From the ARRL North Carolina Section Monthly News Summary:
Our served agencies are increasingly relying on satellite phones for back up communications and some think it has lessened the need for HF and the other services provided by amateur radio. You should refer your emergency management contacts to a recent SEC filing made by Globalstar. The performance of the S-band power amplifiers in the company's satellites is degrading, likely to due radiation exposure. Globalstar is working to reorient the satellites in order to reduce the impact of the problems and plans to start replacing the satellites in 2009. But there is apparently a significant chance that the new satellites won't be up in time and that
sometime in 2008 substantially all of the Company's currently in-orbit satellites will cease to be able to support two-way communications services!
