[aprssig] Cell phone and Pager alerts

[Robert Bruninga]

Regarding instant emergency alerts:

In some areas with lots of APRS mobiles also, a 
Voice Alert "repeater" could be useful too.  In our
Central Maryland area we have over 100 voice repeaters
and it is impossible to figure out how to contact an
individual APRS mobile.  Voice Alert only works if you
are in direct range.

But in this situation, we could put up a 440-input and
144.39 CTCSS 100 output voice cross-band relay 
on a high tower.  This way, a voice alert call can be
made that would hit all APRS mobiles in the eentire
metro area if needed.  Of course, this would have a PL
on the input too, and only be used when such a call
to ALL APRS mobiles was needed.

And being a cross-band system, any simple back to
back radios could be used without cavities, etc.
Again, the region-wide APRS Voice Alert would only
be for one purpose.  That is something like "QST all
APRS mobiles, QSY to 147.105 for emergency net".

Or something like that.

Again, in non-metro areas that dont have their APRS
mobiles spread out across 100 different voie repeaters,
this system is probably not necessary, since in smaller
areas and areas with lots of APRS activity, usually
all the APRS people hang out on one voice repeater
already, so you ususally know how to get them.

But with Voice Alert, it is a very powerful capability, 
since you are guaranteed they are listening.  Bob

>>> bruninga at usna.edu 02/07/06 8:15 AM >>>
>>> wa7nwp at jnos.org 02/06/06 11:48 PM >>>
>> emergency response environment as a priority topic
>> for APRS since that is what APRS was designed for. 
>
>We need a plan.
>If I'm driving along and see Mt Rainier pop his top...
>how would I use ( APRS-application / D7-D700 / Dumb tracker ) 
>to let fellow hams and the world know that happened?

On the D7/D700, enter a BULLETIN "MT.Rainier BLOWS!"
which should work, beacuse everyone within 500 miles
knows exactly where it is.  But if it was something less
well known like a train wreck, then use your D7 or D700 
to enter an object.
1) Use APRS Menu to change MYCALL to WRECK
2) Enter STATUS:  "chlorene leak"
3) Send posit a few times to be sure it gets out.
4) Change MYCALL back to your call and continue operating

>Likewise, I'm driving along at night and Mt Rainier pops, 
>how would my ( APRS-application / D7-D700 / Dumb tracker) 
>warn me of what happened and keep me from driving 
>right into a molten lava flow.
>What's the plan?

You would see flash on your front panel the BULLETIN
or the OBJECT.  And you would hear the Double Beep
of a NEW object or Bulletin, so you would have both
audio and video alert.  Also, with the D7 and D700,
someone could immediately contact you by Voice
Alert no matter what channel your radio is tuned to.

If you had a dumb tracker, you could do nothing,
and you would be blind to anything anyone else would do.

As for software, APRSdos works hard to help make sure
that no one misses new information:

1) On any new Bulletin, it puts the Bulletin on the
    screen no matter what you are doing.  You cant miss it.
2) It BEEPS "QST" in CW, and in fact, it will beep
    QST in CW every single key you do until you
    hit R to read the bulletin and cancel the Bulletin Alert.
3) If you have your RADAR range set at a reasonable
    distance and the WRECK or LAVA object comes in
    inside your range, then APRSdos sends "N" in CW
    every few seconds (until acknowledged) letting you
    know that there is a NEW OBJECT within your
    "radar range"...  This is also neat for meeting
    visiting travelers who come near you...

I assume other software has similar feaatures...
So, its all there.  We just need to use it...

de Wb4APR, Bob


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