Here was my official post back on May 3 when this question first came up.
I don't know where you got the idea you could not make a contact on each transponder of AO-51. If you look at the rules below, which appear in the Official AMSAT Field Day Rules, it specifically states "EACH SATELLITE TRANSPONDER is considered to be a separate band." That means if both transponders are turned on for AO-51, then you can have "ONE" contact on each "single-channel FM satellite". There are two-channels, thus one contact on each for a total of two.
73...bruce AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards
from official rules
snip...
- Each phone, CW, and digital segment ON EACH SATELLITE TRANSPONDER is considered to be a separate band.
- CW and digital (RTTY, PSK-31, etc.) contacts count THREE points each.
- Only one contact is allowed via each single-channel FM satellite, AO-27 (1 phone), SO-41 (1 phone), SO-50 (1 phone), AO-51 (1 phone regardless of mode; PBBS-see Pacsats below), ISS (1 phone and 1 digital), PCSat (I, II, etc.) (1 digital), etc.
snip...
Gary Mayfield wrote:
I hate being the guy to bring this up, but several guys pointed out tome at the club meeting tonight that on field day AO-51 will be runningas a "dual channel" FM satellite so the single contact Field Day rulewould not apply. I know this is not in the spirit of the rule - wouldit be possible to get a clarification out at this late of a date? Am I correct in assuming the spirit of the rule is to allow our clubone contact on mode J (V/U) and one contact on mode L (L/U) throughAO-51? While on the subject of Field Day rules *- if we were to work W1AW onSO-50 and then work W1AW on VO-52 (both are voice contacts). I believe this would count as 2 AMSAT Field Day voice QSOs, but onlyone ARRL Field Day QSO because "Satellite" is seen as a single "band" inthe ARRL rules, is this correct? Thanks and 73,Gary "Joe" Mayfield, kk0sdAmsat #21357 _________________________________________________________________ Add some color. Personalize your inbox with your favorite colors. www.windowslive-hotmail.com/learnmore/personalize.html?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGLM_HMWL_reten_addcolor_0507 _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb