Hi Andras,
I totaly agree with your point. To turn the "rudder" a little bit more into ham radio dx direction I designed several years ago a small CubeSat sized linear transponder. (Just google "LE005-R2" and you will find it). The idea was to make it off the shelve available for the Cubes, as it is quiet complex to design for students. Surprisingly the interrest from these Cube groups was/is very very low. (Most requests are from privat hams ! for using it on a mountains or balloon). CubeSat groups seem to prefer FM, AX25, and not to much difficult ssb stuff they can not use and test themselves.
Most of these small sats are under the name off education, but in the background a huge business sector is available (just google "Cubesat shop" and enjoy). Because of this I believe the AMSATs none-profit status is a huge disadvantage, and it is very hard to get a HEO into orbit.
AMSAT should have kept the RF payload (of a big satellite), and give away some spaces to universities, sharing the ham radio payload. Now the spaces are given away as separate small boxes (cubesats) that all have similar RF systems (FM and 1k2/9k6 AX25). Why not assemble the cubes all together as one big satellite, where AMSAT provides the common digital download payload + some extra linear transponder ??? In this way there is more space for university experiments, and the RF is done by people who have many experience in amateurs satellite radios. But best of all is that we have our own payload added. (Some less frequencies then AO40 but possibly in a MEO/HEO).
Just an idea,
73 de PE1RAH, William Leijenaar
Gentlemen,
I have spent too much money on an FT-847!
I had better to buy a well equipped HF transceiver instead!
There is practically no usable satellites -except for AO-7 and VO-52.
The problem is that you can find always the same stations on them.
F2IL is in my log about 300 times...
Spending money on FM satellites were made according to long term plans of IARU, ARRL and AMSAT which had been a dream of handling emergency traffic using hand-held equipment and antenna -as far as I know.
Satellite activity is seriously declining!
gl de ha6nn Andras