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

[John B. Stephensen]

Since AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA both require funding from outside the amateur 
radio community, are going after different sources of funding, and neither 
can predict when they will get that funding, having two efforts would seem 
to double the opportunity for a non-LEO satellite.

I don't think that the risk decreases with P3E. 50% of P3 satellites were 
lost due to failures of engines in the launch vehicle or in the satellite.

I don't see how having a linear transponder in a geostationary orbit versus 
a Molniya orbit makes it an appliance satellite. The antennas and 
transceivers on ground are the same in either case.

73,

John
KD6OZH

----- 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 16:32 UTC
Subject: [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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