[amsat-bb] Re: Let's Go!

[Andrew Glasbrenner]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Jeff. I'll repeat what Bill said; this 
was a tough decision, but based on reality and part of a larger plan 
forward. We are also working multiple rideshare opportunities, most of 
which will likely involve transponders rather than repeaters.

What we really need now is to raise the money we need to start design 
and construction, and get a launch contract in the works. The 1U cubesat 
is going to be a short fuse project if we can get the funding raised 
soon enough.

Barry's presentation at the annual meeting lays out the level of funds 
we need, approximately 100k this year and again next year, to support 
the 1U, and one or more rideshares. Our membership dues only cover 
keeping AMSAT alive and running the office, journal, webstore, etc.

Who'll be among the first to step up and pledge to support this project 
via the President's Club or other donations? Call Martha today at 1 888 
322 6728 or donate via 
http://www.amsat-na.com/store/category.php?c=President%27s%20Club

73, Drew KO4MA



Jeff Davis wrote:
> I want to offer 'hearty congratulations' to the BOD for the courageous
> decisions made at the recent Space Symposium. I can think of no
> headline more appropriate and welcome for this organization than the
> declaration, "We're going back to space".
>
> Perhaps this decision to move forward with what we can do will also be
> what was needed to get the manufacturers to quit sitting on their
> hands and INNOVATE!
>
> How many threads have been spawned on this BB by someone asking the
> question "what handheld should I buy to use AO-51"..?
>
> The fact that the pat answer is that there aren't any - you need to
> check eBay for a 20 year-old model speaks pitifully of the ham radio
> marketplace in the 21st century.
>
> Given the nature of LEO, portable operations are very common and going
> forward, will be even more so. Who among us wouldn't love a mobile
> sized transceiver that sported true simultaneous dual-band (VHF/UHF)
> operation and a continuously tunable VFO on FM in a 'satellite
> operation mode'?
>
> What would it be worth if that radio also could record all pass data -
> and had a USB port that supported a memory stick so that everything
> received during a pass could stored on it for offline extraction and
> study later when you're back in the shack. It wouldn't even require an
> internal TNC to download telemetry data - the audio file could simply
> be played back (offline) on a PC and the telemetry decoded there.
>
> There are bound to be hundreds of similar ideas and dreams of new
> gear, antennas, and interesting things to do at LEO - let's populate
> the BB with these sorts of things and look forward, not back.
>
> I'm more than ready to turn to a new chapter and get back to shaping
> the future of ham radio in space.
>
> Aren't you?
>
> 73 de Jeff, KE9V
> AMSAT-NA 28350
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