In a message dated 16/11/2007 03:26:43 GMT Standard Time, howard@howardlong.com writes:

http://www.g6lvb.com/Articles/Build%20Your%20Own%20Satellite.doc

Hi Howard, Good Luck with your project. Likewise I considered my demo satellite that I had constructed using the drum removed from an old washing machine. I did not submit it however as I thought perhaps some young blood out there would come up some idea perhaps. It was able to transmit and receive on 2 metre, 70 cm and 2.4 Ghz. and able to demonstrate ,packet , voice, and send video pictures . It also sent voice identification and details of is operating frequencies using a simple module that I extracted from a very cheap device. To also make it realastic to demonstrate with young people I built in a module from handheld PMR so that they could talk thro it without need for a licence. The 2.4 Ghz unit was a camera and TX unit used in a TV remote senders which are around so cheap. I also got for only £9 a remote temperature sensor TX together with the mon itor (operates 433 Mhz) For the radio amateur modules I picked used boards from faulty handhelds that I picked for a song. Agree also on the source of solar panels, but I also went to a major store and offered to buy quite a number of solar garden lights that had been returned as faulty. The solar cells were OK on most of ther units but even new units are so cheap to buy especially this time of the year. Of course for a " Ground based satellite" no worries about all of the documentation,safety, risk analysis and of course "Launch cost" - Hi! Good luck and enjoy the fun. Regards Ken GW1FKY