Re: [amsat-bb] New AO-27?

["Laura Jolley" <jolleybuckaroo@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

My take on an FM "geo" bird is that unless there were many channels one 
would have choas shortly...ie the rush would be to higher and higher power 
and it would just be well choas.

Now I do think "a lot" of channels might be usable but "channel" systems 
imply a discipline that really doesnt exist in Amateur radio (nor should 
it...grin).  I sort of think of the ham sats as "new bands" sometimes that 
might be open for only a short time but if your there at the right time and 
have a bit of skill (which can be developed) then you will make the contact. 
  FM is really not all that conducive to that type of operation.  the ATS 
birds have a hard limiting FM repeater on them and its fun to  listen to 
them sometimes...imagine that multiplied.

Now the FM birds do have their place and AO 27 is an outstanding example but 
the feature that makes it work is the LEO nature of it.

What I would like to see in the high altitude business is either a lot of 
Oscar 10 type satellites OR ARSENE type birds.  I still have this setup for 
Arsene (and track it occassionally hoping it will somehow "come to life") 
and its amazing how simple a setup it is and how tracking is really none 
existent.  BUT the geometry of the bird changes on a day to day basis...then 
its gone for a bit and then it comes back.

If we had say three or four of them there would be no stationkeeping etc.

Just good long range comm.


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