The current state of engineering

[onlinebiker]

Generally, the guys with PhD degrees got the plum assignments, but I wrote my fair share of code for number crunching. I designed and built spacecraft antennas, but most of that software was long ago written by some senior guys. I did a fair amount of mechanical design, as well. That was all on me. If you are working for a US company, they are potentially limited in the tasks assigned to you, due to ITAR restrictions- "international trafficking in arms". That is a pretty far-reaching law, as it covers more than just "shooting" arms.

Antennas in space?

A trailing long wire? You could have one multiple wavelengths long - making it directional as hell.....  Wonder how that would work in the MF band.......

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I talked to the space shuttle once... They had a 2m uplink 10m downlink and the ham astronaut simply picked out call signs guys called out on 2 meter and repeated the call back on 10...... He got my call.