[amsat-bb] Falconsat3 ASTARS Network Concept

[Jack Chomley]

If only another Oscar 16 was launched......

73,

Jack VK4JRC

Club.    www.cqara.org.au



> On 13 Oct 2017, at 11:59 am, Stefan Wagener <wageners at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Sorry Bob,
> 
> With all due respect, but I could not disagree more with your
> statement: "Falconsat3
> brings back a great satellite capability for emergency response traffic
> into and out of remote disaster areas. Its file store and forward BBS using
> the PACSAT protocol is ideal for getting multiline messages, and pictures
> and data out of an area."
> 
> Here is why:
> 
> 1. Its foot print and availability is severely limited by its inclination
> of 35 degrees. Most of the northern hemisphere has a few minutes and
> low horizon activity during a very short window.
> 2. Any satellite that is not available 24/7 (e.g. geostationary) is not
> useful for emergency operations. Having it around for a few minutes a day
> does not cut it. There is a reason why folks use HF and VHF radios (and not
> amateur radio satellites)
> 3. The equipment, software and user training is not there. Just look at the
> "fun" people having getting the TX side going.
> 4. You can count on one hand the folks that are currently having RX and TX
> ability to get a few packets through not even thinking about images etc.
> 5. Emergency response requires KISS equipment and training on the amateur
> radio side.
> 
> On the other hand, it is a fun satellite to play with and like most APRS
> satellites a niche to explore and enjoyable from a hobby perspective.
> 
> Again, these comments are within the spirit of our common interests
> and acknowledging all the great work you are doing and have done.
> 
> 73, Stefan VE4NSA
> 
> 
>> On Thu, Oct 12, 2017 at 5:23 PM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu> wrote:
>> 
>> Falconsat3 brings back a great satellite capability for emergency response
>> traffic into and out of remote disaster areas.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Its file store and forward BBS using the PACSAT protocol is ideal for
>> getting multiline messages, and pictures and data out of an area. Amateur
>> radio Sateliltes sort of abandoned this concept with the rise of the
>> internet.  And then the short, real-time contact capability of APRS better
>> matched the shorter attention span of the evolving users.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> But now we have both in Falconsat3.  But we also now have the Internet and
>> can integrate a worldwide collection of satstations capturing all the
>> downlink PACSAT BBS packets and building a WEB portal on the ground that
>> always mirrors the traffic on the bird.  Imagine that a remote operator can
>> post a photo or file that can be read on a Falconsat WEB portal by FEMA or
>> emergency operators back here anytime, anywhere.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The concept is suggested on this page:   http://aprs.org/PFS3.html
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> All we need is someone to write the internet server that collects the BBS
>> packets from all the ground stations like the APRS-IS already does for
>> APRS, but this new PACSAT-IS would be just for PACSAT BBS traffic.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Then someone to collect the data and write the WEB Portal.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Then people to put up satgates (hopefully using omni antennas) and with
>> enough stations, all packets could be collected.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Anyway, I created the above web page to kind of serve as a target for this
>> exciting new Amateur Radio capability.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> So even stations that are using OMNI antennas now and only decoding a few
>> packets per pass, we need to understand how well this works for high
>> elevation passes.  Even this sparse data is good data.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Remember, with a standard TNC all you are seeing are the few UI packets in
>> the downlink.  I think if you set KISS mode, you will be flooded with all
>> the streaming BBS data too.  This continuous stream at 9600 can make it
>> easy to see the effect of an antenna in very short time.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Bob, WB4APR
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> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb