All,
I would like to reiterate my proposal for the Eagle band plan.
a) Keep the U/V SDX transponder as is.
b) Move C-C Rider's primary uplink to the S2-band (3400-3410 MHz). Also provide a backup uplink on L-band (1260-1270 MHz) but with fixed antennas optimized for use at apogee.
c) Implement an L/S SDX transponder, essentially identical to the U/S SDX transponder. This transponder would use fixed antennas and so will be usable near apogee. It would serve as a backup command and control access to the IHU. By being separate it would reduce the risk of common component failures. This would not use a TSFR module. This restores a promise we made to our membership that they have reasonably come to expect from Eagle.
In a message this morning N4HY said "I support John's contention that we should choose a band that is currently available world wide for the uplink on which we can feasibly build a system. Pick L or S1 is my recommendation. We chose S1 for all of these reasons." This is precisely the kind of political thinking that got us into the mess we are in now. The technical group should have stuck with the best technical result they identified in SDO for C-C Rider, an S2 uplink to replace the C uplink, and leave the political ramifications to be evaluated separately. It was clear in the SDO meeting that S2 is the best technical solution. A secondary access through L-band should mitigate the short term political fallout and this plan provides incentive to solve the political issues that otherwise will languish until S2 is gone.
Rick W2GPS AMSAT LM2232