[amsat-bb] going digital

[John / NS1Z]

Is there some reason why a digital signal cannot be passed thru an 
analog/linear transponder? What goes in is what comes out. It seems the lack 
of transponder bandwidth limits the digital signal experimenter...
Maybe that is why commercial transponders on satellites are linear. They can 
take any modulation and retransmit it : AM, FM, PM or CB

The biggest problem would be the taxi-cabs etc

-----Original Message----- 
From: Phil Karn
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2014 4:24 PM
To: Paul Stoetzer
Cc: amsat-bb at amsat.org
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] ANS-199 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - AMSAT 
Fox-1C Launch Opportunity Announced

On 07/19/2014 12:28 PM, Paul Stoetzer wrote:
> Are FM repeater satellites what we all want in orbit? No. Personally,
> I'd like a Mode J linear transponder in a sun synchronous circular
> orbit of about 2,000km (if we can't get anything to HEO).

Getting a launch opportunity is difficult and expensive. Going digital
is not.