All,
In the past weeks and especially the past days AMSAT's engineering department has experienced some difficult times. Some might even call it a meltdown. However, the majority of the active volunteers have just been awaiting guidance and direction so I would like to provide a first glimmer of that now. At the present time I am acting VP Engineering. In that role I will be the team leader of all active teams and I will be the arbiter of the guidance provided to engineering by the Board. I am generally accessible because I work from home so anyone who would like to speak directly with me can call 410-987-7835 day or early evening Eastern Time.
I want to thank Bob McGwier N4HY for his service as VP Engineering. He single handedly revitalized the department and brought on many new high quality volunteers to work on AMSAT new vision. He has also been the genesis of new concepts like the use of software defined radio concepts as the basis for our new high performance linear transponder design (SDX) and for the implementation of a better HELAPS transmitter design using modern digital techniques to control its linearity. Fortunately Bob is staying actively involved in AMSAT and in our engineering efforts. He will be a key asset as we continue our march toward achieving AMSAT Mission and Vision.
Attached is an advanced copy of my Apogee View for the (late) May/Jun issue that will be in your hands very soon. In it I begin a process of providing you with information that I hope will give AMSAT and our design teams a unifying message that will allow everyone to pull together and see how their efforts fit in the grand plan for AMSAT's future.
The path forward for AMSAT requires some refinement so the AMSAT Board and Senior Officers will be meeting in August to review our vision and particularly to review our plans for a high orbit satellite. In the mean time, regardless of what new ideas may be discussed on our mailing lists, AMSAT is committed to the path we have undertaken from the beginning to launch one or more payloads each consisting of one or both of the following payloads:
* An SDX-based linear transponder with U and L-band uplinks and V and S1-band downlinks. * An Advanced Communications Payload that uses modern digital technology to provide, at a minimum, quality voice and data communications to the Amateur Radio community using no more than a 60 cm TVRO style dish antenna. Additional modes and user classes were added by engineering, but this is the minimum acceptable definition to achieve our mission goals.
I would also like to acknowledge that AMSAT engineering has other important tasks such as SuitSat-2, software upgrades for AO-51 and the reconstruction of the AMSAT Lab.
Any changes to fundamental Eagle goals will come from the Board and Senior Officers team through me as engineering team leader. If anyone would like to suggest new ideas for consideration you have free access to express yourself either through your engineering team leader or directly to the members of the Board and Senior Officers team (see the links at http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/AboutAmsat/officers.php).
AMSAT engineering needs some guidance to keep things moving and to minimize the chances for more destructive conflict. I will be implementing changes with advice from a presidential advisory commission I have established and from all of you. It is my intention to come to the West Coast soon to meet with as many of you as possible. I want to get to know you and have you get to know me. In the mean time, I hope that those of you doing work on Eagle (SDX and ACP as well as RF, mechanical, etc.) will either continue working or resume your work. At this time, all group leaders on the Eagle project are relieved of their leadership duties. Responsibilities will be refined and particular emphasis will be placed on interfaces such as the ACP signal in space, and digital to RF interfaces in SDX and ACP. For example, I would like to see work resumed on the SDX RF modules (two transmit and two receive modules). I would like a document written to describe the ACP signal in space to which both the ACP and the ground station teams will be working. I would like to se RF modules developed for ACP. If you are working on these or other important elements of Eagle please let me know who you are and what you are doing. If you would like to lead an activity please tell me.
Rick
W2GPS
AMSAT President
410-987-7835
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From: Rick Hambly (W2GPS) [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 7:16 PM To: '[email protected]' Cc: 'namaste-dev'; '[email protected]'; 'officers' Subject: Engineering
All,
I expect everyone is anxiously awaiting the next chapter in the ongoing conflicts within AMSAT's engineering department. I can assure everyone that AMSAT's Board and the President are working hard behind the scenes to get matters resolved quickly so AMSAT can get back on track toward a successful implementation of our Mission, especially the design, construction and launch of a high orbit satellite.
If anyone has concerns or wishes to express their opinions on this matter they should call me, preferably during working hours or early evening (Eastern time) at 410-987-7835 or, if I'm out, on my cell phone at 410-299-2147.
Rick
W2GPS
AMSAT President