[aprssig] APRS on UHF?

[Bob Bruninga]

>> There is no need for a standard frequency.
>> Use any local packet frequency.  It becomes 
>> a communications cell.   All it needs to 
>> be part of the existing APRS infrastructure 
>> is an Igate to tie it to the APRS-IS..

What!  No!  Apparently the dumb-tracker-to-internet mentality has taken over in that area, and that spells the death knoll of APRS there eventually, because just not that many people in ham radio care where anyone else is, nor do they think seeing themselves on the internet is that big a deal.  APRS will eventually die in that area, except for occasional use for events because it offers no value-added to each new operator.

If you want APRS to thrive, then you need to consider getting back to looking at APRS from the original perspective.  As an info resource TO mobiles, not from them.  Then each person or new amateur radio operator that decides to try it actually *gets* something from it, info, awareness, contacts, QSO's and activity.

The dumb-tracker-to-internet mentality provides little net value added to the new user.  He transmits his object, goes inside and shows it to his wife on the internet, and he gains nothing else.  In a few days, or weeks, or months, he sees nothing else new, and APRS was just a flash in the pan.

We have got to overcome this mentality and get back to APRS as a RECEIVE and local RF distribution system where we PUSH information of immediate value to the MOBILE operator.  Then it becomes something that he remains interested in and wants more.

>> and one station on 144.39 generating
>> an identifying object using a variant 
>> of Bob's friendly local repeater
>> identifying scheme.

Wow, what a boring network.  Drive into that area, and the only thing you will ever see will be one SYMBOL.  Then you have to look at that sybol detail to find out where else to TRANSMIT your packet and then go to the INTERNET somewhere to see anything.  Like I said, I can think of no better way to kill APRS in that community.

> I'm just saying that we're already
> experiencing fragmentation within the 
> APRS community in regards to the UHF 
> spectrum...

SHucks, we are seeing the death of mobile radio operations.  We ahve 100 clubs and repeaters in our metro area, and yet, even in drive time and scanning, at most you will hear a half dozen or less repeaters in use.  We are so fragmented, that no one can find a QSO except to the same old diehards.

APRS is supposed to transcend the fragmentation and deminishing of ham radio by having ONE single channel that contains EVERYTHING that is hapenning LIVE no matter what other frquency that net, or other activity is on.  It should always be announced on APRS so that others can find it.

NOthing wrong with alternate inputs (either 144.99 or UHF) to give locals un-congested INPUT priority, but the output should always be on 144.39 from the high digi (which can hear everything so that it avoides collisios).  In fact such local alternate inputs are receommended, but NOT just to go to an IGate, but to go to RF on 144.39 which is where the intended USER (receiver) is.

SOmething like that.

Bob, WB4APR