[aprssig] APRS in Atlanta

[Robert Bruninga]

>"Why would anybody need more hops than 
>what it takes to get to an Igate?"

Because the purpose of APRS is to provide
tactical real-time digital communications in
support of local events.  In the Eastern
Seaboard, there is one big-metro after
another from Richmond, DC, Baltimore
Philadelphia, Trenton, NYC, Connecticut
RI and Boston.

I live in the middle of a triangle of DC, Baltimore
and Annapolis, three busy W2-2 APRS areas.

Yet, HAM radio activities occur all over.  Sometimes,
the focus is something happening in Wash DC,
other times it is a Baltimore Fox hunt.  Othere times
it is our club acticities in Annapolis.  So the focus
for any given activity or day may be different.
So I set my path  appropriate to join the activity
in which ever direction from me it is happening.
No need to send my packets towards the other two
areas and add QRM where there is nothing interesting
going on...

Igates have noting to do with these local activities,
except to let outsiders watch on the internet.  So
the goal of most participants is not to hit an IGate, 
but to hit the other RF users participating in the event...

Bob