Jerry Buxton, N0JY selected as AMSAT’s VP-Engineering

AMSAT-NA Engineering VP Jerry Buxton, N0JY
New AMSAT-NA VP-Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY

In a special AMSAT Board of Directors meeting held via GoToMeeting on Tuesday, April 1st, the board unanimously approved the selection of Jerry Buxton, N0JY of Granbury, TX as AMSAT VP-Engineering.  Jerry replaces Tony Monteiro, AA2TX who passed away on March 26th.

Given the significance of completing Fox-1 for delivery on time later this year, the Board recognized that the Fox Program must continue under leadership that is focused on completing AMSAT’s latest satellite.  Selecting a new VP-Engineering is an important step towards maintaining the momentum that was developed under Tony’s leadership and to avoid creating an engineering  leadership vacuum as work continues on the satellite.  The Engineering Team deserves to have the new leadership identified in order to be in position to make the appropriate engineering decisions.

Read more

AMSAT VP Engineering/Director Tony Monteiro, AA2TX, SK

Anthony “Tony” J. Monteiro, AA2TX (SK)

Tony, AA2TX with Fox-1 model
Tony, AA2TX and Fox-1 model

AMSAT VP-Engineering and Board Member Anthony J. Monteiro, AA2TX of North Andover, MA died on Wednesday morning, March 26, 2014 while
hospitalized in Boston, MA from cancer. He was 55. He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou and daughter, Veronica, a college freshman.

Tony was first licensed in 1973 as a Novice and subsequently held an Extra Class Amateur Radio License. An avid operator, he described his
first contact in an AMSAT BoD Candidate’s Statement in 2011: “I earned my novice ticket in 1973 and made my first ham radio contact with a
transmitter made from parts out of an old TV set. A Heathkit HR-10B receiver and a 65-foot piece of wire strung out of a window for an antenna made up the rest of my station, which was pretty modest even by 1973 standards! Even so, I will never forget the thrill of my very first contact.”

Read more

Support AMSAT When You Shop at Amazon.com

amazon-logo._V192256676_AMSAT-NA is participating in the AmazonSmile program. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop at Amazon.com, at no cost to you.

Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. If you do business with Amazon you can apply your donation by logging into your Amazon account using http://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-0888529 to designate AMSAT-NA as the organization of your choice. When shopping on-line you must use the URL smile.amazon.com for AMSAT to receive the donation from your purchases.

G. Gould Smith, WA4SXM Steps Down from AMSAT Board of Directors, VP-User Services Positions

Gould, WA4SXM at the AMSAT Booth at Dayton
Gould, WA4SXM at the AMSAT Booth at Dayton 2012.

G. Gould Smith, WA4SXM of Knoxville, TN has resigned as an AMSAT Board of Directors member as well as his position as VP-User Services on the AMSAT Senior Leadership Team.  Gould notified AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW of his decision via an e-mail that states in part, “It is with deep regret that I must resign my AMSAT positions of BoD member and VP of User Services.  AMSAT has played a major part in my life over the last 25 years; the incredible people have made it such a great pleasure.”

Gould has persevered despite chronic health issues, but  recent severe medical issues have precluded him from active participation in AMSAT for some time.  Gould noted, “I had hoped that I would be able to contribute this year, but that hasn’t worked out. The organization needs to have contributing people in these positions.”

In his reply to Gould’s notification, Barry responded in part, “I’m sorry to receive your resignation; you have done so much for AMSAT over the years.”

Read more