Re: [amsat-bb] Whence satgates?

["VE3EMA" <harm@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is an excerpt from this months Satgate report written by Andrew G8TZJ,
was downloaded from UO-22

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 The Satellite Gateway Newsletter.
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                                December 2002
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You will have all read the warning issued by G7UPN about the future of
UO-22.
This has lead a couple of satgates to ask what will happen when UO-22 goes
QRT for ever. I welcome input from all of you on this subject and I see
these
as the possibilities;

IF there are no operational 9k6 pacsats;
     1. The satgate network goes QRT.
     2. We continue to handle mail via Email until a 9k6 satellite becomes
        available.
     3. Move to a pacsat operating at a different bit rate.

IF other 9k6 satellite(s) are available;
     1. We move to one of those satellites.

At the moment the ONLY 9k6 satellites that may become available are GO-32
and
SO-41/42. GO-32 is undergoing a long period of testing. I have no idea when
it may become available or if there will be operational restrictions due to
the available power. As for SO-41/42, they are both listed as being pacsats
but nobody seems to be installing software to make them active. We could
hijack PO-28.  ;-)  It is operational with an uplink on 2 metres but its
downlink is just below 70 cms. A lot of rigs will tune below 430 MHz.
However, this could lead some stations into licensing problems as although
they are transmitting on an amateur frequency, they are not receiving on an
amateur frequency.

The only other operational pacsat is MO-46 with a 9k6 uplink and 38k
downlink. Moving to this satellite, would mean all satgates would need to
buy
and install one of the 38k receiver boards in their rig and possibly a new
TNC. If someone out there has already done this, what new equipment is
needed?

When we do have to make a decision about what to do next, I will consult all
satgates. At the moment the future does not look good for the satgate
network.

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