Re: [amsat-bb] super capacitors (fwd)

[G0MRF@xxxxxxx]

Hello Pat / Group.
 
A couple of thoughts from Pats comments:
 
1) Re super capacitors.  I wonder how these will react to a highly  energetic 
charged particle passing through them.  It could result in a  momentary loss 
of a small amount of charge, Or the worse case senario is that it  could cause 
the equivalent of 'flash over' leading to the destruction of the  capacitor 
and the possibility of shorted plates. I suspect some serious  radiation 
testing required especially for anything going to HEO
 
2) Building satellites with as much power as we can, to minimise ground  
station requirements.  Great idea for uncrowded bands. I can recall the  huge 
signal from AO-40's 2m transmitter in the early days after launch. -  Wow.   
However when we are faced with receiving a signal on the  microwave bands, for 
example 'the sewer' on 2.4GHz. It's an advantege to have a  large antenna for 
receiving, as the beamwidth works to your advantage. Yes, a  receiving system just 
using a patch would be nice, but in reality a nice dish  with a narrow 
beamwidth will keep the unwanted sewer rats out of your  receiver. 
 
 
Regards
 
David   G0MRF
 
 
In a message dated 27/07/2006 00:24:00 GMT Standard Time,  
tmcgrane@suffolk.lib.ny.us writes:

Congratulations to amsat for finding a possible solution to the  limiting
factor of the use of batteries on satellites. I was very pleased  to read
in the journal about the tinkering with super-capacitors.

If  I may start a discussion. Are they really a practical solution to  the
problem of battery life?

My initial impression is that they  would not emulate a similar size
battery but I am very encouraged that they  are being considered.

Would their use limit the power available to the  transmitters appreciably?

If I can present a point to ponder, I believe  it would be more cost
effective to incorporate features into the satellite  that lessen the
ground station requirements. I would rather donate to a  more powerful
satellite than invest hundreds or thousands of dollars in  ground station
equipment. If cell phones required beams and preamps, they  wouldnt be so
popular.

Good luck with the capacitors, I hope they or  some other scheme works.
Nice to see good imaginations in the  engineers.

thanks, pat n2oeq 32323
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