On 25 Sep 2008 at 1:05, n3tl@bellsouth.net wrote:
One of the main points I make in the paper I've written for the Symposium is that the quick exchanges made necessary by the nature of these satellites provides great chances for operators to hone their skills at providing pertinent information in a short
form during what sometimes can be chaotic (or, at least chaotic-sounding) conditions - things that I know from personal experience are very important in emergency-communications.
I suppose the excitement of working AO-51 could fade for me in time, but I doubt it.
73 to all,
Tim - N3TL
Hi Tim
In your interlude you missed AO-40 the ultimate goal for a satellite operator. Being able to achieve QSO worldwide is it not why DX stand for? Each satellite type have their own merit and actually there is near an hundred of those cube sat planned in the next years mainly by universities.
Two project are on the working table actually Eagle and P3E but funding resources are one of many issues they are facing. You ask and answer your own question in you text! "provides great chances for operators to hone their skills" " I suppose the excitement of working AO- 51 could fade for me in time" And "If you doubt it" you will be just slower than the others to hone your skills and after that?
Just read back on this BB archives you will see that the debate has been already done and all agree at 90% that the next logical goal is an HEO.
LEO are the first AMSAT'S shot. In the 21st century HEO will probably prevail but a new amateur satellite governing structure will have to be invented and it will be a real international one. The last question is to know when?
In the mean time the LEO fleet still provide a way to maintain our stations alive and it help here to justify the junk in my backyard...just ask my wife?
BTW: There is still some room for experimenting i just come out a session of L/U FM/USB mode on AO-51 and forget the crowd we where 3 to 4 stations and on some pass only 2 stations just like a private satellite!!!
"-"
Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE