[aprssig] Universal APRS messaging

[Robert Bruninga]

As a followup... Please review this web page and spread the
word!

We need all radio amateurs to understand that APRS can be the
single universal contact and call-up mechanism anytime-anywhere!
Based on good feedback from cellphone and Iphone code writers, I
have attempted to summarize the capabilities on this web page:
www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html	

If you know of any other capabilites not included there, please
let me know.  We must get all of HAM radio to understand that
the universal contact mechanism for all hams everywhere can be
APRS!  Bob, Wb4APR

> We have a golden opportunity for 
> new programmers in APRS...
>
> Since 9-11 and the Katrina situation, 
> a primary motivation for APRS has been 
> to make sure that Amateur Radio operators 
> can	always find each other, in place, 
> time, and frequency and establish 
> communications.  This must be a fundamental 
> and	universal mission of APRS.
> 	
> Now that we are making progress on the 
> frequency aspect with the many initiatives 
> of the www.aprs.org/localinfo.html project, 
> and	the www.aprs.org/aprstt.html project 
> bringing in all radios, now	it is time to 
> move on to the final stage which is making 
> sure that we can communicate callsign-to-
> callsign using any and ALL devices and mechanisms.
> 	
> This means, palm devices, PC,s, notebooks, 
> Iphones, everything.
> 	
> ... now I would like to collect a directory 
> of such applications and put the links on
> the www.aprs.org web page. 
>
> Help me build this list:
> 
> LIST OF APRS APPLICATIONS FOR UNIVERSAL APRS MESSAGING:
> 	
> PC's, Macs - Run numerous native APRS client applications
> APRS>Email - WU2Z engine handles all APRS to EMAIL
> Email>APRS - This nut has not been fully cracked
> WinLINK    - Handles bidirectional email
> PalmPilot - Pocket APRS (no longer supported?)
> OLPC      - APRS-xo by Jack Zielke
> Wince's   - APRSce...
> Iphone    -
> IM        -
> TextMsging-
> Etc...    -
> 	
> The goal is to be able to send and receive 
> (small) amateur radio	APRS text messages 
> anywhere in the world by callsign alone.
> This is a big project, because it will be 
> hard to provide the security concenrs we 
> all share over th epotential for abuse...
> But we do need to be working on it!
> 	
> My motivation comes from the simple fact 
> that as ham radio operators, we must be 
> able to establish communications using
> whatever tools we have available, and cell 
> phones and text	messaging are everywhere.
> 	
> My motivation comes from my weekend trip 
> to Monterrey Mexico where I gave an APRS 
> presentation to their IEEE attended by
> about 100 students from many technical 
> universities.  They all had cellphones 
> and wanted to know why APRS could not be 
> used to communicate with them?
> 	
> Duh... Good question.  We need more 
> people in ham radio working on these 
> projects...
> 	
> Thanks
> Bob, Wb4APR