USAF Analogue Radio Satellites.

[Notebook]

Just read an article in UK magazine Radio User. Not sure how correct it is. The author says he has been told about radio amateurs using operational, but unused USAF satellites for non-government purposes, including pirates(Space Pirates!)

They are all in the 200-300MHz military airband, Satellites include:

USA 122 Military Ocean Surveillance
USA 125 Communication & Intellugence Gathering
USA 137
USA 162

Its not the April issue, and there's nothing new about radio ammateurs using satellites:

http://www.uk.amsat.org/

Just surprised that they are left in a working state if the USAF is finished with them?

N.

 

[Capt_hensley]

Working space junk, is easier to get funding for. Once you get the funding, you siphen off most of it, and put it into other more promissing projects. You leak a few details to get an amateur to play with the junk, the monitoring agencies see data being passed and that makes the junk look productive.

Its a scam for money, but it works. Older working settelites still have perks, even when the real mission is over. Look at the MARS rovers. They were finished inside the first year, but we got several more years of useful data from them.

 

[Notebook]

I doubt there is money involved, except if you can use one of these satellite as a repeater?
N,