On 06/18/2020 04:53, David J. Schmocker via AMSAT-BB wrote:
Everyone: My thoughts are in full alignment with Joe's view.. "Why no HEO?" Without HEO, my interest in satellites is.. zero.
Get out your checkbook and write a check to AMSAT for $10,000,000.00 and I would guess that a HEO could well appear :)
Remember that there are many aspects to amateur radio, and satellites in particular. Although I for the most part could not care less about about DXing (although I do have WAS and VUCC via satellite - and would have gotten WAC if the ARRL had not lost my submission), I understand that there are people who do. I like to talk to people for more an a few seconds at a time, so the majority of my satellite operating time was via linear birds. Absolutely loved AO-10 and AO-40 (sob) with their high orbits. I would love to see another HEO to use.
In full disclosure, I have not operated satellite in about 15 years. Several reasons for that, but I'm coming back. After what seems like almost every new satellite was a LEO digital bird, we have gotten a number of analog birds in the past couple years. I've got some work to do to get the station back up, but I'm spending money to do that. That includes re-joining AMSAT-NA after a quite a few year gap.
And no, I can't write the 10 million dollar check either...