And you can still use the FM equipment you bought on AO27, SO50, and SO67. I spent less than $200 on my FM satellite setup this year. It consists of a used Kenwood TM251A for $99, an Arrow antennas dualband J pole for $50, and a 50 foot run of 9913 flex for $40. It is still working fine on the other 3 sats.
73s John AA5JG ----- Original Message ----- From: "Clint Bradford" <[email protected]> To: "AMSAT BB" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2011 3:26 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-51 - Requiem >>> ... because since 2004 when AO-51 was operational a lot of Hams invested >>> a lot of money to buy FM > hand held equipments, Arrow antennas and ELK antennas to work ... > > Huh? 2004 was the year the Yaesu FT-60R was released. For under $200. The > Kenwood TH-D7 was > available - always a battery hog, but expensive due to its TNC/APRS > capabilities. > > To say that we blew our collective wads on "hand held equipment" for > working FM birds doesn't make > sense to me. And I was working at the US' largest ham radio equipment > dealer then: that phenomenon > did not occur. > >>> ... if AO-51 will be in trouble for a long time and if a similar >>> satellite will > not replace it than a lot of money all around the world has been invested > in FM equipment for very small ... > > The equipment purchased to work the FM sats covers the two most popular > voice bands in the > US, if not the planet. There's no "handheld equipment" that is exclusively > made for sat work. > >>> ... The situation for the linear satellite users is very bad as well >>> because > HO-68 was only activated for a limited numbar of orbits ... > > I do not understand why some folks are so hot for '68. Its primary mission > was never going to > be "amateur radio." It is run by the Chinese, who could really care less > about what we would like > to see happen with it. (Sorry, my wife has been to Tibet three times in > the past five years, and > has some really illustrative stories on how obscenely the Chinese treat > some very peaceful people.) > The Chinese projects have little or no interest for me. > >>> ... I don't have any information about the Fox project ... > > Right at the top of the AMSAT-org Web site you will find ... > > http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/fox/ > >>> ... I wanted a HEO so bad! > > When I win the lottery, we'll have a geo-synchronous bird above North > America ... > > Clint, K6LCS > > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via [email protected]. 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 _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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
