Having a satellite in a geosynchronous orbit available is a great privilege for the amateur radio community. In my few months being active on the transponder of this precious satellite I observed the good, the bad and the ugly.
Writing about the ugly. I was listening to a conversation in Spanish. Si puedo comprara... At the end, the DX station was calling CQ. Well, someone else was faster than me. Fair enough, I waited. At their end, I called and was picked up by S0S in West Sahara. What a pleasant QSO, he even spoke some Dutch, respectful of my call sign. What a gentleman! Our QSO ended undisturbed.
I stayed on frequency, since I had some in shack business to conduct. Moments later, some from OE-land (aka Austria) SHOUTED his call (noted but not disclosed) at the transponder, over everybody else, of course triggering Leila. However, his signal was that strong that his call was audible the entire time. HOW RUDE! Of course he had the next QSO, so that he shut the f##k up.
Is that how we want this transponder to be for the next 15 years?!
Honestly, the behavior of our Austrian friend reminded me of the reasons for which I decided to ignore the 80m-band 40 years ago. Unfriendly, unpleasant, un-HAM-ish behavior.
Dear friend from Austria, YOU SUCK!
