[aprssig] weigh your toilet paper

[Jack Spitznagel]

Bob,

Are the power requirements of the tracker/TNCs such that a inexpensive
solar panel/battery array (like the 6V electric fence chargers can
maintain them in weather exposed areas?? I have a fence charger with a
good solar/battery subsystem in which the pulser no longer works. I
wonder if that unit would make a good power supply and outdoor enclosure?

Since it is not too far from us, it is the "halfway point" of the AT,
and easy to reach on the trail, may I suggest that we put a  prototype
in at Pine Grove Furnace, PA? Protected sites may be an issue. Most of
the store I know are down in valleys that may be pretty bad RF holes. We
probably could get the folks at AT HQ at Harpers Ferry to suggest a few
others. Other potential sites that come to mind include the Washington
Monument over on South Mountain here in MD and somewhere near Big
Meadows up on Skyline Drive in the SNP. They would be good trial sites.

Now you have me thinnking about it... I have a family connection at the
south end of the trail... My parents are in Jasper, GA (father is
N4CGY). I might think about what I know of that area when I get time.

-Jack - kd4iz


Bob Bruninga wrote:
>>> The chances of a thru hiker carrying an aprs 
>>> are zero. ... the more likely scenario is 
>>> friends of the trail allowing the hikers to check
>>> in some how...  a time clock type of system 
>>> to allow the hikers to use the system, but 
>>> not carry it.
>>>       
>
> Yes, the carry-aprs are the day hikers for fun.  Or the SAR groups for serious.  And I agree completely about the thru hikers.  
>
> My idea originally was a little check-point gizmo with a 2 line LCD display and keypad at each shelter or so, where the hiker enters his initials or trail name and it just dead-reckons him along the trail.  THen around 2003, I re-wrote it to just be a copy of APRSdos running on an old $10 hamfest laptop...  Its probably time to go back to the post-mounted keypad using a PIC and simple TIny-Track kind of XCVR.
>
> FIndu would follow the dead reckoned track of the hikers generated by the fixed devices.
>
> The details are on the page www.aprs.org/ham-trails.html
>
> Bob, WB4APR
>
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