a great group helping me now with the Journal and they are working hard to get more articles in so we can keep the Journal on schedule. Look at the upper right of the front cover and you'll see who they are. Thanks for your understanding and patience with all the delays!
A personal comment (so please bear with me or skip this if you want): I'll bet you guys and gals didn't know this, but I've been the Journal editor now since late 2003 (6 years) and I have never made a satellite contact on my own equipment. You've never heard my voice on the satellites except once on someone else's equipment at the Dayton Hamvention three years ago (thanks Keith!). I did buy a nice dish and downconverter for S-band right before AO-40 went "tits up" (sorry - a British expression I learned a few years ago on one of my many trips to England). It's too unwieldy to use with AO-51. Imagine my disappointment. I have an Arrow and adequate radios and preamps, but my job as a senior executive for my company keeps me busy and traveling with little time for radio other than the Journal and some low band work occasionally. It frosts me when I ask someone to write something for the Journal (and I've done that a lot) and I'm told "I don't have time". Not much of an excuse guys and gals. The point of this blather is if I, someone who has never made a satellite contact, can volunteer for the organization why can't you do something? Not being self-righteous here, but I think it's a good question.
Thinking about all this reminds me of an expression that came from the villain in the movie "The Fifth Element" which was "If you want something done - do it yourself!!". If you don't like something find a way to fix it somehow. I like to think I fixed the Journal with its new look (now a few years old) and I've been trying to get more technical content into it. After all, we're supposed to be rocket scientists. Another example - have you seen what William Leijenaar, PE1RAH, is doing all by himself? It's awesome! Check it out on YouTube.
Quit talking and get busy!!!! Force someone to take you on as a volunteer by persisting. Don't just write one e-mail and then give up. Many people are busy like I am and can't always get back to you immediately. Wanna be a Web master? I think we might have an opportunity here because I feel sure Rick is tired of doing it (maybe I'm wrong). And so on ...... there's plenty to do. Wanna be VP of Engineering? That's open too, although I would think the person that fills those shoes would have to have some engineering experience. You get the idea.
Wishing you 73 and a somewhat bickering free evening,
Ed Long WA4SWJ Editor, The AMSAT Journal Belleview, FL (A volunteer - sorry just had to add that given the recent postings)