[amsat-bb] Re: Considerate satellite operations behavior.

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

John,

Nice to see you on here.

> There's nothing AMSAT can do about lids.  Lids are lids and they
> are everywhere on the hambands, not just satellite.  I would suspect
> that the ones you're complaining about don't read this list, or talk to
> any
> other hams.   We do all this writing, but the people who need to read it
> don't.

You are 100% correct.  There are lids on HF, lids on terrestrial
repeaters, and some on satellites.  Unfortunately, this is not a
new thing.

Some suggest shutting down satellites when the passes become
unruly.  Why?  Hams work through that sort of thing on HF when
trying to work stations all the time, and especially when trying to
work a DXpedition or stations in unusual places in contests.  It
isn't always easy, but we get through it.  Shutting down satellites
would not be a good way to fix the problem, and would probably
cause more problems in the long run than that would "fix".

Another suggestion that has come up today is to have a net-control
station on FM passes.  That would tie up so much of the limited time
we have on those passes with the housekeeping tasks of a net.
Very few QSOs would ever be made.  Especially on AO-27 and its
7-minute passes.  This sounds like a nice idea in theory, but isn't so
nice in practice.  How would a net-control handle check-ins and
allowing those stations to make calls, when the footprint is always
moving?  It would take a lot more work than a net-control station
does on HF or a terrestrial repeater.

>From what I hear when I work passes, these problems only seem to
appear on AO-51.  AO-27, despite its 7-minute passes over the
Northern Hemisphere, has large numbers of stations - but is not
impossible

> Doing a demo on a SSB/CW bird would be much nicer.  It's much more
> civilized most of the time.

It is more civilized, but sometimes it is a lonely experience if nobody
else is around to make a QSO.  By the way, I missed you over the
weekend when I was on from the Yuma AZ hamfest.  ;-)

I've been working SSB for demonstrations at hamfests for the past 2+
years.  It's fun, and - thanks to those who read my posts here on the
-BB, or just tune the passbands of those satellites looking for activity -
seems to make a great impression on the crowds.  Last weekend in
Yuma, I worked two FO-29 passes, on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
Friday's pass had 5 QSOs with stations from all over the US, and
Saturday's pass had just one QSO (thanks Kerry WC7V!).  There
have been some demonstrations where I am talking to myself - not
a good thing when you're trying to make QSOs, but at least it shows
off the concept.

73!





Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/