| |
ZL3AI > APRDIG 26.07.03 09:15l 174 Lines 7482 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 1676-ZL3AI
Read: GUEST
Subj: TAPR Digest, Jul 23, 8/8
Path: DB0FHN<DB0RGB<OK0PPL<DB0RES<ON0AR<VK6HGR<ZL2BAU<ZL3VML
Sent: 030725/1347Z @:ZL3VML.#80.NZL.OC #:4984 [Chch-NZ] FBB7.00i $:1676-ZL3AI
From: ZL3AI@ZL3VML.#80.NZL.OC
To : APRDIG@WW
Subject: Re: Re Stations Heard:Portable in Bimini/C6A
From: Rich Garcia <k4gps@bellsouth.net>
Date: 23 Jul 2003 21:53:43 -0400
X-Message-Number: 49
I was just checking the raw findu data to see what else I was able to
gather in the way of information. Here is some more notes and comments to
add to the study.
K1PIG and W1ON-3 were by far the most readable and C6AGH and PJ5DM-1 were
next in line. Long skip for some reason worked much better even though I
was using NVIS techniques. This interests me quite a bit and I am going to
look into that some more.
K5RAV and N5NGN were heard but apparently I did not manage to capture the
text to a file. MixW does have a buffer size (don't know how much since it
is not my PC) and I was gone 10-12 hours a day (can anyone say "FRIED") on
the boat so I must have missed them in my haste/drinking after a long day.
They were not regularly heard but they were in there I belive sometime on
Thursday or Friday.
Many packets were heard but I was not going to go chasing after them, I
could see them in the waterfall and hear them but no decodes. I see nothing
has changed since I was last on HF, ran a GATE for over 7 years 24/7 both
in NJ and in FL and this was always a problem. Peter W7LUS and I spent many
a hours trying to pull everyone in but it is difficult. I just sat MixW to
the largest number of stations I could pull in.
I think this is one aspect that must be improved, everyone needs to be
tuned in as close as possible to each other to maintain the network
intigrety. If more stations were right on that would have improved the
chances of someone ECHO'ing my meager signal. The more reliable the digi
rate is will allow users to back off on their beacon rates.
It was a lot of fun even though I was not actually able to run an APRS
client. My buddy and his wife are hardcore divers and now my wife is going
to take lessons. We are already talking about how we can manage the extra
load on the boat for a serious station the next time and possibly
activating some rare IOTA that may be in his travel range. Plans are
already in the works for a Lighthouse activation from Great Issac, a solar
powered lighthouse that has not been manned since 1969 when both keepers
disappeared never to be found.
The reason I was more interested in the propagation than hamming this past
trip is I am interested in closing the path between SE FL to Bimini on VHF
APRS. Bimini is the closest point to the FL APRS network and a popular
destination for boaters headed east from here. I know that HF works well
and so does WinLink but for smaller boats all you would need is a D700 or
any other typical mobile APRS setup. Problem is that there are no hams on
Bimini and complications due to politics/duty/taxes. A single digi at 50ft
would do the trick and could be the basis for future expansion if interest
is shown. There are a couple of towers owned by Batelco, the cable company
and a couple of others at about 200ft. It could also provide us with a VHF
link to the NWS for the WX stations over there currently on HF. Before,
during and after a storm HF antennas may be damaged or propagation could
fail. A rugged VHF antenna and support could be the alternate means to get
the information out while providing boaters another means for position
reports and short messages. Not to mention an ideal spot for another WX
station.
Rich
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Trucks with 7 and more Wides
From: KC7ZRU - Tate <kc7zru@arrl.net>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 20:21:59 -0600
X-Message-Number: 50
Eric Christensen wrote:
>I have a guy near me that has a weather station and his home station
>running WIDE,WIDE,WIDE3-3. I asked him to explain why the creative
>path and he couldn't... Only that he felt it was necessary. Now, to
>me this path doesn't make any sense... There is an I-Gate within
>simplex range and another I-Gate within three hops... Anyone figure
>this one out??? Did I also mention that the local digipeater is sent
>out WIDE4-4?
I couldn't agree more.
We've a couple telemetry stations (not even weather!) in the state. Near
as I can tell, with their paths, each telemetry packet they send out
reaches no fewer than 4 I-gates.
To be blunt, the telemetry just isn't that interesting after more than a
year of watching it go by. The guys that set these telemetry stations up
are no further than one hop away from them. Usualy simplex. I have yet
to understand why a big chunk of the Rocky Mnt region is treated to
these repetative 'advertisements'.
Can we call such things APRS SPAM??
73
--
"The Dungeon" online at http://go.to/kc7zru
Casper, WY | CARC Repeater
DN62tt | 146.940-
http://www.trib.com/~carc
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Trucks with 7 and more Wides
From: "Scott Miller" <scott@home.miller.org>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 19:57:44 -0700
X-Message-Number: 51
Here's an idea. Large numbers of new hams don't bother to go beyond a Tech
license because they're not interested in HF. So tweak the licensing rules
so that in order to run unattended automated systems like APRS (or anything
that's transmitting without your direct intervention) you've got to have a
General class or better. Then add a section to the question pool about APRS
paths, digipeater setup, gateways, and so on.
Yeah, it wouldn't be a popular decision for the most part. And it might not
be the best way to go about user education, but I think the current
licensing system is becoming less and less relevant to how people use ham
radio today.
Maybe drop the code requirement and have candidates identify PSK31, Bell
202, and RTTY by ear. Whatever. It just annoys me that we have a testing
system in place to ensure a certain level of technical competence to go
along with the added privileges, and yet it doesn't actually test you on
what you might need to know in the real world.
Scott
N1VG
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Master HF TUNE station--was Bimini
From: John Mc Hugh <johnk.mchugh@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 23:17:55 -0400
X-Message-Number: 52
Rich Garcia wrote:
>Peter W7LUS and I spent many a hours trying to pull everyone in but it
>is difficult. I
>just sat MixW to the largest number of stations I could pull in.
>
>I think this is one aspect that must be improved, everyone needs to be
>tuned in as close as possible to each other to maintain the network
>intigrety. If more stations were right on that would have improved the
>chances of someone ECHO'ing my meager signal. The more reliable the digi
>rate is will allow users to back off on their beacon rates.
Rich,
I found in the dosAPRS files one file on just this,
check out: http://aprs.rutgers.edu/DOSAPRS/HF.TXT
I talked to Bob B about this at Dayton 2002. It needs a station with an
alias of TUNE to be the master. Bob said he used to run such a station
years ago but it went off the air with I think a tower or site move.
We need to pick a new station to be "TUNE". It needs to be reliable
(constantly available on the air) and in a good geographical area. Any
volunteers?
John
--
John Mc Hugh, KU4GY
Coordinator for Amateur Radio
National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC
Home page:- http://www.wx4nhc.org
---
END OF DIGEST
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
