Bob wrote: (clipped)
As are many of us. That said, The S transmitter is not the primary mode of P3E. The S band transmitter on P3E will be hooked to a dish. This dish will have a half power beam width which will limit the usefulness of the S band transmitter to those times of nadir pointing.
First, let me apologize to all; if you will suffer thru me one more time.
Second, most important, if Bob McGwier were to say jump, my first words would be: How high!! When he left our organization a while back, I about had a heart attack. If memory serves, we had the agony of losing several of his caliber about the same time....I would assume (don't care to really know), that some sort of politics were involved, but sure glad to see him back!!
Third, about the same time ECHO was proposed with an FM voice channel. The mode, not the frequency is what I so adamantly objected to. It purportedly would attract new members to help promote the organization's well being. I said it would attract a bunch of 2 meter mentality cry babies, easy-saters, never to advance above that level.....
See if you can find out from board members what ECHO did for our membership numbers and/or donations to our larder...I can't.....
There is very little communication accomplished on Echo other than grid square, name and callsign. The technical challenge is equal to buying a 2 meter rig, and getting on the numerous repeater strings around the country ?? world...
I got on ECHO shortly after it was launched, and got chewed out because I was "dominating the bird" after maybe several minutes of COMMUNICATIONS...
All ECHO communications seem to be here on the reflector, including the basics: name, callsign and grid square......And the proponents call that COMMUNICATIONS????
And if NASA wants to promote 2 meter ham communications, let them do it...Why do some in our organization promote just that under the guise of AMATEUR COMMUNICATIONS and/ or education??
HOGWASH!!
It was not my intent to prefer any frequency or combination of frequencies, just give us ssb/cw with some sort of bandwidth to enable more than two users on a pass....
That said, I can certainly appreciate some user's concerns about the mode S vs mode C choice.
Give me any of them...I'll kludge something together to get on it, and to me that is what will keep my interest...P3E, Eagle, I'm hoggish, I want them both!!
Now if someone could find away to get the money back that was squandered on ECHO, it would give the EAGLE pot a heck of a boost.
I hate to make the statement, but I think AMSAT-NA is already down the tubes, and AMSAT-DL is our only salvation.....
Orchids for ESA's support of AMSAT-DL, and onions for NASA's attempt to lean on us!!!
73, Dave wb6llo@amsat.org Disagree: I learn....
Pulling for P3E...