Amsat NA Micro-Satellite Project

AMSAT North America has a dream.

That dream involves a micro-satellite in low-earth orbit, acting like a conventional dual-band two-metre / 70 centimetre repeater, accessible from ground-based handheld transceivers. It would perform other, more esoteric functions, of course.

The concept was approved by the AMSAT North America Board of Directors, and more details of this exciting new project should be announced shortly.

 

This is a satellite that actually sounds reasonable.  This I can get behind and support.

Mark
K5MAR

 

AmsatNA announced the functionality of the satellite last week. Details can be found at the AmsatNA website: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/news/ans.html#01

73 Drew N0XU

 

Finally a move away from Star Trek and Science Fiction satellites.

Why not just orbit an ICOM-2800 dual band transceiver with solar cells and a storage battery.  Set it up for cross band repeat and there you go.  You could even put it in a wooden box with a home made coat hanger 1/4 wave vertical.

Is this easy or what!

 

5--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K2WH @ Feb. 01 2002,075)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Finally a move away from Star Trek and Science Fiction satellites.

Why not just orbit an ICOM-2800 dual band transceiver with solar cells and a storage battery. Set it up for cross band repeat and there you go. You could even put it in a wooden box with a home made coat hanger 1/4 wave vertical.

Is this easy or what![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Um, yea. That will work until it gets hit by a stiff dose of radiation.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ke4pjw @ Feb. 01 2002,07:47)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K2WH @ Feb. 01 2002,07)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Finally a move away from Star Trek and Science Fiction satellites.

Why not just orbit an ICOM-2800 dual band transceiver with solar cells and a storage battery.  Set it up for cross band repeat and there you go.  You could even put it in a wooden box with a home made coat hanger 1/4 wave vertical.

Is this easy or what![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Um, yea. That will work until it gets hit by a stiff dose of radiation. <!--emo&[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
OK, so you put it in a metal box.

 

Its great AMSAT are going for something the average
ham can use but how many channels will it provide ?

If its only 4 it'll be useless - they'll be jammed up
as soon as its in range of populated areas.

To be viable it would need at least 20 channels
but that number would kill the power budget.

A better solution would be a sat with a linear
transponder either Mode A or Mode B this could
easily handle 30 SSB QSO's.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KD7EFQ @ Feb. 02 2002,15:58)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K2WH @ Feb. 01 2002,09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ke4pjw @ Feb. 01 2002,07:47)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K2WH @ Feb. 01 2002,07)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Finally a move away from Star Trek and Science Fiction satellites.

Why not just orbit an ICOM-2800 dual band transceiver with solar cells and a storage battery.  Set it up for cross band repeat and there you go.  You could even put it in a wooden box with a home made coat hanger 1/4 wave vertical.

Is this easy or what![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Um, yea. That will work until it gets hit by a stiff dose of radiation. <!--emo&<!--emo&[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
OK, so you put it in a metal box.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Also. remember the TEMPERATURE extremes in space,
I doubt Icom's IC-2800 specs include those temps. [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Finally a use for all those dead refrigerators!

The best of all metal boxes & its free! Just think. Lots of room, plenty of insulation, battery drawers & a place to stick all those mag-mounts!

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Radiomercenary @ Feb. 02 2002,16:30)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KD7EFQ @ Feb. 02 2002,15:58)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K2WH @ Feb. 01 2002,09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ke4pjw @ Feb. 01 2002,07:47)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K2WH @ Feb. 01 2002,07)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Finally a move away from Star Trek and Science Fiction satellites.

Why not just orbit an ICOM-2800 dual band transceiver with solar cells and a storage battery.  Set it up for cross band repeat and there you go.  You could even put it in a wooden box with a home made coat hanger 1/4 wave vertical.

Is this easy or what![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Um, yea. That will work until it gets hit by a stiff dose of radiation. <!--emo&<!--emo&[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
OK, so you put it in a metal box.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Also. remember the TEMPERATURE extremes in space,
I doubt Icom's IC-2800 specs include those temps. [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Finally a use for all those dead refrigerators!

The best of all metal boxes & its free! Just think. Lots of room, plenty of insulation, battery drawers & a place to stick all those mag-mounts! [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
hsgsfgsfdgsfd

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Radiomercenary @ Feb. 02 2002,16:30)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KD7EFQ @ Feb. 02 2002,15:58)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K2WH @ Feb. 01 2002,09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ke4pjw @ Feb. 01 2002,07:47)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K2WH @ Feb. 01 2002,07)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Finally a move away from Star Trek and Science Fiction satellites.

Why not just orbit an ICOM-2800 dual band transceiver with solar cells and a storage battery.  Set it up for cross band repeat and there you go.  You could even put it in a wooden box with a home made coat hanger 1/4 wave vertical.

Is this easy or what![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Um, yea. That will work until it gets hit by a stiff dose of radiation. <!--emo&<!--emo&[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
OK, so you put it in a metal box.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Also. remember the TEMPERATURE extremes in space,
I doubt Icom's IC-2800 specs include those temps. [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Finally a use for all those dead refrigerators!

The best of all metal boxes & its free! Just think. Lots of room, plenty of insulation, battery drawers & a place to stick all those mag-mounts! [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
See, as I said, this is easy. Lighter and cheaper. I will donate the refridgerator. We could probably get ICOM to donate the rig! AMSAT, are you listening?

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (NoCodeTests @ Feb. 01 2002,10:02)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Its great AMSAT are going for something the average
ham can use but how many channels will it provide ?

If its only 4 it'll be useless - they'll be jammed up
as soon as its in range of populated areas.

To be viable it would need at least 20 channels
but that number would kill the power budget.

A better solution would be a sat with a linear
transponder either Mode A or Mode B this could
easily handle 30 SSB QSO's.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
SSB transponders are all well and good, but they don't address some issues, like those of us who travel _very_ light. And in my part of the world, we're hard pressed to fill a single FM transponder, but that's another story.

I say let's see what AMSAT and their commercial partner are going to offer when it hits the drawing board and make some judgements then.

As for SSB, it's not what i'd call an ideal satellite mode. Too sensitive to frequency drift for starters. A decent digital voice mode could be much better for satellite work.

These issues are areas AMSAT could advance the art.

 

why not a geo-stationary satellite as a repeater? don't know how that would work,but it is a thought.
ag4hy

 

Geostationary satellites would work, but unless it had a lot of range (like the all of North America) it would be hard to find sponsors who would pay for something they could never use. Human nature

 

true, was thinking of something like what we have with "dish" network. but, then that, most probably doesn't have the coverage that i was thinking, (what? me thinking, now that is a scary thought)  
73
willie  ag4hy

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (NoCodeTests @ Feb. 01 2002,05:02)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Its great AMSAT are going for something the average
ham can use but how many channels will it provide ?

If its only 4 it'll be useless - they'll be jammed up
as soon as its in range of populated areas.

To be viable it would need at least 20 channels
but that number would kill the power budget.

A better solution would be a sat with a linear
transponder either Mode A or Mode B this could
easily handle 30 SSB QSO's.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Hmmmm, doesent the use of a linear transponder defeat the purpose? isnt this one supposed to be able to be used by VHF/UHF FM HTs?