[amsat-bb] Fw: Re: [eu-amsat] AMSAT UK P3E Lecture Available

Joe Westbrook k7zt at suddenlink.net
Sun Aug 10 14:28:58 PDT 2008


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Westbrook" <k7zt at suddenlink.net>
To: "John B. Stephensen" <kd6ozh at comcast.net>; "Luc Leblanc" 
<lucleblanc6 at videotron.ca>; <eu-amsat at yahoogroups.com>
Cc: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: [eu-amsat] AMSAT UK P3E Lecture Available


> John:
> Yes, you may have heard statements like in the past we've relied on 
> charity, and Amateur Radio Operators alone can not fund a launch, what you 
> haven't heard are any solutions for launching any HEOs.  It seems that the 
> DL folks haven't lost that as a focus, they acknowledge that as expensive 
> as it is to launch an HEO, it is still doable. 3 - 4M Euros $4 - 5M at 
> least they gave us a tangible figure we can work with.  This amount may be 
> a reach for AMSAT-NA alone, but given that we finally understand what it 
> would take to make a HEO Launch reality, then why wouldn't we shift ALL 
> funding toward that effort?    Following the PE3 launch, if  any surplus 
> remains, the surplus could be transferred to the next HEO opportunity 
> (Eagle).  If no surplus remains then at least we would have one working 
> HEO deployed.
>
> Additionally, at least we know the PE3 platform is well vetted, and would 
> have the lowest risk.  Rather than spending time and resources on a new, 
> untested platform why wouldn't we just facilitate PE3 FIRST?
>
> Ok, I'll speech for myself here, but the GEO ride-share simply isn't an 
> opportunity that will interest the HEO crowd.  Launching an appliance to 
> serve the disaster response community and entry level satellite users 
> won't do a thing to satisfy the need for a HEO.  I don't care if it's 
> free, like AO51, I would probably get on it, make a couple contacts say 
> "that's nice" and be done with it.  Please understand, I'm not saying to 
> abandon GEO as a viable option, just don't spend a cent on it until we 
> launch an HEO.
>
> What we need is a satellite that enables the real sprit and intent of the 
> Amateur Radio Service, to push the envelop of the technology, allow for 
> experimentation, consider all of the alternative antenna solutions that 
> our resourceful community developed to receive the 2.4Gig Down Link. No 
> rotator required, different feed systems, a fairly modest resource outlay 
> to get on the air.  I did it with a totally home brewed system in a 
> restricted neighborhood back yard. Had a blast and learned allot.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John B. Stephensen" <kd6ozh at comcast.net>
> To: "Luc Leblanc" <lucleblanc6 at videotron.ca>; <eu-amsat at yahoogroups.com>
> Cc: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
> Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 3:14 PM
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: [eu-amsat] AMSAT UK P3E Lecture Available
>
>
>> I've been hearing these two statments from AMSAT-NA officals for at least 
>> 2
>> years -- in person and on this BB.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> John
>> KD6OZH
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Luc Leblanc" <lucleblanc6 at videotron.ca>
>>>
>>> Very nice presentations. One attract my attention was made by Peter
>>> Guelzow DB2OS one one of his slide we can read:
>>>
>>> ATTRACTIVENESS OF AMATEUR RADIO HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY
>>>
>>> FUNDING A SATELLITE FROM AMATEUR RESSOURCES ALONE NEVER WORKED BEFORE 
>>> AND
>>> WILL NOT WORK NOW.
>>>
>>> I don't how to explain how all the wisdom and reality knowledge seems to
>>> be concentrated in Europe when speaking about amateur satellite?
>>
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