Hello EveryoneI recently joined Amsat because I felt like a bit of a hypocrite for complaining about things, and not doing my part to change them. One thing that does bug me is the HEO satellites having microwave uplinks and downlinks. I think that will greatly limit the clientele that will be able to use these. I have head many older hams gripe about LEO satellites and reflect back on how back in the day there would be passes up for hours! Many of them where using drifty transverters with terrible noise figures, turning antennas with tv rotators and no preamp! The argument that I have heard to move to mircowave uplinks and downlinks is lower noise, but if it worked with them back then, then what's changed? Something else to consider is that the microwave spectrum is under fire from commercial interest more and more. Why not consider like a U/L or L/U transponder? That would bring the envelope a little closer to where the average ham could operate with out investing in some serious equipment, while keeping the dream of HEO alive for the large percentage of satellite operators, and not just a handful? Forgive me if Im wrong, but I just wanted to put my 2 cents in the pot. If we all would learn to work together as much as we fuss we would be making some tracks. Thanks everyone, Andrew N4LAZ Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android