[amsat-bb] Re: OSCAR I Antenna

[Rich Dailey (Gmail)]

A bit of a correction/addition to my earlier email.  Don Stoner, W6TNS (sk) described
the antenna of OSCAR I in a Feb 1962 article in CQ:

"The cover of the package contained a fixture for the 1/4 wave monopole which
used the case as a counterpoise. The antenna was secured to the cover until after the
transmitter separated from the parent vehicle."

Rich, N8UX


At 11:49 PM 12/30/2009, you wrote:
>I understand that the early Oscars got their ride into space by replacing a piece of concrete (or similar dead weight material) with our satellite.  That's why they have the shape that they do (looking like a segment of a ring).
>But what about the antenna?  Was it deployed after launch, or did it ride into space already sticking out the side?  An on-orbit deploy would have been excessively complicated for that era (it's even difficult today!), but I can't see something like that surviving launch intact, either.