[aprssig] Honoring Roger Barker's (G4IDE) contribution to APRS

[Gerry Creager N5JXS]

September 4, 2004...   For Immediate Release!

Last week, the Tier 2 SysOps posted a notice that they were forming a 
tribute called "UI-View Forever" to Roger Barker, G4IDE, the author of 
the UI-View APRS client software package.  The Core APRS-IS SysOps also 
recognize the importance and sheer impact that UI-View has had on the 
APRS community.  We applaud the efforts that the Tier 2 SysOps have 
made.  This tribute could not be for a more worthy cause or purpose.

Since the best of amateur radio is always revealed in times of crisis or 
need, the Core group of SysOps have resolved to assist Roger as well. 
Taking a cue from the Tier 2 SysOps, we developed another approach to 
honor Roger’s contribution to APRS, and specifically the APRS-Internet 
Service.

UI-View’s importance extends past its functionality with Tier 2 and 
javAPRSSrvr-based servers.  Therefore, the three APRS-IS Core SysOps 
have decided to offer a contribution based on UI-View connections to ALL 
APRS-IS servers.  The contribution reflects connections to Core servers 
and any regional server identified on either of the two common APRS-IS 
server statistics websites (http://www.ahubswe.net/aprs_stat.asp and 
http://www.aprs-is.net/APRSServers.htm).  We have taken a snapshot of 
all connections that occurred at 1730Z on September 4, 2004 and will 
donate one U.S. dollar for each UI-View connection that was observed. 
Note that since only the three Core SysOps performed the counting, and 
there are tens of servers, some of the counts may not have been taken at 
exactly 1730Z.

Here is what we observed:

Core Servers:    145 UI-View Connections
Tier 2 Servers:  252 UI-View Connections
Other Regional Servers: 153 UI-View Connections

The accumulated total was 550 UI-View connections to the APRS-IS.  We 
rounded this value up to 600, compensating for any missed counts.  The 
corresponding total amount of $600.00 will therefore be forwarded by the 
group of three Core APRS-IS SysOps to Roger and his family in their time 
of need.

We challenge ALL amateur operators to consider making some type of 
contribution to Roger and his family, however small.  If it isn’t 
possible to contribute directly, consider donating a few dollars to your 
local Cancer Support group.  These groups provide invaluable services to 
families during times of need.



About the Core APRS-IS Servers
-----------------------------

The center of all internet-based APRS data is passed through the three 
Core servers.  We provide connectivity via servers running at large 
educational institutions and data centers having large bandwidth pipes 
in order to provide large-scale user access to this data.  The Core 
servers offer data feed options ranging from downstream server access 
ingesting the entire world's real-time APRS data stream, to the end user 
needing specific data via a filtered port connection.  We urge you to 
connect wherever you are able to get the best results.  Should you 
decide to connect to the Core directly, we provide a round-robin next 
server rotation DNS system; all you need to use is rotate.aprs.net as 
your host and the port (10152 for the full world, 10154 for the 
continental US, and 14580 for a custom feed, just to name a few) of your 
choice.

Again, we are glad to be part of the global APRS-IS network, and wish 
all the best for Roger and his family.

For more information about APRS: 
http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/aprs.html
For more information about the APRS-IS: http://www.aprs-is.net/


Very 73,

Dave Anderson KG4YZY
Gerry Creager N5JXS
Greg Noneman WB6ZSU
-- 
Gerry Creager -- gerry.creager at tamu.edu
Network Engineering -- AATLT, Texas A&M University	
Cell: 979.229.5301 Office: 979.458.4020 FAX: 979.847.8578
Page: 979.228.0173
Office: 903A Eller Bldg, TAMU, College Station, TX 77843