On 11/12/11 21:49, Clint Bradford wrote:
... "OSCAR" stands for Orbital Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio ...
Why was it changed to "OrbitING Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio?"
Did "Orbital" just sound too geeky for the masses?
YES - the early citations from the 1960s had it as "Orbital."
WHO changed it to "Orbiting" ???
I don't think it was "changed" so much as someone used a
different word. The words orbital and orbiting are very
close to each other. So close that I'll bet most people would
not readily discern the difference.
I learned it with orbital. I'd probably use that if talking with
people, but hardly think that orbiting is bad.
So use either. Orbital is better--or more historically accurate--
but not worth fights over (not implying you were thinking that).
--STeve Andre'
wb8wsf en72
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