RE: [amsat-bb] Re: [sarex] MIR

[tlang@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Tony Langdon)]

Hello Michael.

19 Feb 00 03:00, you wrote to 'Clifford Buttschardt':

 >> Mode A was defunct years ago.  Mode J is just barely surviving.
 MO>
 MO> Was working last time I checked.  There will be several boyscouts
 MO> on the other side of the mountain here that will be very very
 MO> disappointed if somebody stole the easy-sats before the even
 MO> get a license.

I have to agree.  The easy sats are the ones that are good for introducing
people to this facet of the hobby, and they'll be getting a good working over
next weekend under the public's gaze down here.

 >> Otherwise we simply feed into the notion that more is better
 >> and that the damn HT is really somethingother than a damn
 >> fool toy, which it is!    Cliff K7RR
 MO>
 MO> Well, I guess most of us just can't afford to start with an AO-10
 MO> class station as you did.  Guess you would have every satellite
 MO> be a P3D class or better now???

Or have the space to build an AO-10 class station.  I certainly don't (though
I'm going to see what I can do with portable antennas).

 MO> There is a place for SIMPLE systems, and these should be a place
 MO> where beginners can cheaply try satellite communications.
 MO> From the several private replies I got, I would suppose that
 MO> most folks feel the same way.

Again, one can't argue with that.  Simple systems encourage people to have a
go, and try for something more challenging later on.  Years ago, I considered
satellites way out of my league, until a news item on the local WIA news
broadcast which suggested that one could work RS-10 with a couple of multimode
rigs and simple (i.e. existing) antennas.  I gave it a go with a friend's
station, and it worked quite well.  More recently, SO-35 has allowed me to
experiment with handheld transceivers, and in turn has convenced me to get back
into satellites.  I am aiming towards Phase 3D now, which I wouldn't have
considered 6 months ago.  All because a few easy sats got me started again.

And the simple birds can have their own challenges that aren't practical on the
more "difficult" satellites.  Ever had a satellite QSO while sitting on a
train?  I have, and another local here did the same from a bus. :-)

 MO> You know, maybe I do see your point.  If there were nothing
 MO> but AO-10 and P3D, and some other super-sats, all the beginners
 MO> who did not know how to track, or tune Doppler, or follow a QSO
 MO> could learn with the big boys.  Wow, the QRM and bedlam would
 MO> be something to listen to.  Carriers sweeping up and down on top
 MO> of your QSO, because the beginners didn't know how to find
 MO> their own downlink.  What fun.  Even you could help to teach them.

All these things take practice.  I discovered how rusty I am the other day
while trying out RS-13. :-)  But it's coming back to me! :)

 MO> If it were not for the easy sats, I, and many others, would not
 MO> even be on sats at all.  But perhaps that is what you are wishing
 MO> for anyway?

As I said above, I'd be one of the non starters if there were no easy sats.

 MO> Type away, you'll not convince me that satellites MUST be
 MO> difficult and complicated to function, and that there is no
 MO> place in satellites for easy sats or beginners.  But feel free
 MO> to try  <GRIN>

No argument from me there.

Tony

.. I was not _creating_ a disturbance, merely improving one.
--
|Fidonet:  Tony Langdon 3:633/284.18
|Internet: tlang@freeway.apana.org.au
|
| Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.


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