Satgen132  Uosat3 Gateways - Opportunity or Problem by GM4IHJ  6th Oct 91
     DO NOT CHANGE BIDS ON THIS BULL IF YOU COPY AND RETRANSMIT IT
Norbert DF5DP DARC Satellite Manager has produced an interesting bulletin
raising several questions which could affect Uosat3 users. It appears that
at least 3 German groups are applying for licenses for Gateways to Uosat3.
What effect is this likely to have ? What follows is purely the opinion of
GM4IHJ. Clearly Univ of Surrey has a big interest and I have no desire to
pre-empt any statement they make. But as yet radio amateurs generally seem
unaware of what is going on. So here is a brief overall view.

Uosat3 has one regular uplink on 2m . It can easily accomodate two users
at a time. It is the fastest packet sat by a factor of 8 to 1. It uses
complex ground station software ,and ground station hardware can cost more
than one thousand pounds sterling. At present it has between 100 and 200
regular users with several hundred more listening and reading broadcast
bulletins but not transmitting. Lots more people would use it if cheap
gateway access was available. It is already targeted by at least 8
indirect gateways. 3 American +1 each, S American, S African, West
European( ON4KVI), Easter European , Japanese and New Zealand stations.In
KI6QE's latest update he says " (gateways) provide rapid transmission of
personal message traffic. Only bulletins dealing with specific Amateur
Radio topics of interest to all radio amateurs should be handled through
gateways". But this leaves it unclear whether they are :- INDIRECT
Type A =gateway sent a message via terrestrial packet for uplink at a
later time and queried for any incoming traffic for addressee. DIRECT
Type B =gateway  accessed by digipeater, person accessing then gets real
time satellite uplink/downlink facilities (much more difficult to build).
Equally unclear is the type of traffic permitted. Is the gateway used for
either, or , PERSONAL, or LOCAL district mail transfer. Or, INTERNATIONAL
transfer . Or important BULLETIN tranfer. Or any or all of these things.
I think the 8 gateways in use presently are Type A interposing a delay
with the user not getting direct access, and not being able to uplink
local messages. I believe some of the proposed German gateways are
intended for Type B real time DIRECT UNATTENDED  access by packet user,
with provision for local and international mail.But this is not yet clear.

So can Uosat3 take this load? That's a decision for its controllers, but
for my money the present 8 station net through Uosat3 is good news ,and,
the hitech proposals from Germany should get a 2 year test. No doubt if we
over use it,the present strictly limited system will crack ,but until this
is positively demonstrated,I think these experiments should go ahead. If
the system cracks , we then know we have every reason to build more packet
satellites preferably of the Uosat 3 type with its vastly superior
throughput. Unattended ops will be tricky to get right, but it should be
fun. Congratulations, to all those operating gateways , and to the Radio
Amateurs of Germany ,who I hope will shortly be doing so. To Amsat/IARU
types - please do not ban this. That would be a very backward step. Lets
try it and then decide on merit.  73 de GM4IHJ @ GB7SAN   PS.Amsat Journal
Mar 90 p18-20 discusses gateways types in detail