[amsat-bb] Re: S band and Eagle: an appeal for a higher level discussion

[David B. Toth]

At 09:13 PM 9/8/2006, Bruce Rahn wrote:
>Tom Clark, K3IO wrote:
> > We considered the RFI environment carefully (see my CSVHFS paper for
> > details) as it would exist 10 years from now. Why 10 years? Well, it
> > will take us 3-4 years to fly Eagle, and then we hope it will last and
> > be useful for at least a decade, so a 10 year forecast seemed about
> > right. In that time frame, many of us (me especially) feel that the
> > European Galileo GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System, i.e. GPS)
> > (and possibly similar systems being designed in Japan & China) will have
> > prime DOWNLINK signals overlaying our 1260-1270 MHz UPLINK band. The
> > signals being sent down may well be deemed critical for "Safety of Life"
> > services; it is not unlikely (double negative used intentionally) that
> > administrations may cancel out our L-band uplink so those "damned Hams
> > can't cause an A380 with 500 people on board to crash!". Since weight,
> > power and volunteer engineering talent are all finite resources, we came
> > to the conclusion that it was not prudent for us to invest in an L-band
> > uplink.  C'est la vie.
> >
>Sigh....a bit of paranoia here?

No, just a lot more insight and experience than you have ...
Clark and McGwier are plugged into a lot of places you could not have 
a clue about, and therefore know just a few things you don't ....

Now I know why I try to avoid reading this list ... the lack of 
civility is appalling.

Dave VE3GYQ/W8
Spencerville, OH