KC4UAI wrote:
On Jul 30, 8:32 pm, "KI6SFG" wrote:
. Maybe if we cover the basics here then we can get more folks to
do this and fill in the holes.

Well APRS and packet in general has been kind of a dying part of the
hobby for years. I'm not sure exactly why that is, perhaps the data
rates are a bit slow and the technology is a bit out of date. I think
APRS is nice, although a bit expensive to get going, as is D-Star
which has data features too.

While packet has been at rock bottom for a while, APRS is really quite
busy, and growing. In Pennsylvania, we have a lot of stations on the
air. So many stations in fact that it is usually a big help to filter
some of them out.

For a demo, there are some web sites out there that take APRS info from
the RF side, and map it out on a webpage. literally thousands of APRS
signals.



I think that packet just didn't quite make it to critical mass in a
lot of areas before it started hitting the decline. Now with the
newer modes comming online (and comerical data services) it 's going
to be hard to get enough interest in Packet generated to get it up
past critical mass on a national scale.

Packet in the old sense, that of sending email and bulletins, has pretty
much gone by the wayside, but fortunately APRS has arrived to keep
things busy.


Gary, I can help you get something on the air. A few questions first.

Ar you right at the beginning, ie no rig, no gps, no software, or do you
have something in mind? That will give us someplace to start.

- 73 d eMike N3LI -