Gus, I understand what you are saying I share the same thoughts on the use of the frequencies. Maybe by their use of them it keeps them active. I don't presume to have the answers or the money. I just wish I knew what a "real" ham is or was because no matter what part of the hobby I stick my nose into it seems the "good old days" are the measure. My observation of the hobby from my short 12 years in is that it's a hobby terribly stuck in the past for a large number of folks.
John AG9D Sent from my iPod On Sep 19, 2012, at 10:30 PM, Gus 8P6SM <[email protected]> wrote: > On 09/19/2012 06:09 PM, John Spasojevich wrote: >> If you are going to push education, it's not real easy to sell someone like >> NASA who has launchers available, that their interest in education is >> served by launching an AO-40 replacement when it'll be full of "real hams" >> and little opportunity for students. The road to reduced cost launches lies >> with the education card and that is the path AMSAT-NA is on and until one >> of the "real hams" wants to step up and head a drive to raise several >> million dollars, I think you'll all be dead a buried before another AO-40 >> flies. > > I fear you are correct. About the likelihood of another HEO launch. But I > disagree about the rest. > > The education card may gain us cheaper launches, but why are we bothering? A > recent post here mentioned a five-satellite CubeSat launch, concluding that > "Four of the CubeSats carry Amateur Radio payloads..." Excuse me? > > F-1 transmits on 145.980 MHz and 437.485 MHz which are both ham frequencies. > But hams can't use this bird, because unless you want to look at earth images > (and live in the vicinity of the ground-station) or you are interested in the > spacecraft's obscure telemetry, there is nothing for you here. And if you > ARE interested, you don't have to be a ham radio operator to "use" the > satellite. All you need is the appropriate receiver and no license. > > FITSAT-1 transmits on 437.250 MHz, 437.445 MHz and 5.840 GHz. Again, all ham > frequencies, and again, useable by ANYONE, with or without a ham license, > because all you need is a receiver (seeing as all you can do is listen to > some more obscure telemetry). The Hi-Brite LEDs writing CW in the sky is > really neet... but you won't see it unless you live near the > ground-station.... which I don't > > WE-WISH (apparently) downlinks on ham frequency 437.505 MHz. It seems to > have a thermal imager on it, and presumably lots more obscure telemetry. > Once again, non-hams can use this as easily as hams because it only requires > you have a receiver, no interaction being possible. > > TechEdSat will allow you (and any non-ham with a receiver) to listen to the > obscure telemetry (hereinafter "ObsTel") on ham frequency 437.465 MHz. Why > you would want to, I can't imagine. > > So. Is this the sort of "Amateur Radio Payload" that we should hope for, if > we continue to play the education card? Personally, I can't see why we > should bother. Judging by these satellites, the phrase "carries an amateur > radio payload" really means "usurps amateur radio frequencies for non-amateur > use for telemetry and telecommand on non-amateur satellites". > > Let me make it plain. I have no objection to (and indeed, I support) > satellites being launched for educational reasons. I suppose that I really > don't even object to the HamSat frequencies being used for non-ham purposes, > seeing as WE aren't using those frequencies for anything much. But what are > we gaining from playing this education card? The hope that occasionally, we > can arrange the launch of some short lifespan, low range, fast pass, single > channel FM bird that I get to shout callsign and gridsquare at for 6-8 > minutes at a time, on a good day? > > You know, I don't have 10M to spare, to pay for a HEO launch. If I did, I > would. I might scrape together 10K to donate. But honestly now, why should > I? Apparently there will never be another AO-13 for me (and "real hams") to > enjoy, because such a bird will offer little opportunity for students. > > But of course, I am nobody special, and not even an AMSAT member (I'll tell > you why, if you want me to) so you can safely ignore my post. > -- > 73, de Gus 8P6SM > The Easternmost Isle > _______________________________________________ > 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
