[amsat-bb] NO-84 APRStt? (and darned beacons)

[Robert Bruninga]

> It was Qikcom-2 I was reading about...
> Maybe WB4APR can update us on the status of the former...
> http://aprs.org/qikcom-2.html

It is fully integrated and will launch on the same launcher as the two
AMSAT FOX satellites no sooner than August.

Other than that, I know practically nothing since it was impossible to get
a non-disclosure-agreement through the Naval Academy's bureaucracy in
under a year.  We developed and delieverd the flight unit long before
there was any progress on the paperwork.

Got my fingers crossed.  If it works, it will be the usual PSAT digipeater
but will also have a DTMF uplink for Grids and Messages and a Voice
downlink of same while also converting them to APRS packets too.

We will probably leave the DIGI off and leave it  in DTMF and Voice mode
due to so many unattended worthless beacons on the uplink that would cut
into useful live human contact time...

Bob, WB4APR