[amsat-bb] going digital

[Jim Sanford]

Look at what the FunCube guys did!

On 7/21/2014 5:00 PM, Gus wrote:
> On 07/21/2014 01:00 PM, Phil Karn wrote:
>
>  > Next questions:
>  >
>  > Does a DirecTV receiving station cost $5K?
>
> Actually, DirecTV is not available for purchase in my neck of the 
> woods.  I can get a system installed, but it wouldn't be my system to 
> fiddle with.
>
>  > Are its components hard to source or esoteric?
>
> Well, I know where I could nick one, but I'd rather not. Otherwise, I 
> guess I could source one overseas, ship it in, then bow down before 
> the Customs & Excise godlings.....  ham gear is 10 + 17.5% but there's 
> no way they'd pass that as ham gear, so probably 115 + 17.5% or 
> worse.  That might satisfy Rx needs, but wouldn't include a 
> transmitter....  Does that sound hard to source or esoteric?
>
>  > If not, what makes you think that a digital ground station for an 
> AMSAT satellite should be?
>
> Phil, I'm not saying it /should/ be, but that if it is, you won't get 
> many users on the system.  So, part of the system design for any such 
> bird had better include design of low cost, easy to find, simple to 
> use hardware that will allow me -- or any other doofus like me -- to 
> get QRV without too much hardship.
>


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