On Feb 8, 2009, at 12:47 PM, Rocky Jones wrote:
- In other words Ithink that the issue with the sats is primarily
the cost of acquisition of equipment AND what its use is when the sats are not "up" (or working). No science or polls behind that...just my viewpoint.
One of the benefits of a Mode A bird when we had them up was that most hams already had the rigs needed to operate it. HF for the 10M down link and a keyed HT for the uplink. Sure the note was chirpy and sometimes worse, but it did demonstrate what one could do without additional investment. Particularly on QRP days. Remember those?
I got in to satellite on the cheap. In 1980 I bought a used Ameco TX-62 and accompanying VFO for $50, paired it with my FT101E and had a blast on Mode A through the 80s with AO-7, AO-8 and a number of RS birds. Home brew antennas were and are cheap. Later a homebrew preamp helped the anemic FT101E.
Well there are no more predictable Mode A birds. AO-7 gets up in Mode A when it feels like it and the loud RS birds appear to be forever gone.
But I digress, I put together a Mode J/Mode B station with a $200 TR-9130 and a $150 FT-780R. Again homemade antennas, this time WA5VJB Yagis, and I was on the air. That is not a significant investment.
I later picked up an FT290/FT490 pair for $125 each and they make a good pair to operate the satellites. Even later I picked up an FT480R to go with the FT780R for $75. Used gear is not that expensive if you shop around for it. By the way, the 480/780 pair are very nice for the FM birds as they will tune in 1 kHz steps, nicely compensating for Doppler.
An $35 AIDF converter added S band.
So the bargains are out there if one looks and is patient. And if people kept their old gear when they upgraded and loaned it out to newcomers who express an interest in the satellites, that would help too.
The VHF CW and SSB gear have use beyond the satellites. Weak signal VHF and UHF work is quite challenging. VHF/UHF contesting is a blast. Activity nights are held in most places so that is a place to look for encouragement when the satellites are below the horizon.
-- KK6MC James Duffey Cedar Crest NM