[amsat-bb] Re: ideas

[Bruce Robertson]

Quoting Anthony Monteiro <aa2tx at comcast.net>:

> At 09:38 AM 1/11/2007, Nick Pugh wrote:
> 
> >Hi Amsaters
> >
> >The cubesat team at the University of Louisiana is in the process of 
> >defining its second mission for its cubsat project. The team has 
> >decided to fly a cubesat that has a educational component. We are 
> >asking for ideas that would excite K through 12 students that can be 
> >flown on a cube sat  i.e. 1 watt of dc power in a 4 inch cube. In 
> >addition to the education component the team is thinking of flying a 
> >high efficient radio per haps bpsk with a forward error 
> >corrected  code with Eb/No of < 3 db. Again here we are asking for 
> >input in the mission definition and help in the implementation 
> >including pier review.
> >
> >
> >Please put your vision in gear and help us.
> >thanks
> >nick K5qxj
> 
> 
> Hi Nick,
> 
> Here is a wild idea for you. The Nintendo DS Lite
> video game has a built-in wireless Instant Messaging (IM)
> capability that runs at 2.4GHz using standard WiFi. It would
> be really cool for kids to be able to chat with other kids via
> satellite using their Nintendo game.
> 
> 73,
> Tony AA2TX
> 
> 

That's a great wild idea, Tony! How would WiFi's modulation scheme react to
the doppler shift? 

Here are some thoughts from the other end of the stick:

When I did my Suitsat stuff last year, and when my kids' friends come by,
I'm amazed at how much cachet good-ole' morse code has among kids today. I
think they'd have a great time doing QRS contacts from one state to
another, just like kids have always loved those walkie talkies with morse
buzzers built in. (Perhaps the absence of a morse exam will mean that we
let non-hams try morse 'as a treat' when discovering amateur radio.) I
would set it up with a live web-cam from station-to-station so that each
group can see the other preparing for the contact. 

While I like CW as much as the other guy, I'm no fanatic: I honestly think
the above would enchant.

Mind you, I also like Bob's idea of adding to the APRS constellation. In
that case, the application of the satellite is to track something
terrestrial that communicates with the APRS birds. Kids love these paper
characters that they mail all over the world; APRS could provide a similar
"where's our guy" experience in the classroom. There is an old much-loved
children's book called _Paddle to the Sea_ by Holling C. Holling. The
little boat travels all the way to the mouth of the St. Lawrence seaway. It
appeals to the same mixture of geography and adventure.

Thanks to the CAPE people for letting us express these things. 

73, Bruce VE9QRP