How much money do you think you need? A few private donations level or kickstarter level?

Consider just raising some prize money and then announcing a race for the first group to have confirmed contact with the satellite, and get out of the way?

More than money I need expertise. Although I have an amateur license I'd like to work on it with someone who is experienced with AMSAT type work.

Also, I would prefer not to do the race as the real motivator for me is the thrill of doing it and the fun of learning about how it was done.

It probably could be done as a Kickstarter and I'm guessing for the low £1,000s (radio, antenna, probably some interesting pre-amp/filter stuff).

Ok, consider yourself funded for 250 pounds, who else would like to chip in?

I'm really really rusty on VHF, do not have any required licenses and all my HAM contacts have dried up due to old age so that's pretty much all I think I can help with. The most I did in hardware terms in the last 6 months was to make an old Unitra grammophone work again, not quite in the right league :).

Thanks for that. Good to know I'm not alone in thinking that talking to that satellite would be awesome.

Mail me your IBAN please and I'll wire you the money, maybe do an official call-out for this project on your blog? That might get you some more help and/or funding. I really hope that you get this done, beware that there are a number of other satellites transmitting on the exact same frequency.

i suggest you contact the guys in the story about a potential follow up project.