karn@petrus.UUCP (01/18/85)
VITA NEWS RELEASE
JANUARY 17, 1985 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION*
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ANNE HEYNIGER, VITA PUBLIC
INFORMATION OFFICER
(703) 276-1800
BREAKTHROUGH IN LOW-COST TELECOMMUNICATIONS
RADIO AMATEURS COMMUNICATE WITH LOW-ORBITING SATELLITE
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USING A TINY SATELLITE NOW ORBITING THE EARTH OVER THE POLES AT AN ALTITUDE
OF 429 MILES (690 KN), A TEAM OF TECHNICAL VOLUNTEERS FROM THE U.S. AND
CANADA YESTERDAY SENT LETTER-PERFECT PACKET RADIO MESSAGES TO ENGLAND FROM
HAWAII, AND RECEIVED REPLIES. THE TRANSMISSIONS REPRESENT A BREAKTHROUGH
IN THE USE OF LOW ORBITING SATELLITES FOR WORLDWIDE COMMUNICATIONS.
INTRODUCING THE NEW CONCEPT AT THE PACIFIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL'S
ANNUAL CONFRENCE IN HAWAII, HIGHLY TRAINED TECHNICAL EXPERTS FROM PRIVATE
VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN THE U.S. AND CANADA SENT MESSAGES TO THE UNIVERSITY
OF SURREY IN GUILDFORD, ENGLAND, WHERE THE SATELLITE (UOSAT-2) WAS BUILT.
THE MESSAGES--DIGITIZED "PACKETS" OF INFORMATION--WERE STORED IN THE
SATELLITE'S ON-BOARD COMPUTER. A FEW HOURS LATER, AS THE SATELLITE PASSED
OVER GUILDFORD, THE LETTER-PERFECT MESSAGES WERE DOWNLOADED AND PRINTED OUT
AUTOMATICALLY BY THE SURREY GROUND STATION'S SMALL PERSONAL COMPUTER.
USING AMATEUR RADIO FREQUENCIES, INEXPENSIVE TRANSMITTERS AND RECEIVERS, AND
PERSONAL COMPUTERS TO COMMUNICATE WITH A LOW-ORBITING BIRD, THE SYSTEM THAT
WILL UTILIZE THIS TECHNOLOGY IN THE FUTURE (ALREADY KNOWN AS PACSAT), WILL
OFFER TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKING AT A FRACTION OF THE COST OF CONVENTIONAL
TELEXES. ONCE OPERATIONAL, THE PACSAT SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE ORGANIZATIONS
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD MUCH-NEEDED ACCESS TO LOW-COST, RELIABLE TELECOMMUNICA-
TIONS. GROUND STATION EQUIPMENT, COSTING NOT MORE THAN $2000 AND CAPABLE
OF OPERATING ON BATTERIES OR SOLAR POWER, CAN BE CARRIED IN A BRIEFCASE.
THE FIRST FULL-SERVICE PACSAT SATELLITE IS SCHEDULED FOR LAUNCH ON THE
SHUTTLE IN EARLY 1987.
SPEARHEADING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY ARE VITA (VOLUNTEERS IN
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE), A PRIVATE VOLUNTARY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. THAT SPECIALIZES IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER; AND AMSAT (RADIO AMATEUR
SATELLITE CORP.), AN INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HAM RADIO OPERATORS WHO
ALSO DESIGN AND BUILD SATELLITES. INTERPARES, A PRIVATE CANADIAN AGENCY
ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY-BASED DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTS THE EFFORT IN CANADA.
IN WASHINGTON, PACSAT INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS MANAGER, DR. GARY GARRIOTT
OF VITA, SAID OF THE CONTACT IN SPACE, "I JUST WISH THE PEOPLE COORDINATING
FAMINE RELIEF IN ETHIOPIA HAD A PACSAT TO COMMUNICATE WITH. THEY COULD USE
SOLAR ENERGY TO POWER THE RADIO. IT WOULD SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN GETTING
HELP TO THOSE REMOTE PLACES."
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