Several recent postings by individuals show that they have clearly not taken the time to read the international agreements to which all of our amateur satellite service spacecraft abide. There are MANY allowable uses of the amateur satellite service spectrum other than launching transponders for hams to jawbone back and forth.

If you'd take time to educate yourself on the rules that your hobby abides by, you would find that the following applies:

"The purposes of an amateur satellite should be to:

(1) Provide communication resources for the general amateur radio community and / OR [emphasis added]

(2) Self training and technical investigations relating to radio technique. [See RR 1.56, 1.57, and 25.2.]

"Radio technique" means having a reasonable possibility of application to radio communication systems. Examples relating to radio technique include, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO [emphasis added]:

· communication protocols · attitude determination methods · command and control procedures · receivers, transmitters, and transponders · antennas · sensors to study spacecraft performance · telemetry protocols · power controls and supplies for use in space · spacecraft computers, memory, operating systems, programs, and related items · radiation effects on electronic components · radio wave propagation · meteor trail reflection · measurements of the orbital environment"

There is NOTHING in these criteria that says that a satellite operating in the amateur satellite service MUST carry a communications transponder capable of relaying communications from ground stations. That is but ONE allowable operation, but NOT the only one. This may or may not fit your perception of the amateur satellite service, but that is of little matter since the rules very clearly allow other uses. Read the rules.