I am putting out a call for volunteers to help with some specific prototyping tasks that AMSAT needs to do in the early part of 2008.

http://www.amsat.org for those unfamiliar with the organization.

The skills needed are

1) TIME ;-)

2) I need FPGA programming help for a Virtex 2. It will be used to prototype several different functions but a specific parallel channel demodulator, single carrier modulator, FEC generation and decoding need to be done. Existing cores that are not encumbered with IP are required so if that has to be new work, that is what it is. I also need for a separate task to develop a PWM modulator to drive a switching power supply.

3) I need switching power supply designers to come out of the wood work and join in with an RF development effort. While AMSAT has some power supply volunteers, they are mostly engaged.

4) I need up and down converters for 3.4 and 5.7 GHz that will be used to generate and receive hard limited constant envelope signals. Efficiency is paramount but this is a prototype. Functioning would be ideal!

5) We could use people with RF test equipment and labs at their disposal to do tests on these prototypes.

I think we are moving into an exciting and higher intensity time in AMSAT and it is my hope that some of these things will interest you.

There will needs to be a meeting in January in the D.C. area, absolutely no later than Mid February if you are interested.

If any of this sounds remotely interesting to you, please contact me at my email address.

Bob