Re: [amsat-bb] Right-sizing a sat [was: Antennas on the bird]

["Robert Oler" <cvn65vf94@xxxxxxx>]

>From: Rip Smith <rip.smith@mindspring.com>
>To: amsat-bb@AMSAT.Org
>>Those who agree with me should look at Bob Bruninga's write-up on
>"Mode V".
>
>The url is:
>
>http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/mode-v.html
>
>73 de K3XO
>Rip
>
>
>

Well exactly.  Bob's ideas are I think right on the mark (as are most of 
his).  Bob's idea has a couple of key elements to it...the first is that the 
ground equipment is immenintly affordable and wouldnt take a lot of "stuff" 
to make it work.  I have something like it in reverse for RS12..the second 
is that it requires some technical savy to put together but not an enormous 
amount so its something that would interest "younger" members of the hobby 
(thats where you catch them is when they are in their teenage years)...but 
the technical requirments are enough to get folks interested in the Joy of 
well ham radio...putting your own station together.  Finally I think that 
the bird component is well within the reach of the ccommunity...and the 
launch industry.

While I realize that there are reasons that a concrete substitute will be 
launched it seems possible to me that if we had two or three or four or five 
such birds ready to go when they do the Atlas and Delta heavy lift test we 
could get those tossed out.  Had it not been for silly state department 
reasons Bob would have gotten something on the Zenit test launch.

Right now other then RS birds my guess is that like my younger relatives the 
entry point for most "kids" these days on the birds is the packet sats.  
There was some good fun on Oscar 6 and 7 and 8 years ago...we could have 
that again.

Thanks for the comments.  I agree with them entirely (Bob's idea makes your 
mouth water for those birds)...

Robert Oler WB5MZO Houston TX

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