[amsat-bb] Re: N American Satellite Activity UP

[B J]

On 3/28/14, Clayton Coleman <kayakfishtx at gmail.com> wrote:
> The past 7 days there has been a noticeable increase in activity on
> most satellite passes over North America due in part to a grid
> expedition by AC0RA.  Wyatt posted his expedition here on the BB a few
> weeks ago.  Over the course of this past week I understand he has made
> hundreds of contacts.
>
> Some of the grids Wyatt visited have not been activated on the birds
> in several years.  This was evident by the number of people who are
> leading the ARRL VUCC Satellite standings needing those grids.
> Fortunately Wyatt put forth an effort that accomodated many working
> peoples' schedules and whether or not people who needed that grid were
> in the footprints he worked.
>
> One thing that can be done to encourage such activity is by mentoring
> new stations.  I cringe at the "anti-handheld in the backyard
> mentality" because those operators are our future.  Some of them may
> take on roles in AMSAT engineering, some may focus on operations (grid
> trips,) and more importantly some may desire to educate the next
> generation about satellite and space communications.
>
> Last night I worked a station who told me I was one of his first
> contacts.  We've exchanged a few emails and now he's looking to
> operate from a rare, neighboring grid square situated a mere 5 miles
> from his home.
>
> It's been a fun week for many of us chasing these seldom-heard grids.
>  If you have the equipment to operate outside the confines of your
> shack, I would encourage you to do so.  Not only is it an opportunity
> to refresh your basic skills, it attracts others to do so, and gives a
> chance for you to activate grid squares absent of any regular
> satellite operators.

<snip>

It looks like I'll be working with a student group at my alma mater
designing a cubesat.  Perhaps by the time the project's completed,
some of the undergrads might be interested in getting their own
callsigns.

Now if I could only convince them to include a transponder for us hams....

73s

Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL