I fully expect to receive incoming slings and arrows for my input, and I do understand for those who get their egos fed by leading/participating in the design process for AMSAT-NA won't like this idea, but hey who is AMSAT here to serve anyway?
Yes, Joe hang in there! I get "darted", but my shoulders are broad, and my goal is to get "something launched" besides an FM voice LEO...
A lot of us agree with your ideas of giving all the money to AMSAT-DL and get SOMETHING up there.
AMSAT-NA is obviously completely incapable of doing so...Why does it even exist, except perhaps to feed the egos of a few??
I've been licensed for 60 years, operated ALL ssb/cw sats since 1980, Oscar 7...And one of the first members of Project Oscar...I could not participate in its construction as I was on active duty as a Navy pilot in the South Pacific at the time...Flew combat in WWII, Korea, and Vietman, so naysayers take your best shot!!
And have the W4AMI Achievement Award for 5000 contacts (actually have over 7000), so I sort of feel qualified to compare our present situation to what has been...
Yes, send all our funds to AMSAT-DL..
Generally, the following conditions seem to exist at this time (please feel free to correct me if any of my observations are inaccurate):
- We don't seem to be within a stones throw of getting Eagle off the
ground 2. Engineering resources in disarray 3. No Lab 4. Most folks who participate really want to see a HEO up as soon as humanly possible 5. The cost to put an HEO into orbit seems to be prohibitive for any single organization to pull off without deep pocket sponsorship 6. AMSAT-DL Has an HEO that is nearing completion
Given the extent that these circumstances are close to reality, why on earth wouldn't we consider transferring the sum total of Eagle resources (with membership approval of course) to AMSAT-DL, for the purpose of completing PE3?
Next step would be to determine the exact the cost and a launch opportunity. Let the Ham Satellite Community know what those cost are and then raise the additional funds toward that single goal.
Following the final launch and commissioning of PE3, then move on to getting Eagle back on track.
I definitely could get behind that sort of concrete effort. What we have now seems to be a bit of a distant dream.
Regards,
- Joe, K7ZT
73, Dave, WB6LLO dguimon1@san.rr.com
Disagree: I learn....
Pulling for P3E...