[amsat-bb] Re: BBsat Call for ideas

[Bruce Robertson]

Thanks to all for a fun and engaging thread.

One idea that hasn't been floated yet, but which I believe deserves
consideration, is a 10m or 15m transmitter aboard bbSat. Years before
actually being able to communicate through an amateur satellite, I
listened to the RS robots on 10m and 15m, and that achievement gave me
the confidence to proceed. I therefore think a transponder that
downlinked on these bands would be likely to 'broaden our base', and
it would help keep active these, now unused, satellite bands.

I recognize that transmitting on such a long wavelength from a 10cm
cube represents a technical challenge, but it would largely be a
challenge of mechanical engineering, not something that would run up
against the limited power budget. I also vaguely have the impression
that amplifiers, etc. are more efficient in the lower frequencies, so
that might be a plus. (Not to mention reduced path loss.) Perhaps the
effective power out would be so low that a directional antenna would
be required on the ground. In which case, I'd say it was a no-go,
since that would preclude too many of the new experimenters that we'd
be hoping to snare on these bands.