In a message dated 06/02/2007 17:47:35 GMT Standard Time, bruninga@usna.edu writes:
There may be a Satellite opportunity for a ham radio RX only payload. No TX allowed.
Any ideas? It will be recoverd one year later.
Hi Bob.
I guess this is attached to the ISS so no oportunity to have attitude control.
OK, Long time in orbit so lots of data. How about one or more of the cheap USB memory sticks for storage? 1GB+ is small and cheap these days.
To interface the USB to the real world you can use an interface chip with PIC microcontroller. I'm sure that would normally be a wholelot of design all by itself, except you can buy the USB intefaced to a PIC16F877 off the shelf for about $50 limited driver software included
_http://www.dlpdesign.com/usb/dlp-2232pbv15.pdf_ (http://www.dlpdesign.com/usb/dlp-2232pbv15.pdf)
That gives you 16 I/O lines and some A-D conversion to play with.
As for payloads? Well spectrum monitoring is good but GPS data to give the location would be an advantage so you know where you are. Bands to monitor. 2.4 is the most controversial, but the proposed uplink band of 5.6G would give valuable insight for future projects. Or, one of the new power to voltage converters from Analog Devices. Monitoring the radar fence output or other High radar signals could be interesting. Or camera that can take pics on your command. - I can almost see the picture of your QTH on the wall of your office. Taken on a clear day when you know the lens is pointing in the right direction.
73
David G0MRF www.sseti.net