[amsat-bb] Satellite Status Problems

[Emily Clarke <w0eec@xxxxxxxxx>]

The worse kept secret is that we have been trying to convert all of 
the satellite data over to a database.  I haven't made any "official" 
announcement because we knew there might be problems, and there have 
been (though no where as near as I feared.)  Without converting over, 
we couldn't even begin to consider  the many, many requests we have 
gotten for RSS feeds and other services.

Today we (well - I) began to prepare to have the first RSS feed and 
an experimental WSR generation out of the database.  Originally the 
feeds were designed to report on operational satellites only with the 
thought that someone probably didn't care about the status of OSCAR 
1, for example.  During the generation of those feeds it became 
apparent we needed to include "recently dead" satellites, and 
satellites that have ongoing interest.  So two more fields were added 
to indicate to the engine whether or not to include certain 
satellites that were no longer operational.  Downstream this created 
other problems.

Fortunately Wayne, ke6dzd, sent me an email at ~03:00z and let me 
know we broke it, and it was fixed fairly quickly.  I sincerely 
apologize for any inconvenicence.  It was mostly cosmetic, but I know 
these mishaps can cause stress.

73,

Emily



---------------------------------
N1DID formerly W0EEC - CM87tm

Donate to AMSAT at http://www.amsat-na.com/donation.php
Support Project OSCAR - http://www.projectoscar.net
Personal Website - http://www.PlanetEmily.com
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