[aprssig] Free Ham Mobile Web Page (MAP.FINDU.COM)

[Robert Bruninga]

Spread this around to your non-APRS ham friends:
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Does everyone realize that they all have their own callsign WEB
page that they can update anywhere, anytime, via ham radio and
even without internet access?

Any operator with a radio and his old TNC, and no special
software can post just about anything for others to see...  I
posted this on the AMSAT-BB for the example of a mobile going to
operate a satellite from a variety of grid squares over a long
trip...

My point was, that even without APRS (he does not use it), he
could still use an old TNC and his laptop for updating his
"FINDU WEB page" along his trip that could contain info,
positions, objects, messages etc, about his schedules and
locations, status and announcements.

Thanks to Steve Dimse, everyone with a callsign has an APRS web
page...  Just tell others to look on MAP.FINDU.COM/CALLSIGN for
your info.  You-don't-even-need-to-run-APRS!

All it takes to create your own instant web page for all the
world to see is to TRANSMIT a single successful packet on 144.39
anywhere in North America, or 144.80 in Europe (etc), and then
the above web page will work for your callsign.  I will use
W6GMT's cross country traveling satellite station as an example
for how to take advantage of this capability from the field... 

1) Set radio to 144.39 (in north america)
2) Set UNPROTO APRTNC VIA WIDE2-2
3) Set CONVERse mode

>From this point on, anything you type that is successfully
digipeated will go to your FINDU APRS web page as long as it is
in APRS format.  Just transmit it once successfully.  If you see
it digipeated, then you can safely assume in most areas of the
world, that it also got into the global APRS system.  To make
sure, wait a minute and send it again..  The simplest format is
GRID Square.  While in CONVERSE mode, just type this:

[FM19sx] Sittin here waiting for AO51.

Then go to the above web page, and you will see your station at
that location and with that text.  Even if it was just one
packet, it will be there for up to 10 days.  The age of the
packet is also shown.  You can only have one such position
packet existing at any one time and using gridsquare, the
position will only be approximate.  New ones will replace old
ones.  

MESSAGES:  But you can have as many MESSAGES as you want.  Type
this:

:BLN1toall: Operating times today will be 1430z from Grand
Canyon

Your FINDU web page will now have a link to ALL of your
messages, which will include this bulletin.  Additional
bulletins can be BLN2, BLN3 and so on.  The "toall" is just to
make sure that you pad the format to the indicated number of
bytes between colons..  You can even send someone a text-message
email.  Just type:

:EMAIL    : w3xyz at amsat.org hi joe, will arrive tonight at 10PM.

There has to be four spaces after the EMAIL in this case for
padding and the first thing after the colon has to be a valid
email address.  Do it correctly, and it will get delivered.

MULTIPLE OBJECTS:  Another good example for a mobile traveler
might be to put out future waypoints.  But each waypoint has to
have its own callsign.  The easiest way to do that is to change
the MY CALLSIGN in the TNC.  Make W6GMT-1 be the first waypoint,
and say W6GMT-2 be the second waypoint....  So make each MYCALL
change in the TNC, then type in the way point in the above
gridsquare format:

For MYCALL W6GMT-1, type:
[EN45gh] Waypoint for 1400z on 25 Mar.

For MYCALL W6GMT-2, type:
[EN46ab] Expected location on 1500z Friday

And so forth.  Your objects do not even need to be waypoitns.
Just any kind of object that you want to make reference to, but
they do have to have your callsign and an SSID number to be
found.  That is why the universal web page for any HAM on the
FINDU system should end in an asterix (*) so that all of his
waypoints or other objects will show up.  For example
http://map.findu.com/wb4apr*

Just think of it.  Carry a TNC with you in your car, and you can
communicate with the world anywhere, anytime, via the Internet.
Just a tiny example of all the potential applications of packet
radio and APRS and the web to improve our ability to
communicate.

APRS.  It is NOT just vehicle tracking!

Bob, WB4APR