Re: [amsat-bb] Where'd all the satellite DX go?

[Tom Busch <thbusch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Adding a $100 downconverter and dish to a Mode B station was all it took
to get me started on AO-40, and I was hooked.  I also learned a lot about
microwaves and am having a lot of fun besides.

I'm sorry if my response sounds curt, but your message really sounds like
a troll.  There will be other satellites, other Mode B, and after the
success with AO-40, other mode L/S, U/S.

73,

TomB

On Sun, 20 Jun 2004, William H. Hein wrote:

> I posted a query a few weeks ago about getting back on the satellites after
> a long ham radio hiatus and said "where'd all the DX go?"  Got several
> replies -- thanks!
>
> It seems that the people who fund and build satellites have moved on from
> the simple HEO mode B type birds due to the "been there, done that" factor
> (my speculation).  Most of the recent satellites have been either quite
> complex and microwave-oriented (AO40) or little FM LEO repeaters/
> digipeaters with tiny footprints.  To wit, the next AMSAT project is another
> LEO bird, Echo, with one FM voice channel.  Not too exciting for people like
> me.
>
> Unfortunately, by my reckoning, most of the people who use(d) amateur
> satellites had mode B gear and enjoyed working the world, particularly on
> AO10 and AO13.  With these birds gone, most of this crowd has moved on from
> satellite Dxing to something else.  Doing DX cluster searches for sat DX
> turns up virtually nothing.  This is shocking as the DX clusters used to be
> full of AO10 (and AO10) DX.  (I now run across a lot of people on 6m that I
> used to work on AO13.)
>
> So there appears to be a disconnect between the people who build satellites
> and the people who use 'em.  C'est la vie, since this is a hobby not a
> business and we should be thankful anyone contributes money, time and
> resources to put amateur satellites of any type in the sky.
>
> Several people pointed out that I may find some DX on FO-29 and AO-7, and DX
> does show up on the LEO birds from time-to-time.  So I'll work on getting my
> satellite station QRV this summer.  I learned the Germans are putting up a
> HEO satellite with mode B capabilities -- P3E -- that is supposed to launch
> by 2006.  This satellite, however, seems quite complex with capability all
> the way up to 47-GHz, so I am worried it may become another AO40.  Trying to
> be all things to all hams and ending up...  AMSAT's Eagle looks interesting
> from what I can tell (there's not a lot of info online, at least that I can
> find), but is also a few years away.  So it seems satellite widespread
> satellite Dxing will be in hibernation for several more years, at least.
>
> 73,
> Bill NT1Y (ex-AA6TT)
> Topsham VT
> AMSAT Life Member
>
>
>
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