Hi Michael,
I think you are being pessimistic..I have done quite a few more orbits around the sun than you but I expect that I will see another AMSAT supported HEO/GTO (or similar) spacecraft launched in my lifetime. Probably more than one! I have no particular inside knowledge just an understanding that almost everything moves along in cycles rather than in linear progressions
73
Graham G3VZV
-----Original Message----- From: Michael Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 10:06 PM To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: so long
I said this a couple of weeks back but since reading all the responses in this thread, I think I'll say it again. I'm almost fifty one years old. I highly doubt that I will ever see an HEO bird launched in my remaining lifetime. The economic realities of this day and time make the possibility of a launch extremely remote and I don't see that changing in the near future. I can't understand why AMSAT continues to string people along with promises of "maybe someday if you donate". Why can't they just be upfront about it and tell people, " Hey it aint going to happen". There is absolutely nothing wrong with the new direction AMSAT has taken in pursuing cubesat technology and launches, I applaud them for it but the continued lip service to the " we want an HEO crowd" gets old. I for one am not that gullible. Quit telling people what they want to hear and tell them the truth. 73, Michael, W4HIJ On 9/17/2013 7:02 PM, i8cvs wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Becker" w0jab@big-river.net To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 8:58 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] so long
I have decided to leave the list till something changes with this FM only satellite attitude only changes. That was the reason for me as well as other joining AMSAT in the first place.
Please inform me if anything such as a replacement for AO 40 happens.
John
Hi John,W0JAB
I was AMSAT member numbar 798 since OSCAR-6 but I decided to live my membership after AO40 died because AMSAT changed his policy with only FM satellites.
I remember that OSCAR-10,OSCAR13 and AO40 where called "the satellites for all" and I invested a lot of money for equipments and antennas dedicated for HEO satellites for nothing in the near future.
In my opinion the satellite operation is not only an activity to collect grids but it is mostly experimentation in the VHF/UHF/SHF and particularly into microwave as it was with AO40 Mode-S/K and it was very nice until lasted.
As soon AMSAT-NA will work or cooperate with AMSAT-DL to built a new HEO satellite I will call Martha and I will pay all my old duties to cover my previous not covered years of membership.
By the way I am not against AMSAT-NA because I understand the ITAR and during the last 10 years I have cooperate to write many technical articles for the AMSAT Journal without any money reward.
If Martha says that the actual AMSAT members are in the order of 3,000. and if Les Rayburn, N1LF claim to be member of AMSAT #38965 it means that in the last 10 years many members abandoned AMSAT because of no future with no HEO satellites and only the FM LEO cubesat for no two ways communications between continents was not a satisfactory task.
Many years ago early in 1972 I joined AMSAT because they promised us to communicate worlwide much better than using the HF but things changed and our antennas are becaming rusty over the roof for very small or for nothing........Sorry !
73" de i8CVS Domenico
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