[amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 update

[Tim Cunningham]

>> ...to promote Amateur Radio Satellites on Field
>> Day for the greater majority there will be more
>> stations with V/U and/or V/S capability than L/S
>> or L/U capability based on historical observation.
>
> Which is why it is not a good idea to use V/U because it
> demonstrates a totally saturated and unuseable satellite
> channel.  Uplink congestion on VHF where the link budget is 20
> dB stronger than the downlink is the limiting factor and it is
> total bedlam/gridlock on FD and is a poor demonstration to the
> rest of the community and to other observers.
>
> The L/U would be the best demo, because the uplink contention
> will be much less, yet EVERY field-day site can demo the
> downlink.  The FD demo should not set themselves up such that a
> successful 2-way is required for success.  Such stations will
> fail. It won't happen, or if it does, it happens by stomping all
> over others.  This is not a good dsmonstration for ham radio at
> FD.
>

OK, Bob, I am convinced that L/U might be a better display of Amateur Radio 
Satellites for the newcomer on Field Day. The sticking point remains there 
are many prospects who will not get the chance to listen to these bands. 
That is is unfortunate! Experience solidifies that Field Day is a poor time 
to demonstrate an FM satellite, so I am going to save a day other than Field 
Day to positively demo an FM bird. Any FM satellite will sound the same with 
the same number of participants. If you limit the playing field you simply 
reduce the number of players. I think this is how we get the an elitist 
label, but I will bite the bullet and demo L/U on Field Day if that is what 
is playing (a bigger radio and more gear unless I can get a converter to 
work with my D7A HT. Do you want to put a MIC-E position burst on the end of 
your transmisison? It may make an interesting Roger Beep... Can you count 
that as a 2-in-one contact (voice and digital?) to keep things interesting. 
Of course using 9600 baud for the MIC-E who would even notice the signal? 
Maybe a little innovation here?


> Better to plan on success as demonstrated by good downlink
> reception.  THen everyone is successful.  And the downlink is
> nice and clean just as we all dream of.
>
> Bob, WB4APR
>

I just got back from 7 days at Dinsey World with my 3 year old daughter and 
I still hear this phrase over and over in my head, "Dreams do come true, 
Dreams do come true...".


73's,
Tim - N8DEU