[amsat-bb] Elections HEO QO-100' Linear NB + Digital WB

[Howie DeFelice]

Hello Joe,

I agree that a ride share, or hosted payload as it's referred to in the industry, would be an excellent way to get to GEO.  That said, the realities are very different than they were for QO-100. The host satellite for QO-100 is owned by a state run (or sponsored) entity. They don't have shareholders and corporate governance to deal with. This does not mean an amateur radio payload would be excluded from a satellite over the U.S., it just means we would have to pay our way. Just like QO-100, we would be required to let the spacecraft provider or other certified entity manufacture and test the payload. This all adds additional expense. If we had a compelling proposal for a payload that proved technology that might also be useful to the satellite operator, like the P4 regenerative digital transponder, there is a CHANCE we could get some subsidy. Commercial satellite operators are extremely risk adverse and even more budget conscious. The market rates are always moving and it has been a long time since this alternative has been considered. Bob McGuire, Jeff John's and myself are committed to evaluate ALL avenues to higher orbit.

Howie AB2S
________________________________
From: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org> on behalf of Joe Leikhim via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2020 3:31:10 PM
To: amsat-bb at amsat.org <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Elections HEO QO-100' Linear NB + Digital WB

K4SAT here.

I am intrigued about QO-100 and have monitored it here in Florida by
remote WEB SDR access. I have not been active in the years since AO-40
failed and have been eager to see some HEO operations like I enjoyed
from AO-10 and AO-13. Listening to QO-100 has rekindled that interest.

Last month on AMSAT-BB I posed the question about getting a GEO ride
share with a commercial satellite, something that was considered 12
years ago with Intelsat. Having a QO-100 type transponder here CONUS
would grow the hobby and get folks like me active again (and
contributing sums as I did for AO-40). However, the "old guard" shot my
idea down for the usual reasons. (See my threads last month).

Having a QO-100 type transponder with a hybrid of narrow band linear
side and wide band digital side would open up a lot of opportunities for
operations, public service and experimentation.   I hope the new "slate"
of BOD will consider this type of project as a priority.

Personally, I think GOLF has not achieved results fast enough to getting
us a larger footprint. I am not advocating scrapping of that effort, but
sometimes you have to jump ahead of the project and grab what is needed.

73 Joe

_______________________________________________
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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb