[amsat-bb] analog vrs digital

[Randolph Kohlwey <kohlwey@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As a very active user (N7SFI) on some of the LEO analog sats I may be
able to give an idea of how many hams use them.  From 1995 on I have
logged almost every satellite QSO I have had. Before 1992-1994 I only
logged new calls worked. I have a program that analyzes my log and though
others might be interested in the results.

I have 19,978 entries with 1,830 callsigns worked.

I must admit up front that I spend most of my time on AO-27, FO-20 and FO-29
and these results reflect that I am located in the West.

Of these contacts just 20 callsigns are responsible for 51% of the entries.

VE6ITV,  KW7E, KI0AG, KC7QFS, N7MPM,  KC7KSA, W4NML, VE6EGN, VE7VVW, W0OQC
KC7LNT, N0VLN, K5VAS, N7HXP,  KC7IAS, KK5YY,  N0ZHE, WB4FWQ, KA0OXY, NK4R

The first ten callsigns are responsible for 39% of the entries. Since
my home is in Utah it is not surprising that all of these are west of
the Mississippi River. 

The current results are:

Satellite    Entries      Callsigns      States worked
-------------------------------------------------------
all          19,978        1,830         50

AO-27        13,556        1,251         50
FO-20         2,993          464         48
AO-21         1,118          444         50
FO-29           978          238         48
Mir             454          122         33
AO-13           291          222         46
AO-10           290          220         43
RS-12           217          132         38
RS-10            45           38         23
RS-15            29           28         17
RS-13             7            7          4

If you have been very active on (AO-10 and AO-13) or (RS-10,12,13,15) I
would like to know how many callsigns you have worked.

For those interested in QSL'ing my return rate is 90%. I have received 1,130
and sent 1,244 cards.

I enjoy both the analog and digital birds. Since Amateur radio operators
participate in many different activities it follows that one type of satellite
cannot meet the wishes of all current satellite operators.  I have been 
working as a volunteer at Weber State in the design of the JAWSAT satellite.
This satellite is scheduled to launch this September and will have 437 MHz
FM analog/digital down and 145 MHz FM analog/digital up.  The status of the
2400 MHz downlink is now uncertain.  Hopefully this fall we will have to face
the tough task of scheduling between analog and digital.

Randy N7SFI


To see which grid squares I have worked on satellite go to:

http://www.xmission.com/~kohlwey/

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