[amsat-bb] Re: Phase 4

[Edward Cole]

Since most of the ham population is at mid-latitudes in the Northern 
Hemisphere, coverage will not be an issue.  Those of us at high 
northern latitudes will find that a Geostationary satellite is low on 
the horizon.  Assuming the Intelsat will chose a 
mid-continental  sub-satellite longitude (90-100W Long), my elevation 
may only be 5-7 degrees to the Phase-IV.  My latitude is 60.67N and 
Longitude is 151.3W.   For stations even farther north there may not 
be line of sight path.  Barrow, AK 70N latitude see the Clark Belt at 
only 7 degrees above the horizon due south.

However if an Asian Geostationary sat is not more than about 50-deg 
West of me I may have access to it, as well.  Southcentral Alaska is 
almost exactly north of Hawaii and thus sits at mid-Pacific Longitude.

Earth station antennas will have to consider locations that provide a 
low horizon in this case.  The HEO's like the Phase-3 sats were all 
inclined to the equator about 60-degrees so that apogee provided high 
look angles for very extended time periods.

I know about this from operating a TV-Satellite dealership in the 
mid-1980's installing C-Band TVRO equipment.

73, Ed - KL7UW

At 04:22 PM 10/30/2007, Robert McGwier wrote:
>We have kept Eagle satellite alive.  The lab at U. Md. ES is being built
>out and we are going ahead with the structure.  We helped fund the
>completion of P3E  with our international  partners and stepped up our
>efforts to finish the IHU-3 for them (and us.
>
>The Eagle satellite structure build out is funded and slated for
>completion in 2008.
>
>We are really going to try to get P3E a ride on Intelsat to balance
>against the other offers to see what is best for AMSAT-DL and us.
>
>Stefan's analysis is correct.  Any one geostationary bird can cover
>roughly a third of the earth.
>
>Bob
>
>
>
>Stefan Wagener wrote:
> > Yes,
> >
> > It is a great project and deserves our full support!
> >
> > Having said that we also need to realize, that depending on the location of
> > the satellite above the equator we might only have the Americas in the foot
> > print. No Europe or Africa and no Asia. Since the first geostationary
> > satellite with amateur radio has to provide tangible support for government
> > agencies (funding source) it will certainly be primarily centered around a
> > North American footprint. That's why we need to keep Eagle alive 
> and support
> > Phase 3E.
> >
> > All together they will give us the full package of worldwide DX via
> > satellite and reliable high power communication in the Americas.
> >
> > 73. Stefan VE4NSA
> >
>
>--
>AMSAT Director and VP Engineering. Member: ARRL, AMSAT-DL,
>TAPR, Packrats, NJQRP, QRP ARCI, QCWA, FRC. ARRL SDR WG Chair
>"An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why
>must the pessimist always run to blow it out?" Descartes
>_______________________________________________
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73,
Ed - KL7UW
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