Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mouton!karn
From: karn@mouton.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: USENET satellite
Message-ID: <96@mouton.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Jul-84 15:45:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: mouton.96
Posted: Tue Jul 17 15:45:44 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Jul-84 02:56:54 EDT
References: <386@ames-lm.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Inc
Lines: 30

The project which you suggest is in fact being done by AMSAT: it's called
PACSAT. Actually, there are now three distinct projects for packet
radio hardware (i.e., hardware containing HDLC decoding/encoding,
memory, etc, as opposed to straight "bent pipe" transponders).
PACSAT is one involving a dedicated payload to be deployed from the Shuttle
on a Vandenburg launch. The working figures are 9600 bps PSK up and down,
with 4 megabytes of CMOS bulk RAM.  The Japanese are also working on
JAS-1, which will contain a smaller pacsat-like unit, although the memory
capacity and transmission speeds will be smaller. The orbit planned for
JAS-1 is approx 1500 km, high inclination but not sun-synchronous.
JAS-1 will also carry a more conventional real-time transponder similar to
that of Oscar-8 (which also carried a transponder of Japanese construction.)

There is now a new project underway to include some form of packet radio
store-and-forward unit as part of Phase 3-C, to be launched on an Ariane
in a few years.  A new group of amateur packet enthusiasts in the Munich
area (which I just visited) is starting this work.

All in all, there is a lot of interest in this type of work. However, for
USENET there are some fatal problems. First, amateur radio cannot be
used for business purposes. Since this is how we justify USENET to our
employers (regardless of what the traffic actually looks like) it would
be somewhat hypocritical to use amateur radio.  Second, many countries
do not have rules quite as liberal as the USA and "third party" traffic
(communications involving a non-amateur party) are not permitted.
Third, some administrations do not as yet recognize digital transmissions
in their amateur rules.

Phil Karn, KA9Q
Asst VP Engineering, AMSAT