... None of these cubesat developers has made any significant attempt to rally
the amateur radio satellite community ...
That is because very few of the organizations/campuses with satellites being deployed this week have public relations professionals to properly promote their projects. And if they do have public relations departments, they have not been "educated" as to the true value of their projects to the amateur radio world.
That's OUR responsibility. And we all can share the blame for this.
NASA does it well with their 28-page Guide to conducting an ARISS contact. Included are timetables for media alerts (used to be called "press releases"), detailed step-by-step instructions for micro-managing every aspect of the project ... THAT'S what "we" should develop for EVERY one of these amateur radio satellite projects for schools and amateur satellite builders could use to better promote their projects. Of course, project managers can opt not to use such a guide. But when they realize the free publicity their project could easily garner (media attendance and coverage, promotion by AMSAT on their various Web sites, et al) - "we" would make it very attractive TO use such a guide.
I think AMSAT-NA should take the lead on this, and establish a committee to develop such a plan for future projects. I volunteer.
Clint Bradford K6LCS 909-241-7666 - cell, California
---------------------------------- Clint Bradford, K6LCS http://www.clintbradford.com