[amsat-bb] Re: OSCAR or not OSCAR ?

[Colin Hurst]

Stefan,
I wholeheartedly support your comments.
We made a conscious decision many years ago, that in retirement, we would
support the Cubesat Program by downloading their telemetry, to give
something back to the hobby.
Being licensed nigh on 50 years ago and being part of the Amateur Satellite
Service for most of those, I would like to think that these young Cubesat
designers may become the Amateur Satellite builders of the future, but I
doubt I that may be around to reap their rewards. Then again I have been
mistaken before.
Personally I do not care if a satellite has an OSCAR moniker, we just
download whatever telemetry is available from the current Cubesat satellites
to assist them in their ongoing analyses.

This is not the first time this has been raised, as I remember a few years
back, Bob Bruninga raising the topic in respect to one of the satellites he
was involved in.

Best regards,
Colin VK5HI.





-----Original Message-----
From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On
Behalf Of Stefan Wagener
Sent: Sunday, 13 November 2011 13:14
To: William Leijenaar
Cc: amsat-bb at amsat.org
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: OSCAR or not OSCAR ?

Thanks,

Cubesats working within the amateur radio frequency spectrum are commanded
by licensed ham radio operators with the same rights and requirements as all
of us. Many of them use the frequencies to downlink vital satellite
information as well as scientific experiment data. All of this is well
within the amateur radio service rules and a very positive contribution by
our community to science and education.
Your question are valid and they need to be addressed in a constructive,
supportive environment where the community works together. I would encourage
you attend one or more of the many annual cubists conferences and engage
these folks. You certainly have enough to offer!

Now having said that, cubesats are a wonderful addition, not a threat and
show the diversity of our community. I am always amazed by the ignorance
displayed and self-proclaimed expert label used by some as an argument to
deny parts of our community their right to use small satellites with amateur
radio on board. Interestingly, none of the amateur radio operators working
with cubesats have ever argued against HEOs or denied the rest of us that
right by questioning how and why we use the spectrum!

Fortunately, AMSAT NA and AMSAT UK and many others have recognized the
potential and the inclusiveness of the community.

Enough said,

Stefan, VE4NSA



On Sat, Nov 12, 2011 at 3:34 PM, William Leijenaar <pe1rah at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi Stefan,
>
> So the answer on my question if my 433MHz toy car, when I put it into
space, can get an OSCAR number is YES!
> According to the AMSAT website you mentioned of course... :-P
> - My question was not specific if these satellites can or can't get an
OSCAR number.
> My intention was more if they should be scheduled as a ham-sat (and with
that using ham frequencies).
>
> I would recommend you to read the following IARU website!
> http://www.iaru.org/satellite/prospective.html
> (especially section VI. OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES) It says the following:
>
> "Organisations building satellites should compare their mission plans 
> to the requirements of the amateur-satellite service. Then, they 
> should determine if it is possible to comply with the requirements of 
> the amateur-satellite service or if licensing and operation should be 
> in some other radio service which is more consistent with the nature 
> and requirements of the mission.
>
> A. The purposes of an amateur satellite should be:
> (1) To provide communication resources for the general amateur radio 
> community and/or
> (2) To conduct technical investigations in all respects consistent with
the Radio Regulations. [See RR S1.56 and RR S1.57.]"
>
> I have great doubts with many off those CubeSats, if they comply to number
(1)....
> The only communication resources they provide is for themselves by a cheap
downlink system, by using hams to receive data for them. This is not for the
general amateur radio community as mentioned in number (1)...
>
> The option they have is to go to "some other radio service which is more
consistent with the nature and requirements of the mission."
>
> 73 de PE1RAH, William
>
>
>
>
>>Would recommend reading the info on AMSAT's website!
>> >http://www.amsat.org/amsat/amsat-na/oscar.html >
>>Stefan, VE4NSA
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