[amsat-bb] HEO

[Bruce Perens]

Hi Andrew and Company,

I am all for having future satellites be accessible with the equipment that
hams have today.

What I am lobbying for is similar to what hams went through when we
transitioned from spark to CW (very heavily opposed at the time), AM voice
to SSB, and I am old enough to remember opposition to repeaters (including
at FCC) and starting with a Technician license when there was a predominant
perception that we were not "real hams".

In addition to easy access we must provide a path for hams to realize
benefits of improved technology, and there is always a chicken-and-egg
problem in achieving this. Few hams have microwave satellite equipment in
our hemisphere because we don't offer them a good microwave satellite yet.
The case is different in Europe and Africa.

I think you're confused about why we use microwave. Number one is
bandwidth, necessary for digital modes such as teleconference. And although
it is true that business is interested in microwave spectrum,  throughout
our history we have had to move to higher frequencies in order to have
living room in which to operate. The HF bands which we still have were
considered uselessly high frequencies when we got them.

Thanks

Bruce

On Wed, Jul 22, 2020, 11:08 AM Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) via
AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:

> Hi Andrew!
>
> I am all for a variety of satellites. When we had AO-51 in the 2000s, I
> found the pieces to work its V/S FM repeater as I started working
> satellites. Doppler at 2.4 GHz made tuning those downlinks an almost
> constant thing on those passes, but it was fun. We have the sort of
> transponder you mentioned in your post with AO-92's L/V FM repeater
> right now. We are only permitted to use the 1.2 GHz band for satellite
> uplinks, not downlinks.
>
> Many satellite operators now have the 1.2 GHz uplink capability with
> the IC-9700, but the only time AO-92 L/V is available appears to be
> inconvenient for many who might want to try it right now (Tuesday
> evenings and Wednesday mornings in North America). We were told that
> the switch from a Sunday UTC activation (Saturday nights and Sunday
> mornings in North America) last year was not going to be a permanent
> change. I think there would be more new call signs heard on AO-92 L/V
> with those IC-9700s and other radios, if that mode was available at a
> more convenient time for those who have work or school commitments
> during the week. It isn't like we lack V/U or U/V FM satellites right
> now.
>
> 73!
>
>
>
>
>
> Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
> http://www.wd9ewk.net/
> Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 4:46 PM Andrew Lazenby via AMSAT-BB <
> amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:
>
> > Hello EveryoneI recently joined Amsat because I felt like a bit of a
> > hypocrite for complaining about things, and not doing my part to change
> > them. One thing that does bug me is the HEO satellites having microwave
> > uplinks and downlinks. I think that will greatly limit the clientele that
> > will be able to use these.
> >  I have head many older hams gripe about LEO satellites and reflect back
> > on how back in the day there would be passes up for hours! Many of them
> > where using drifty transverters with terrible noise figures, turning
> > antennas with tv rotators and no preamp! The argument that I have heard
> to
> > move to mircowave uplinks and downlinks is lower noise, but if it worked
> > with them back then, then what's changed?
> > Something else to consider is that the microwave spectrum is under fire
> > from commercial interest more and more. Why not consider like a U/L or
> L/U
> > transponder? That would bring the envelope a little closer to where the
> > average ham could operate with out investing in some serious equipment,
> > while keeping the dream of HEO alive for the large percentage of
> satellite
> > operators, and not just a handful?
> > Forgive me if Im wrong, but I just wanted to put my 2 cents in the pot.
> If
> > we all would learn to work together as much as we fuss we would be making
> > some tracks. Thanks everyone, Andrew N4LAZ
> >
> >
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