While it is true that MO-76 does not have a transponder, the satellite WILL send you a signal report if you send it a correctly formatted data packet. To do this requires some technical ability. The satellite uses an RFM-22 transceiver and receives FSK, not AFSK, data signals. The packet must be formatted to the RFM-22 specification, it's not AX.25. All the required information for doing this is outlined in the $50sat communications document available from our dropbox account. The dropbox can be accessed through a link at www.50dollarsat.info. The MO-76 team will even award a Certificate of Technical Achievement to anyone that can confirm the two way QSO with the satellite. Hey, it's the best three guys working from their hamshacks can do in a 2" x 2" x 3" satellite.....at least until next time :)
Howie AB2S
Howie,
I think $50SAT MO-76 is innovative and COOL. I also think the previous email about MO-76 was in jest and not meant to demean or belittle the project. I have been impressed with what "three guys working in their hamshacks" did in a 2" x 2" x 3" satellite. Some folks might gripe because it doesn't have a transponder but they would be missing the the big picture. Without innovation, the ham satellite community will waste away into obscurity.
Who knows? Maybe we will have a $50HEOSATwithTRANSPONDER someday.....I can dream.
73 Clayton W5PFG
On Tue, Mar 18, 2014 at 12:22 PM, Howie DeFelice howied231@hotmail.com wrote:
While it is true that MO-76 does not have a transponder, the satellite WILL send you a signal report if you send it a correctly formatted data packet. To do this requires some technical ability. The satellite uses an RFM-22 transceiver and receives FSK, not AFSK, data signals. The packet must be formatted to the RFM-22 specification, it's not AX.25. All the required information for doing this is outlined in the $50sat communications document available from our dropbox account. The dropbox can be accessed through a link at www.50dollarsat.info. The MO-76 team will even award a Certificate of Technical Achievement to anyone that can confirm the two way QSO with the satellite. Hey, it's the best three guys working from their hamshacks can do in a 2" x 2" x 3" satellite.....at least until next time :)
Howie AB2S _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Thanks Clayton, I didn't take it as demeaning at all. I was actually pleased to see others following the project. I am convinced there are avenues to HEO that may be affordable to us, but they probably won't be like any of our previous HEO sats. I saw lots of cool and exciting technology at the Satellite2014 show in D.C. last week. I also think that a bunch of coordinated, linked LEO sats could give us the equivalent of a HEO at a fraction of the cost. I think the AMSAT board has been doing a great job in taking the steps required to reach such a goal by fostering cooperation with anyone that has a launch opportunity. I think the $50sat team proved that it doesn't take allot of money to launch a working satellite. Maybe of we had six people instead of three on the project we might have found a way to put a transponder on board... most innovation is evolutionary, not revolutionary and the only bad idea is the one you don't consider...
Howie AB2S
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 12:43:19 -0500 Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] $50sat MO-76 From: kayakfishtx@gmail.com To: howied231@hotmail.com CC: amsat-bb@amsat.org
Howie,
I think $50SAT MO-76 is innovative and COOL. I also think the previous email about MO-76 was in jest and not meant to demean or belittle the project. I have been impressed with what "three guys working in their hamshacks" did in a 2" x 2" x 3" satellite. Some folks might gripe because it doesn't have a transponder but they would be missing the the big picture. Without innovation, the ham satellite community will waste away into obscurity.
Who knows? Maybe we will have a $50HEOSATwithTRANSPONDER someday.....I can dream.
73 Clayton W5PFG
On Tue, Mar 18, 2014 at 12:22 PM, Howie DeFelice howied231@hotmail.com wrote:
While it is true that MO-76 does not have a transponder, the satellite WILL send you a signal report if you send it a correctly formatted data packet. To do this requires some technical ability. The satellite uses an RFM-22 transceiver and receives FSK, not AFSK, data signals. The packet must be formatted to the RFM-22 specification, it's not AX.25. All the required information for doing this is outlined in the $50sat communications document available from our dropbox account. The dropbox can be accessed through a link at www.50dollarsat.info. The MO-76 team will even award a Certificate of Technical Achievement to anyone that can confirm the two way QSO with the satellite. Hey, it's the best three guys working from their hamshacks can do in a 2" x 2" x 3" satellite.....at least until next time :)
Howie AB2S _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (2)
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Clayton Coleman -
Howie DeFelice