So now the line is that an HEO or a GEO, besides being expensive to launch, will be difficult and expensive for the average ham to acquire the equipment for so we should just forget about it? Is that what I'm reading? The hams I once knew, never backed down from a technical challenge. By all accounts it wasn't exactly "easy" to build an AO-40 station but a whole bunch of hams managed to get it done. There was a time when generating and receiving an SSTV signal was an enormously involved process but somehow the early innovators in the field got it done. Now it's one of the more simple and inexpensive things to do. Hams have always overcome technical challenges. It's what we do, or we used to do it anyway.
Correct me if I'm wrong but AMSAT used to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. We had AO-40 and a myriad of other sats with varying degrees of challenge to working them. I don't think anyone is saying that we should just abandon the so called "easy sat" concept. Far from it. If that's what you enjoy, then more power to you but there is a large number of people out here that want something more than that. We enjoy the challenge. It's what drew us to this side of the hobby in the first place. Why can't we do both? We used to do that back when I was an enthusiastic member of this organization and I think it can be done again. I wouldn't still be here on this list hoping and praying for a change in it's direction and a return to it's former glory and status if I didn't.
73,
Michael W4HIJ
On Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 09:13:59AM -0400, Michael Tondee via AMSAT-BB wrote:
So now the line is that an HEO or a GEO, besides being expensive to launch, will be difficult and expensive for the average ham to acquire the equipment for so we should just forget about it? Is that what I'm reading? The hams I once knew, never backed down from a technical challenge. By all accounts it wasn't exactly "easy" to build an AO-40 station but a whole bunch of hams
For years Larry Kayser (SK) (VE3QB then VA3LK) tried to get me interested in satellite operation. It took AO-40 and a demonstration by Clare Fowler (VE3NPC) at our local Hamfest to get me really excited.
managed to get it done. There was a time when generating and receiving an SSTV signal was an enormously involved process but somehow the early innovators in the field got it done. Now it's one of the more simple and
I was at Syd Horne's (VE3EGO) talk at the OARC when he was first doing SSTV. That P7 monitor was pretty harsh on the eyes. ;)
inexpensive things to do. Hams have always overcome technical challenges. It's what we do, or we used to do it anyway.
So many hams complained about that "Donald Duck" sound on HF but the gear came down in price.
Correct me if I'm wrong but AMSAT used to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. We had AO-40 and a myriad of other sats with varying degrees of challenge to working them. I don't think anyone is saying that we should
One thing no one has mentioned yet is the possibility of our own Sat system and linking FM repeaters on the ground.
just abandon the so called "easy sat" concept. Far from it. If that's what you enjoy, then more power to you but there is a large number of people out
This argument has been going on forever. There is room for both. Personally I think I may have been on a FM sat once or twice. To each their own.
here that want something more than that. We enjoy the challenge. It's what drew us to this side of the hobby in the first place. Why can't we do
Yes! It's what got me on the sats in the first place. I made one or two cw contacts on AO-40, my dish was sitting on a kitchen chair in the driveway in the winter no less, I was waving an Arrow antenna in the living room and did cw. Yes, that was a real challenge but so fun. Then AO-40 died as I got my dish up the tower properly. :-(
Challenge is part of the hobby and what makes it exciting! https://www.amsat.org/amsat/archive/amsat-bb/200501/msg00097.html
both? We used to do that back when I was an enthusiastic member of this organization and I think it can be done again. I wouldn't still be here on this list hoping and praying for a change in it's direction and a return to it's former glory and status if I didn't.
I'm the same way.
73,
Michael W4HIJ
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
FWIW I'm a life member.
73 Diane VA3DB
On 07/22/20 09:51, Diane Bruce via AMSAT-BB wrote:
here that want something more than that. We enjoy the challenge. It's what drew us to this side of the hobby in the first place. Why can't we do
Yes! It's what got me on the sats in the first place.
I'll echo this sentiment.
In my case, building equipment is my primary focus and adds to my operating enjoyment. My most recent homebrew equipment includes a 3D printed 70cm-band passive Lindenblad antenna, previously mentioned on this list, and a complementary LNA built from scratch using a MAX2640 device. The latter has taken 11 years to realize, based on the date I put on the PCB silkscreen. :-)
The 3D printed antenna spreader is being written up now and will be submitted to the Journal, with the STL and OpenSCAD source files available for anyone to use/enhance under a BSD-like license.
I completely understand that some amateurs will focus on the operational aspects of the hobby and have little to no interest in designing/building hardware. We need this segment of our demographic, just as much as we need the builders.
It is my hope that more operators discover the enjoyment of building, and that we have more VHF/UHF/microwave homebrew hardware operating on the ground with satellites. It isn't necessary to have the latest multi-kilo-buck touch-screen one-box-does-everything rig to work the satellites.
It's also my hope that I find some time to work a few of you, now that I have a workable antenna setup. ;-)
--- Zach N0ZGO
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Diane Bruce -
Michael Tondee -
Zach Metzinger