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Author Topic: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal  (Read 1153 times)

W5NYV

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When confronted with negative and ignorant speech, it's important to respond with a positive and informative letter.

The original article, an attack on open source in the Amateur Radio Satellite Service, by Jerry Buxton can be found in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal linked here:

http://www.ai4qr.com/The_AMSAT_Journal_September-October_2020.pdf

The rebuttal is shared with you here:

https://www.openresearch.institute/2020/11/25/open-source-and-space-everybody-but-amsat-came-to-the-party/

Your feedback, comment, and critique is welcomed and encouraged.

Those of us that have achieved enormous strides forward in regulatory and technical realms will continue to work for AMSAT-NA to make it the organization that it can be - a world class amateur radio organization taking full advantage of all available technical and regulatory innovations. The fact that it is not "world class", at this time, is not as important as where it can soon be.

There simply need to be some changes. AMSAT must catch up with the current regulatory environment. And, it wouldn't hurt at all to catch up with the diverse array of riches offered by open source hardware and software projects. Current leadership isn't doing this, actively opposes doing this, and will continue to suffer in comparison to other amateur satellite organizations that have adapted and have taken advantage of all the current golden age of technology and opportunity offers.

There has never been a better time to be a ham radio operator. There has never been a better time for open source hardware and software.

If a leader in amateur radio opposes open source for the Amateur Radio Satellite Service, they are choosing to fight at a horrific disadvantage. Please let *your* leaders know that you want them to be competent, up to date with regulatory law, and to take full advantage of open source technologies. All of us that love amateur satellite rely on advocacy groups like AMSAT. Advocacy needs to reflect reality. Denying the technical impact and regulatory advantage that open source gives hams in the US is a bad take.

Please, help correct this.

How?

1) Support open source organizations.
2) Elect leaders that clearly embrace, defend, and build open source solutions.

What should AMSAT-NA do?

1) Retract this article.
2) Adjust engineering policies to align with US State Department Policy decisions.
3) Follow through on commitments to pay AMSAT's contracted law firm to review and write both open source and ITAR/ EAR policies. This invoice is currently languishing. While policy creation is considered by many to be boring, having a rock-solid written ITAR/EAR policy makes volunteering safe and easy. Isn't that what AMSAT needs and deserves?

Thank you,
-Michelle Thompson W5NYV

So, why should you care what I think? I do have some relevant qualifications. Here they are.

AMSAT Director 2019-2020
Open Research Institute, Inc. Co-Founder and current CEO
Vice President Traceroad Inc. (terrestrial telephony, lots of interaction with the FCC)
IEEE Senior Member
Vice Chair IEEE San Diego Information Theory Chapter (info theory is why you have digital communications)
MSEE Information Theory from USC
Life Member ARRL, AMSAT, 10-10
Don Hilliard Award Recipient
ARRL Technical Advisor 2020-2023
GNU Radio Conference chair 2019-2020
Senior Engineer Qualcomm Inc. (Globalstar, terrestrial cellular telephony, and digital hardware R&D)
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WE4B

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2020, 11:46:18 AM »

That’s a great rebuttal to a published article that shocked many of us when we read it. AMSAT-NA members deserve the best and they aren’t getting the best that’s available. This is both sad and unfortunate but until members demand excellence, they won’t get it. Apathy and a fear of being persecuted by legacy leadership has led AMSAT-NA to where it is now. Members need to wake-up and demand, and expect, excellence from the organization.
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W4HIJ

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2020, 01:11:01 PM »

The fact that AMSAT would adopt this sort of mindset towards Open Source surprises me not one single bit.
 ITAR has been a convenient excuse for their lack of substantial success and overall stagnation for over a decade now. Instead of  lauding your hard work and dedication in helping to remove the obstacles of ITAR, we get this sort of predictable attitude.
 For anyone within the current legacy leadership of the organization to bring up the subject of "having an open mind" is absolutely laughable.
73,
Michael, W4HIJ
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WE4B

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2020, 01:26:49 PM »

For anyone within the current legacy leadership of the organization to bring up the subject of "having an open mind" is absolutely laughable.

Sadly, this is very true. What is most sad to me is that it is pure apathy of members that have allowed/are allowing this to happen.

Members fear speaking-up against legacy, incumbents because they have seen how people such as you and I are persecuted. It shouldn’t be this way. Members should feel free to speak their mind but if they do they will be attacked as has been documented in a few recent threads here on eHam and other amateur radio forums.

Apathy and fear has led to the demise of AMSAT-NA. I hope the legacy, incumbent leadership is happy of their legacy of failing to provide members with any advancements of the radio art.

What we are seeing now is the crumbling of AMSAT-NA. We are watching, in real time, the organization die a slow, painful death while legacy, incumbent Board members and their friends get to enjoy their clubhouse which is funded by others.

Other amateur radio satellite organizations are forward thinking and are moving forward while AMSAT-NA languishes in the background. This isn’t some hyperbole that I’m stating. It’s well documented here on eHam and other forums in the amateur community.

The fact that ORI even had to rebut such a bizarre article in the AMSAT Journal is evidence of the lack of knowledge and leadership within AMSAT-NA. Maybe the current President will show-up in this thread like he did another one to tells us how many of us are wrong in our thinking.

We aren’t wrong. We are documenting, in real-time, what is happening to the once great AMSAT-NA. Sadly, apathy of members is allowing it to happen. That’s okay though. It will be replaced by organizations that are better equipped to keep amateur radio in space.

I keep holding out hope that things will change but it seems that all AMSAT-NA members care about are FM repeaters and getting grid squares. I’ll admit, it’s fun to log a new grid square but that’s not what amateur radio is supposed to be. It’s supposed to be about advancing the radio art. Can anyone seriously think that AMSAT-NA is advancing anything?
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W4HIJ

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2020, 03:59:35 PM »

Apathy is certainly an issue but I would also argue that there is ignorance of the true facts involved as well. This appears to be by deliberate design of the legacy leadership of AMSAT, most especially Mr. Bankston who uses his position as the BB moderator to instantly squelch any sort of discussion of subjects  that he deems unsuitable for the BB.
 One would think that the BB would be the perfect place for all sides of the open source issue to be discussed and that a well informed membership would be the goal of any non profit but we all know that  is sadly not the case.
73,
Michael, W4HIJ
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WE4B

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2020, 04:22:00 PM »

Apathy is certainly an issue but I would also argue that there is ignorance of the true facts involved as well. This appears to be by deliberate design of the legacy leadership of AMSAT, most especially Mr. Bankston who uses his position as the BB moderator to instantly squelch any sort of discussion of subjects  that he deems unsuitable for the BB.
 One would think that the BB would be the perfect place for all sides of the open source issue to be discussed and that a well informed membership would be the goal of any non profit but we all know that  is sadly not the case.

We are fortunate that there are other organizations that are moving forward and not stopping innovation, nor stopping their members from having a voice. Voices aren't always popular but all voices should be heard.

AMSAT-NA has proven, as evidenced in multiple threads here on eHam, as well as, other forums that they do censor speech of members in order to keep certain legacy, incumbents in power. It's not hard for any outsider or anyone that considered offering a grant or donation to see. The fact of horrible management combined with the fact that AMSAT-NA wants to not participate in Open Source work limits the ability to raise funds. What's absolutely horrible is that they turned down the offer from ORI to share in half-million dollars of grant money that ORI got. Members should be very mad about that, but it seems that they aren't.

Oh well, like I said, we are fortunate that there are organizations like ORI and others that are stepping-up to the plate and advancing the radio art and getting grant and donation money in the process. AMSAT-NA is not advancing the radio art or representing its members. It is dying a slow, painful death.
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W4HIJ

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2020, 06:22:16 PM »



 It's not hard for any outsider or anyone that considered offering a grant or donation to see. The fact of horrible management combined with the fact that AMSAT-NA wants to not participate in Open Source work limits the ability to raise funds. What's absolutely horrible is that they turned down the offer from ORI to share in half-million dollars of grant money that ORI got. Members should be very mad about that, but it seems that they aren't.


Can't help but wonder what my fellow taxpayers would think of a non-profit that took a PPP loan and then turned right around and refused a share of grant money. Those two things don't seem to go together do they? I think I might  contact my state senators and representatives and see if they'd be interested in looking into that. As I've pointed out before, many much more principled non profits like churches were forced to give PPP money back because of public outrage.
73,
Michael, W4HIJ
« Last Edit: December 02, 2020, 06:25:49 PM by W4HIJ »
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WE4B

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2020, 12:07:39 PM »

As I've pointed out before, many much more principled non profits like churches were forced to give PPP money back because of public outrage.

There's the major problem with AMSAT-NA, apathy from members. This apathy has led to the leadership that AMSAT-NA now has and has led to this leadership publishing articles in, what used to be, a scholarly publication. By having AMSAT-NA publish articles like the one mentioned in this thread, it continues to erode any credibility that AMSAT-NA once had.

If members would stop fearing the legacy, incumbent Board members and vote them out of office, AMSAT-NA could work towards being what it once was. Until that happens, members will keep getting what they are getting and the legacy, incumbents will get to continue to use AMSAT-NA for themselves and their cronies. It's going to take members to change things and they can only change things by stepping up to the plate and nominating new people for leadership and then voting for those new people. The new people of which I'm speaking do not need to be friends or cronies of the legacy, incumbents or the cycle of horrific leadership will continue.

I'm glad Bruce and Michelle penned this rebuttal letter. They are the perfect people with the credentials to do have done so. Kudos!
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KB8VUL

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2020, 08:19:59 PM »

I just sat and read all this and have comments from a 100 foot level.  Meaning I am not involved in AMSAT and have no stake either way.

But as hams, there is a lot of this "legacy management" that occurs from it seems huge groups like AMSAT-NA all the way down to the little 100 or 200 member ham clubs that are county or regional.  And the issue is typically always the same.  Folks want change but are unwilling or unable to fully commit to the change.  If you are known in the community, then run for office.  That's the way to change.  But you can't be the only one involved.  But make sure that you are up for a hostile takeover of a group before committing to move forward.  If there is a board, then you need to find replacements for ALL those positions that are equally committed to YOUR vision of how things need to move forward or you will typically make things more of a mess because whats important to you is not to the others.  SO it has to be a group effort, or it's just a bigger mess than it was before.  But know this, if your plan doesn't sit well with the members that vote you in, you will not be in the position long, the legacy will be back and whatever you thought you could get done will NEVER happen because those line items that got you rejected, WILL be remembered long after you are forgotten.
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WE4B

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2020, 08:29:34 AM »

There is a famous quote that is attributed to Thomas Jefferson, "We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate."

If you substitute AMSAT-NA in place of America in the above quote, it perfectly describes AMSAT-NA as the organization as it is today. Apathy within the organization is rampant. The last election only saw about 1/3 of those eligible to vote doing so. Since a majority of members refuse to be actively involved in the organization, and vote, we end-up with the same legacy, incumbents elected over and over. Because these incumbents are constantly reelected, they feel empowered to do as they please regardless of bylaws, rules and policies.
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WE4B

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2020, 04:45:58 PM »

Today on the AMSAT-BB mailing list, there was a discussion about AO-91 which is failing. That discussion then turned to Open Source discussion concerning AMSAT-NA satellite software code. An AMSAT-NA engineering team member had this to say about people who are Open Source supporters that might want to volunteer for/with AMSAT-NA:



Can you believe that? AMSAT-NA engineering has stated that they won't change any code even if some new volunteer were to find issues with it and had "valid views, opinions or concerns".

Don't AMSAT-NA members want the best satellites possible? This can be achieved by changing the closed door mindset and accepting critical comments from others. This is what Open Source is all about. Collaboration and the sharing of views, opinions and concerns to reach the best possible outcome. Why would AMSAT-NA engineering members not want that? This just makes no sense to me. I am glad that ORI and LibreSpace, among others, are pushing forward and doing so with Open Source. By doing so these organizations will know that they have let everyone that is capable to look at code and hardware. With AMSAT-NA openly saying they won't change anything, even if it should be, AMSAT-NA sets itself up for future failures
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VE3WGO

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #11 on: December 08, 2020, 08:35:13 PM »

but, it's not really about Open Source versus in-house custom design.  Amsat does have a point... read on.  Because ripping out and changing existing in-house code to Open Source (or any other new design) "just because I want to" isn't necessarily the sensible thing to do.  It might be wise to do, if architecture or code is broken or no longer maintainable, but keep in mind that writing software is only 30% of the total effort, while software/hardware Integration and Verification (I&V) is 70% of the effort.  And it doesn't matter if the software came from in-house or open source, the I&V effort won't really change dramatically.  Open source can be a very good choice for new architectures and designs, and of course most commercial and industrial products these days make liberal use of it.  But I&V is still the elephant in the room.

If it works well, don't change it, especially in software. And much of the Amsat software seems to work very well.   On the other hand, it appears that Amsat's battery supervision, charging and maintenance software really does need replacement!  Maybe the hardware too. (Voltage graphs that WE4B linked to this forum are clear evidence of the need, IMHO)

Disclaimer:  I am not defending Amsat's other aspects such as their financial behaviours of late, but I have to agree with them on this one item regarding codebase.  They should have chosen more welcoming and collaboration-encouraging wording, though.  Although I agree with their statement, I don't understand their apparent hostility.

73, Ed
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KF6QEX

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #12 on: December 08, 2020, 08:42:29 PM »

Source is a funny thing.
For some it's a like a BBQ party at at a nudist beach.
For others it's like a dungeon , though a labirinth, under a castle , surrounded by a moat , over a bridge guarded by a dragon.

You can't drag someone from a dungeon, and ask them to join the BBQ party.

Gotta go , it's time to feed the dragon.....

Disclaimer:  I am not defending Amsat's other aspects such as their financial behaviours of late, but I have to agree with them on this one item regarding codebase.
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sdrawkcab daer tseb si txet sihT

W5PFG

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #13 on: December 16, 2020, 08:11:00 AM »

I respectfully caution readers about echoing statements that AMSAT turned down any grant monies received by ORI.

"AMSAT isn’t getting funding like the half-million recently allocated to ORI – an amount which could easily also go to AMSAT if they were willing to work on Open Source.

Incredibly, ORI offered to share the granted funds with AMSAT/AREx, and AMSAT/AREx declined."

This statement is comprised of several falsehoods.

1. AMSAT is willing to work on Open Source. AMSAT has a decades-long history of sharing designs with the global amateur radio community. In fact, some of the AMSAT Fox Series circuit boards are published under an Open Hardware License. There is no AMSAT policy, written or otherwise, refusing Open Source development.

2. Note the use of "AMSAT/AREx" - There is no such entity name. AREx is a project separate of AMSAT, led by ARISS. The AMSAT Board of Directors, including Ms. Thompson, are aware of this. Ms Thompson voted for to affirm AMSAT's interest and participation in work for AREx, but not this mythical "AMSAT/AREx."

3. Ms. Thompson was relieved of her participation at AREx prior to the ARDC grant funding of $500,000 to ORI being announced.  Part of $500,000 was never on a table for AMSAT to refuse.

4. If ORI intended to share granted monies with other entities, this should be well-documented for several reasons: 1. The entity that granted them these funds will need a full accounting and 2. Offering cash funds to another organization is something that would be typically found in minutes of the corporation. 3. A grant offer should come with some formality - a letter, or at minimum, an email to the corporate address of the entity.

5. As an AMSAT Director, wouldn't Ms. Thompson have tried to let the organization know these funds are available from ORI? She's been vocal about many other things on her blogs and social media.
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W4HIJ

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Re: A Rebuttal to an Unfortunate Article in the Sept-Oct 2020 AMSAT Journal
« Reply #14 on: December 16, 2020, 08:32:29 AM »

I respectfully caution readers about echoing statements that AMSAT turned down any grant monies received by ORI.


Why? Because you don't like for the truth to be shared? That's typical. 
 AMSAT is a "non profit" that took a PPP loan that was funded by American taxpayers but turned down grant money offered by another organization that they see as a rival and an enemy, neither of which ORI is. This is fact. No amount of "QRM" from legacy board members changes that fact.
73,
Michael, W4HIJ
« Last Edit: December 16, 2020, 08:35:54 AM by W4HIJ »
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