[amsat-bb] Update: Rent GEO bandwidth for US

[KC9SGV]

Here we go...
ADALM Pluto receives up to 3.8 GHz

https://www.analog.com/en/design-center/evaluation-hardware-and-software/evaluation-boards-kits/adalm-pluto.html#eb-overview

Bernard,
KC9SGV

Sent from my iPad

> On Aug 21, 2019, at 10:02 PM, KC9SGV <kc9sgv at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> My Octagon quad LNB for direct reception:
> Input: 10.7 GHz to 12.75 GHz (possibly higher)
> L.O. : 9.75/10.6 GHz
> Excellent noise ratio up to 0.1 dB
> Gain: 60~65 dB
> High frequency stability.
> 
> Now... 12.75 GHz - 9.75 GHz (L.O.) = 3 GHz
> Looking for an SDR dongle that can receive at 3 GHz.
> Does this sound correct ?
> 
> Bernard,
> KC9SGV 
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Aug 21, 2019, at 8:34 PM, Michelle Thompson via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:
>> 
>> An arrangement on Echostar9 for 1MHz of bandwidth for up to 4 years of
>> USA+Mexico+Canada coverage is on offer for $2000 a month.
>> 
>> I'm putting together a grant proposal for ARRL, FEMA, and others to pay for
>> at least year of access. I've gotten some positive feedback already. I
>> think we can make this happen with some fundraising effort. I'm willing to
>> provide the human resources and whatever incidental financing needs to
>> happen to secure a grant for rental.
>> 
>> The main purpose of this type of system would be to enable field deployment
>> of "legacy mode" aggregators, like the Phase 4 Ground ARAP (Amateur Radio
>> Access Point). This is where traffic on any ham band, using FM or analog
>> gear, is digitized by a local "collecting" repeater, and is then sent to a
>> satellite from that repeater. FEMA and ARRL have expressed a lot of
>> interest and support for this in the past. Phase 4 Ground needs an ARAP in
>> order to support legacy radios.
>> 
>> You don't have to personally have a microwave digital uplink. The
>> aggregator equipment does that part for you.
>> 
>> This is most useful for public service and emergency communications. A
>> communications emergency is declared, someone (FEMA, Red Cross, motivated
>> ham volunteer) drops in the aggregator, and all ham traffic it hears is
>> sent to the satellite and then transmitted to the entire footprint.
>> 
>> The downlink is 12-14GHz. This is not 10GHz, but is receivable by
>> individuals using very inexpensive gear. Traffic can be repeated over the
>> internet.
>> 
>> What does this get us?
>> 
>> An opportunity to do all the R&D for the aggregator and get some experience
>> with uplinks.
>> 
>> What do we not have?
>> 
>> A true ham band downlink. You can still receive the downlink yourself, or
>> you can get it over the internet from an earth station distributor.
>> 
>> That's where we're at with *this* proposal.
>> 
>> I think it's worth it to provide a US-based way to design, deploy, test,
>> and use real world aggregator equipment. We learn a lot about GEO comms and
>> figure out a lot of the ins and outs.
>> 
>> Comment and critique welcome and encouraged.
>> 
>> More soon!
>> -Michelle W5NYV
>> _______________________________________________
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