[amsat-bb] "Walking and chewing gun at the same time"

[Diane Bruce]

On Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 09:13:59AM -0400, Michael Tondee via AMSAT-BB wrote:
> So now the line is that an HEO or a GEO, besides being expensive to launch,
> will be difficult and expensive for the average ham to acquire the equipment
> for so we should just forget about it? Is that what I'm reading? The hams I
> once knew, never backed down from a technical challenge. By all accounts it
> wasn't exactly "easy" to build an AO-40 station but a whole bunch of hams

For years Larry Kayser (SK) (VE3QB then VA3LK) tried to get me interested
in satellite operation. It took AO-40 and a demonstration by Clare
Fowler (VE3NPC) at our local Hamfest to get me really excited. 

> managed to get it done. There was a time when generating and receiving an
> SSTV signal was an enormously involved process but somehow the early
> innovators in the field got it done. Now it's one of the more simple and

I was at Syd Horne's (VE3EGO) talk at the OARC when he was first
doing SSTV. That P7 monitor was pretty harsh on the eyes. ;)


> inexpensive things to do. Hams have always overcome technical challenges.
> It's what we do, or we used to do it anyway.

So many hams complained about that "Donald Duck" sound on HF but the
gear came down in price.

> 
>  Correct me if I'm wrong but AMSAT used to be able to walk and chew gum at
> the same time. We had AO-40 and a myriad of other sats with varying degrees
> of challenge to working them. I don't think anyone is saying that we should

One thing no one has mentioned yet is the possibility of our own Sat
system and linking FM repeaters on the ground.

> just abandon the so called "easy sat" concept. Far from it. If that's what
> you enjoy, then more power to you but there is a large number of people out

This argument has been going on forever. There is room for both.
Personally I think I may have been on a FM sat once or twice. To each
their own. 

> here that want something more than that. We enjoy the challenge. It's what
> drew us to this side of the hobby in the first place.  Why can't we do

Yes! It's what got me on the sats in the first place. I made one or
two cw contacts on AO-40, my dish was sitting on a kitchen chair in the
driveway in the winter no less, I was waving an Arrow antenna in the living
room and did cw. Yes, that was a real challenge but so fun.
Then AO-40 died as I got my dish up the tower properly. :-(

Challenge is part of the hobby and what makes it exciting!
https://www.amsat.org/amsat/archive/amsat-bb/200501/msg00097.html

> both?  We used to do that back when I was an enthusiastic member of this
> organization and I think it can be done again. I wouldn't still be here on
> this list hoping and praying for a change in it's direction and a return to
> it's former glory and status if I didn't.

I'm the same way.

> 
> 73,
> 
> Michael W4HIJ
> 

> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
FWIW I'm a life member.

73 Diane VA3DB
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