[amsat-bb] Re: Membership Benefits

[Edward Cole]

At 08:02 AM 3/7/2010, Bob- W7LRD wrote:
>Hi Joel and all -This is a timely question for 
>me.  Yesterday I organized and ran (with the 
>help of Wayne-W9AE) a AMSAT table at a local 
>hamfest.  I had the opportunity to meet many 
>local hams both satellite ops and the 
>curious.  I extolled the virtues of AMSAT and 
>the satellite community in general.  A few 
>points I noticed as an undercurrent in some of 
>the conversations.  We hams are generally a 
>frugal bunch and in some cases just plain 
>cheap.  I had several antennas on display as 
>well as several pictures, one was of an 
>astronaut on a EVA installing one of our  
>antennas on the outside of the space 
>station.  Some of the questions went like this, 
>one guy asked, "do you have to belong to AMSAT 
>to operate satellites?", can I get this software 
>(Satpc32) free on line?" "are these books 
>available any where else?"Â  My response to 
>these and similar queries was, "see this 
>picture?" what do you think the shipping cost 
>is?"Â  "What we do, is rocket science, and 
>rocket science is not cheap".   How many 
>active satellite operators do  not belong to 
>AMSAT?  How many use pirated tracking 
>programs.  How many do not contribute 
>"something" to AMSAT.  Maybe some aspect of of 
>AMSAT ticks you off, so you cut the cord.  I'm 
>sure some part of the government ticks you off, 
>you don't move to Canada.  In order for AMSAT 
>and our efforts to succeed it takes money, and 
>yes probably lots of it.  This event was a 
>learning process for me and in the future I hope 
>to hone my abilities and create more dues 
>paying and contributing members.  Finally- 
>"this is rocket science and rocket science is 
>not cheap. 73 Bob W7LRD Washington State AMSAT 
>area coordinator ----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Joel Black" <jbblack68 at gmail.com> To: 
>"AMSAT" <amsat-bb at amsat.org> Sent: Sunday, March 
>7, 2010 6:40:33 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific 
>Subject: [amsat-bb] Â Membership Benefits 
>AMSAT-BB, I realize what I'm going to get by 
>asking this... Â If you were giving a 
>presentation to amateur radio operators who know 
>little or nothing of AMSAT, what would you list 
>as some of the benefits of being a member of 
>AMSAT? Â What would be the single most important 
>reason? 73, Joel, W4JBB 
>_______________________________________________ 
>Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed 
>are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? 
>Join now to support the amateur satellite 
>program! Subscription settings: 
>http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb 
>_______________________________________________ 
>Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed 
>are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? 
>Join now to support the amateur satellite 
>program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

Re: being a member of Amsat:
That is the "minimum" we can support amateur 
satellites with.  I am proud of my low Amsat 
membership# as that shows I have been a 
long-standing member.  If I could afford more I 
would become a life-member, but in my retirement 
we will manage to come up with our annual 
dues.  "Cheap"?  I know, considering the cost of "rocket science"!

I have been a field-op since about 1998.  I have 
handed the torch off (sponsored) to four others 
in Alaska to become field-ops (they do a superb 
job).  I now try to support with technical advice, if I can.

I have fond memories of the early years in ham 
satellites (AO-6).  Looking forward to more with 
Amsat in the future.  My hat is off the 
volunteers that make it all possible (and to the members that support them).


73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
======================================
  BP40IQ   500 KHz - 10-GHz   www.kl7uw.com
500-KHz/CW, 144-MHz EME, 1296-MHz EME
DUBUS Magazine USA Rep dubususa at hotmail.com
======================================