Finally! "Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, a new ham band will be available for the Americas" http://phys.org/news/2015-12-amateur-radio-geosynchronous-orbit-aid.html Also reported on other news sites as well; ARRL, Southgate ARC, etc. 73 and Happy Holidays de John - WØPV
That's really cool! I don't know much about satellite amateur radio - but if it's always in one place, utterly reachable at any time, won't it likely be completely jammed up with all the US/Canada hams wanting to use what I'm sure will be just a handful of frequencies? Or am I not understanding how it will work... Either way, that's way cool news! Dave W7UUU
Two ways to access the satellite are planned: -Direct: 5Ghz Uplink, 10Ghz Downlink -Gateway: Ground based stations will have input/output on traditional ham bands/modes and handle interface with satellite. -Estimated launch late 2016 or 2017 The Phase 4b team is working with commercial vendors to have TX/RX kits available for homebrewers. Target price about $1,000. Present Dish/DirectTV satellite dishes are suitable for use on both bands. Uplink will require about 1 Watt at 5 Ghz. Links: -QRZed Satellite Forum https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/amsat-phase-iv-palomar-arc-presentation.501187/ -Phase 4B Team is looking for interested hams in Southern California, Texas and Maryland to help develop and test the ground terminals, direct Tx/Rx and software. http://www.amsat.org/?p=4822 "No Buck$, No Buck Rogers": Want more satellites? All it takes is money. Make a donation, please. http://store.amsat.org/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35&products_id=86
As I should have expected (2m/70cm and probably even 1.2ghz is too crowded for a satellite that covers that much area) But lots of hams do not have equipment that operates on this band
The plan is to have ground terminals/gateways that will allow hams to access the satellite with ordinary ham gear on the typical bands. Others who want to build/buy direct 5/10Ghz terminals can do so. The Phase 4B satellite will be capable of handling over 1,000 QSO (theoretical) simultaneously; voice and data.
Amazing stuff! I really think I'm going to have to look into building a direct link system.... that would be cool! And I'd sure need to learn a lot of new stuff, which is always a good thing Dave W7UUU
I must emphasize: Go watch the Palo Alto Radio Club, presentation at the QRZed link above. It explains quite well the Phase 4B program.
All I want for Christmas it RS-10 back in the air, a great satellite. 5 and 10 gHz , phooey. how about a linear transponder 1296 up 430 down. about 1 mHz wide.
1. $ure, $tart the donation$ 2. That orbit opportunity isn't available, and those frequencies aren't practical on this flight opportunity. Anything else impossible you want to grump about?
At a target price of a $1000, one will not have to worry about the 1000 simultanious QSOs. What a joke. How bout creating something that the average Joe can use without breaking the bank? Damn elitists!!!!!!
Elitists? Hardly... Have you looked at the going price of the "entry-level" HF stations, or the DC-Light all-mode rigs like the FT-991 or TS-2000? Sorry, but $1,000 is chump change. We have new Techs around here that have that much in a VHF/UHF mobile with a 10 meter monobander beside it. Yes, there are hams who made the grade for under $200. IF you are careful, the first station can be acquired for under $100, and I am not talking a Amazon-Special dual-band HT. USed gear? $50 - $10,000, how much do you want to spend? Looking at my modest station here, all used gear, I have about $1,600 invested over the last 10 years. QRP HF/VHF/UHF (FT-817nd); 100 watt HF/6M / 50Watt 2M/ 20 Watt UHF (FT-857D) and an HF/6 Meter mobile (Alinco DX-70T) All of them came of email lists or Craigslist. If Phase 4 goes up as scheduled, yes, I will spend a Kilobuck for a ground station. Cheap at any price. I am really sorry that your $150 Heathkit Novice station is no longer available, but the proportional price of today's ham gear is the lowest I have seen in 50 years on the air. de WB2VUO
