nice reading -) Graham ----- Original Message ----- From: "Greg Roberts" <grr@iafrica.com> To: <SeeSat-D@satobs.org> Cc: "Willie Koorts" <wpk@saao.ac.za> Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 11:05 PM Subject: Hobbyist=terrorist? > I am following with interest the discussions dealing with > hobbyists tracking classified satellites and as one of > these hobbyists I would like to add my 2 cents worth. > > I acquired an interest in space around 1948 and by 1953 > was already a great fan of space travel and was thrilled > when I first saw the rocket casing of Sputnik 1 passing > overhead in the early evening and from that day on I was > bitten by the satellite tracking bug.Another exciting > sighting was that of an early DISCOVER (KH2) mission, so > when an appeal was put out for amateurs to join the > MOONWATCH network I was one of the first to apply but was > turned down as I was a lone observer in a small town and > what was wanted was a MOONWATCH team.I joined other > orgnisations interested in tracking such as the Volunteer > Satellite Tracking Program run by Norton Goodwin > (Washington DC) which later became the Independent > Tracking Co-ordination Program which is were Mike McCants > and I first became acquainted. I also joined the Western > Satellite Research Network funded by North American Aviation. > > In 1960 I eventually became part of the MOONWATCH Network > and was provided with equipment and data and we were used > to provide backup for US launches as South Africa was > invariably the first country over which a launch from Cape > Canaveral would pass. A collegue and I formed the Durban > Satellite Tracking Station a few years later and we were > even approached by a US Government official to see if we > were prepared to spend time trying to track Soviet lunar > missions. In addition we were also part of the United States > Air Force satellite re-entry observation program. > > In 1966 I had an interview for a position of observer at the > Baker-Nunn Tracking camera at Olifantsfontein (S.Africa) but > had to turn it down as it had no long term job security and > in 1968 took a part-time job as an observer at the then Royal > Observatory,Cape Town photo-kine theodolite which was set up > by the UK Royal Aircraft Establishment in support of the research > work being carried out by Desmond King-Hele and associates. > > In 1968 I became a professional astronomer and ceased my optical > tracking activities except for being involved in the backup > optical tracking of early Apollo missions using a 26.5 inch > refractor and 20 inch reflector. Instead of optical tracking > I took up the radio tracking of transmitting satellites and > became part of the Kettering Group that was run by the late > Geoff Perry which mainly concentrated on Soviet and Chinese > space missions and provided a great deal of information. > > In October 1999 I retired from being an astronomer and returned > to my main interest which was satellite tracking. Being lazy and > somewhat handicapped both physically and by poor observing > conditions I decided that the best way to track satellites was > by using video techniques and thus CoSaTrak was born. On account > of my geographical position it was realised that the most useful > thing I could do was to track the so called classified satellites. > > I have nothing against the United States and if I thought that > what I do represents a serious threat to the USA I would not track > such satellites, however my view is the same as other observers - > if we can do it on a shoe string budget, then how much better a > country could do it if they had far more money and resources than > we have. > > I believe I and others are a product of the Space Age - our > interest was nurtured and supported directly or indirectly by > the United States government and now that amateur observers are > no longer needed this same government regards these observers as > a threat. Some of us have spent a major part of our lives, free > of charge, to support the space program in one way or another and > now some "high ranking military personal in uniform and ex CIA > personal state the Pentagon were "pissed off" about hobbyist tracking > classified sats?" - memories are short it would seem - especially > when sprouted by individuals who apparently are not blessed with much > grey matter between their ears. > > Shall I continue to track classified satellites ? - YES, certainly > as long as I am able. These satellites pass over me and spy on my > country (and me!) and I believe I have the right to observe and do > what I wish, provided I do not break the law in my country. > > Sorry - my 2c worth turned out to be a lot more than 2c! > > Cheers > Greg > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: > http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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