Satgen 648 Space Experiments  by GM4IHJ  (BID SGEN648)  2001-08-25

Several correspondents suggest that more radio amateurs would be
persuaded to try listening to and perhaps eventually using amateur
radio satellites, if instead of or in addition to communicating, they
carried signals which provided a basis for useful experiments in radio
physics. Experiments which could perhaps be of interest to schools
and clubs. There is some sense in this.  Who but a very small minority
want packet satellites, or as suggested recently in Amsat Journal even
more complex digital message systems ? When you can use email and get
through any time. Certainly the very large decline in the number of
European amsat users, suggests that the modern mobile phone equiped
teenager and preteen, is highly unlikely to turn to amateur radio.
Particularly the digital modes , old or new.

But unfortunately , the history of amateur satellites designed with
special experiments on board is a sad one. Typical examples have been
:-
Uosat 9 designed to transmit beacon signals on several HF bands . A
marvelous propagation tool if it had come off. But only one of the
beacons worked properly
Uosat 11 was better in some respects but it never really attracted
much of a following. Its proponents published tracking data on it for
years. But the only published experiments of note came from the
University of Surrey professionals.
Sarah was an ill fated attempt to monitor the natural HF transmissions
from the great planet Jupiter. But its design and orbit were in
conflict. It could not listen above 25 Mhz, and its reception below
that frequency was restricted because it was in an orbit which
generally saw Jupiter on an HF restricting path through the earths
ionosphere.
The Mexican satellites with their meteor surveilance reception had the
worst luck in the world because of launch failures.

In fact anyone looking for space radio experiments has usually had to
look elsewhere :-
P76 and the Polar family of American satellites which did a great job
of proving just how surprising the effects of the earths ionosphere
can be right up from HF up to the lower microwaves.
Cosmos 1686 was a plain old Russian space tug , used to shift Salyut 7
around. But it featured a 19Mhz beacon which provided excellent sub
horizon propagation tests long after the solar flux had stopped this
form of experiment on the higher frequency Radiosport beacons.
Iridium the nearly late unlamented mobile phone constellation of 66
sats, is still providing a bonus of readings of the effect of the
solar wind on the near earth magnetic field.
RS12 meanwhile has not been on mode K for some time . But when it was
its HF propagation warning potential was very useful.

Realistically however . No one can pretend that any of this
experimental work is going to bring forth lots of amateur radio
satellite operators. The best we can do is to zealously publish
anything about satellites amateur or professional , which might have
potential for amateur radio experimenters.