[amsat-bb] The Moon is our Future

[MM]

Theoretically we may have a free ride to the Moon for an Amateur radio repeater!

In the past, the flight to the moon for a Amateur radio project has been cost prohibitive.  We just could not afford to pay for the ride to the Moon.  
NASA is going to the moon with unmanned landers. NASA is open to the idea of flying some public service projects to the moon on their landers.

Now there exists the possibility of getting a free ride to the moon, curtsy of NASA.

What we need are the following:

A stable club with funding to build a simple transponder project.
A plan for a simple transponder (KISS  no complex P3E).
A link budget plan for a Moon transponder.


One theory:
We need a simple Mode-J transponder (2-meters up, 440 down).
Low power consumption.
Assume minimal antenna gain from the Lander (3 dBd on each antenna)
Assume transmitter power 5-10 watts.

Questions:
What’s the link budget?
How much gain will be needed on earth for such a setup?
Can we build a working mockup in 1 year or less.

The Moon is within Reach.  Let’s Go for IT.

Miles WF1F   MarexMG.org


--- On Wed, 7/1/09, Jack K. <kd1pe.1 at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Jack K. <kd1pe.1 at gmail.com>
> Subject: [amsat-bb]  Rebuttal -  Re: Unused sats
> To: kg4zlb at gmail.com, amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 4:46 PM
> I have to disagree in the strongest
> of terms about disregarding HEOs "for 
> now" which in essence will mean to become forever. Until,
> or unless, we 
> could come up with something along the lines of a "Cell"
> system of leos, we 
> are missing one of the major advantages of Satellites and
> that is almost 
> guaranteed communications for long periods (several hours)
> at a time... I am 
> in no way denigrating LEOs as they have their place, but in
> the major schema 
> of things HEOS will and always have rule given the state of
> communications 
> art...
> 
> I understand the desire to "do something" but I suggest
> that the major 
> thrust should be directed at getting a transponder on the
> moon (or Mars) or 
> some more KISS type HEOs up... Cubesats can take care of
> themselves if we 
> do, Heck I would even join in and participate in something
> like I just 
> mentioned, I just can not get excited about "Contest style"
> contacts with a 
> 5-12 min window most of the time... I do that on 2 meters
> scatter all I 
> want,
> 
> DE Jack - KD1PE
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David - KG4ZLB" <kg4zlb at googlemail.com>
> To: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 4:09 PM
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Unused sats
> 
> 
> > All good points but forget the HEO's for now - we just
> need a good
> > source of regularly launched easy sats in LEO to
> augment the few working
> > birds we have and replace what we have to as they fall
> out of the sky or
> > just stop working.
> 
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