Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Satellite Data Text Service expanding.
From: flash@lopez.marquette.MI.US (Gary Bourgois,Hamshack)
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 01:45:15 EDT
Organization: Great White North/UPLink

Those who have been following our plan to bring digital data to satellite,
will be interested to note that the service will be available on two
differnt subcarriers for a total of three nights per week beginning soon.
Scott Becker has committed to giving us up to 4 hours of time per day on
Monday Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 6pm to 10pm.  This in addition to 6
hours on Saturday mornings from Let's Talk Radio.  The time on both services
is being donated, and we are currently talking with a number of people about
a future full time 24 hour a day transponder.  I am confident that we will be
able to find free satellite time at least on ONE C band bird on a full time
basis.  That is all we need to begin a full time USENET feed.

We need to find a source of chips/circuit boards to construct an
encoder/decoder system to do 9600 baud.  While there is commercial equipment
available, my goal remains to do this in such a way that it can be afforded
not only by major net sites, but even the small time guy out in the boondocks
who could build up a cheap dedicated c band system, perhaps even using old 70
mhz junk.  A 6 foot dish should be sufficient to pull down a data carrier on
C band, and these can be had virtually for free if you know where to look.

For this project to be successful, we need support from folks willing to
participate in the development of the hardware/software to put the net on
satellite.  

With the expanded time available, we might be able to devote some time to the
bell 202 transmissions, PROVIDED that someone is willing to locate chips and
maybe put a kit together that people could build, or even have built at a
reasonable cost.  Truthfully I would rather see us jump from 300 to 9600 baud
as soon as possible, but I have been told that the 202 chipset is available
for around $20.  The problem being that most of the people I want to reach
are not necessarily handy with a soldering iron and certainly can't etch a
circuit board to save their souls (I sure can't).  

Does anyone have a clue as to what methodology is used on the 9600 baud
transmissions, such as XPRESS XCHANGE and SKYLINK?  I have listened to the
SKYLINK data, and it seems to be phase modulated.  We could certainly do that
on the BECKER network, because they have agreed to air our data tapes direct
from the UPLINK, and not over phone lines as LTR does it.

The service on S2/07 will differ from that on S3/21 in that I have agreed to
place in the datastream some information files and program schedules for the
network, as well as text files related to the William Cooper show (If you
have not listened to this guy, you might tune him in on Monday Tuesday and
Wednesday at 10PM.  Our Data transmissions will preceed his program.  

While I want to include as much text from this particular newsgroup as
possible, I really need more disk space here, so am still seeking a used SCSI
hard drive (the bigger the better, but we are not choosy).  We are a non
profit corporation, so any such donation would be tax deductable (Superior
Shores Systems is a 501 (c) 3 Corporation).  Any other kind of help you can
give to this project is welcome.  I can certainly not do it alone, and have
already committed to more time per week than I actually have, which will
result in some interesting personal multitasking.

Tom Hunter tells me he is working on the header stripper we need to keep the
300 baud transmissions managable.  We could use other people with VHS HIFI
and a handy box with the newsgroup on it, AND a modified modem to maybe get
involved in making regular data dumps of rec.video.satellite.  

One cost of this project that I can not underwrite is that of videotape.  In
HIFI mode, you can really only use VHS tape once, especially when sending it
through the mail.  Tape costs and postage are a bit more than I can
personally underwrite (I am fully disabled, thus have very limited resources)
Anyone willing to help with materials would be welcome.  

Remember, the goal here we must not lose sight of is to generate the interest
to get USENET on Satellite on a non-cost basis.  Corporate Underwriting,
donations, and any and all means to this end are very welcome.  

Is there anyone in the Dallas Texas area who could work with this project?
Preferably someone running a site already?  If that person could provide a
net feed, one of our potential uplinks is in that city.  We would also need
someone there to maintain the site.  

One thing that we can not get donated is telephone time, but I think there
would be sufficient interest in this project to support it through
contributions much like PBS, depending MOSTLY on underwriting and donations
of time and hardware.  Actual operating costs would be pretty low if we can
find volunteers to maintain everything.

I would do it myself if there were an uplink here, but there is not, nor will
there ever be, unless I obtain an SCPC license, and can find someone to
donate SCPC space (This is highly unlikely)

Thanks to all who have written expressing willingness to help with various
aspects of the project.

I will let you know when the DATA transmissions begin on S2/07.  The only
delay on that is that my own life is in a bit of a tizzy since this is the
time of year my better half has to leave the area for Texas (she has Lupus
and can't take the winters here).  So we are getting her outfitted and that
is the priority at the moment.

--
    /   Gary Bourgois, WB8EOH, The Birdwatcher: Marquette Michigan  USA   \
   ([-o ~ Tune FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE!  S3/21 6.2. Fridays from 9-midnight ~ o-])
    \  Now a snazzy new DOMAIN address!  flash@lopez.marquette.mi.us      /
        GEnie: SIGNALS   FAX: (906) 228-7477    GWN BBS: (906) 228-4399
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite