9 Jan 2017 Draft Proposal for a Inaugural World Wide Outernet Receiver L-Band and APRS Antenna design Competition.
Draft Antenna Competition Time-line.
January 15 Competition Officially Announced.
February 15 Sponsors, Rules, Catagories and Prizes Confirmed.
April 15th Final Date for submitting Entry.
April 30th Entries Close Judges Begin Judging.
The following Categories could be available.
- Low cost antenna / Home available components.
- General Purpose Antenna. (Weatherproof)
- Best Mobile Car / Boat /Plane / Vehicle antenna/Hardware.
- Highest SNR Antenna.
- APRS VHF / Outernet L-Band Com-bi Antenna
- Smallest Antenna.
- Best Overall / most popular. Antenna.
- Experiment Antenna
- Best contribution to L-Band Antenna software
- Best Outernet Hardware Modification. (Optional Category)
Prize for each Category could be
at least a Outernet 1.0 Receiver engraved with the names of all Outernet staff and a framed Award.
Subject to AMSAT agreeing a AMSAT 1 Year Membership.
Subject to UK-AMSAT agreeing a One year UK AmSAT membership.
Low Cost/ Home Component Antenna Categorie, Has $100 already pledged and Possible $200 subject to interest in competition.
Possible Sponsors I intend to write to.
AMSAT (Ask for free memberships)
UK-AMSAT
RTL-SDR.com (Hardware.)
NOOLEC
United Launch Alliance. (Space memento souvenir etc.)
SpaceX (Space memento souvenir etc.)
Inmarsat. Piece of L-Band satellite equipment etc.
Iridium
Thaliya
CHIP
and others.
More detailed Category description.
1 Low cost antenna / Home available components.
Less than $5.00 SNR Equivalent or better than current Patch Antenna.
$100 has already pledged to (Home Available Components) and Possible $200 subject to interest in competition.
2. Best Mobile Car / Boat / Plane / Vehicle antenna-Hardware combination.
Must maintain a L-Band Outernet signal Lock on a moving Vehicle.
Can be Passive or Motorized.
180 Degree Hemispherical reception.
Possible technology Hard disk stabilization, Multiple directional antennas combined, Robotic directional , Omni-Helical etc.
3. Best General Purpose antenna. Must be weather Proof.
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Highest SNR Antenna direct to RTL Dongle.
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Experiment Antenna that is not practical to build commercially but displays a new property or technique in L-Band reception.
ie Floating, Plasma arc antenna, High Mass antenna, Miniature etc all would be acceptable.
Does not necessarily have to be demonstrated working .
We will be judging Concept and attempt.
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APRS / Outernet Combi Antenna.
Since APRS return path is a intrinsic part of Outernet Skylark. A combination with both antennas will be very advantages.
Must demonstrate Up-link APRS, down-link Outernet.
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Best Overall / most popular. Antenna.
This will be a community Judging based on all antennas submitted.
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Smallest Antenna.
Smallest antenna that can consistently receive a Outernet signal for 24 hrs at the Outernet Headquarters in Chicago.
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Best contribution to L-Band / APRS Antenna software.
ie L-Band propagation tables, Antenna Calculator etc, APRS Transmit predict software.
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Best Outernet Hardware Modification. (Optional Category subject to Syed)
Rules
All Antenna applicants must put up a thorough description of their proposed antenna design and agree to interact with all request for information advice etc.
All submitted designs must be open sourced and be available to every one.
Antenna Competitions submissions can be in Video (preferred) , Impress, PowerPoint , Web-page, or PDF.
All Antenna submissions must document the reception report say over a 24 hour period if possible ( ie In experimental category this may not be possible)