[amsat-bb] Re: S band, experience from UK

[sco@sco-inc.com]

Please correct me if I am wrong. But AO-40 did not fail because of 
poor engineering workmanship. It failed because of HUMAN ERROR in the 
preparation of the satellite for launch. Are you saying that P3E will 
cost more to build and to launch than Eagle?

Les W4SCO

At 03:47 AM 9/10/2006, you wrote:
>Since we want to do only one engine burn, Eagle will be at a lower elevation
>and WiFi interference will be greater than for P3E -- especially for users
>in Alaska. Consequently, Eagle is also lighter and less expensive and less
>likely to explode.
>
>73,
>
>John
>KD6OZH
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <jules at g0nzo.co.uk>
>To: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
>Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 18:30 UTC
>Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: S band, experience from UK
>
>
> > All
> >
> > My station  is in a built up area in the UK, which I would assume has a
> > level of S band licence exempt traffic that is typical of most areas. I
>can
> > see 5 video senders on my ATV receiver and a 4 WLAN networks on my PDA
>with
> > built in antenna.
> > When I listened to AO40, I only had problems below 10 degrees elevation.
> > This represents a small percentage of a pass, that it did not worry me. (I
> > am aware that the orbit of Eagle may not be quite so favourable). Also,
>AO40
> > signals WERE rock crushing for me. With a 5ft dish, very non optimal
>linear
> > feed and pretty average NF, I could hear VK stations as armchair copy in
> > ssb, even
> > at apogee. Often they were still copyable at LOS, unless I was pointing
> > straight at the WLAN.
> > I will try and make some quantive measurements and submit them, but my gut
> > feeling is that S band is still a viable downlink in my location.
> >
> >
> > My 2 penneth worth....
> > I am not an AMSAT-NA member. Any donations I make go indirectly through my
> > local AMSAT group. So I am not going to get into the politics of this.
> > But...
> > I expect that the decision to drop S-band was not taken lightly.
> > The people who take on these satellite projects, do so at great personal
>and
> > sometimes financial expense. Given the great commitment that these people
> > make, it seems a little discourteous to moan about not being able to use a
> > small part of our stations. Our S-band capability will still be useable
>for
> > P3E. Also, by building an S-band station, you have already reaped the
> > greatest reward, which is the experience of doing it, isn't that what
> > Amateur Radio is all about.
> >
> > In all hobbies, it seems that there is so much in-fighting, that people
> > loose sight of the bigger picture. There are people in authority who are
>out
> > to get us. In this case it is the commercial pressure on our spectrum. The
> > old adage, 'Use it or loose it', is very true here. So if the bit that we
> > are able to use doesn't happen to match the box that we have on our mast,
> > then we must adapt. Who knows, you may learn something on the way.
> >
> > Jules
> > G0NZO
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
> > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
>_______________________________________________
>Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
>Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
>Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb