[aprssig] Appalachian Trail Golden Packet Event update(2)

[Robert Bruninga]

With warming weather, site-checks and more reports are coming in
on the mountain-top relay sites for the Appalachian Trial Golden
Packet attempt this July 26th.  The various station web pages
are being updated regularly as reports come in.

This weekend we nailed these additional sites:
* Camelback site visit by NJ2L and test link to his son at
* Governor Dick Hill with an HT, by Paul, K2PCS 
* Lowered the Katahdin site expectations to a drive-up at a
campground
* Abandoned the existing digi site at Sugarloaf in Maine but
* Nailed down the Maine-Relay point by KQ1L

Spread the word.  Remember, we are also looking to go beyond the
AT down south over through Lookout mountain in Chatanooga and on
to Huntsville Mountain in Alabama.

Check out all the links:
www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html

Join a team, or do a link check. Etc...

Bob, WB4APR


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Bruninga [mailto:bruninga at usna.edu] 
> Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 4:34 PM
> To: bruninga at usna.edu; 'TAPR APRS Mailing List'
> Subject: RE: [aprssig] Appalachian Trail Golden Packet Event
update
> 
> Good news - Bad news - Good news!
> AT Trail Golden Packet Planning:
> 
> The good news is that the silo on the tree covered hill called
> Governor Dick Hill in SE PA is not a silo, but is a public
> Observation tower!  Piece of cake for operating (after
climbing
> the 60 feet of 8' vertical ladders between landings.  
> See  www.aprs.org/hamtrails/GD-hill.html
> 
> The bad news is that there are no driving roads to the tops of
> the WV mountain station and the mountains are covered in tall
> trees..  But the good news is that we found a rock outcroping
> called White Rock Cliff that can see both links NE and SW and
so
> we no longer have to hike-up a 60' mast!  
> See www.aprs.org/hamtrails/WV.html
> 
> Each of the 15 stations now has its own web page and cross
links
> between them all, so you can move up and down the trail to see
> how the project is coming.  The main page is still:
> www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html
> 
> This event on Sunday Afternoon 26 July should be lots of fun
for
> APRS and packet and VHF
> folks that like to get out into the great outdoors.  We will
> also have voice comms, and an echolink conference for mountain
> top coordination over all 2000 miles of the trail!
> 
> Bob, WB4APR
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: aprssig-bounces at tapr.org 
> > [mailto:aprssig-bounces at tapr.org] On Behalf Of Robert
Bruninga
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 5:50 PM
> > To: 'TAPR APRS Mailing List'
> > Subject: [aprssig] Appalachian Trail Golden Packet Event
> update
> > 
> > The date of the Golden Packet event on the Appalachian Trail
> has
> > moved to the weekend of the 25/26 July to avoid QRM at the
> > mountain tops with our teams and the CQ World Wide VHF
contest
> > on the original 18/19 proposed date.  Those guys try for
> 50,000W
> > ERP to make DX contacts... See updated web page:
> > 
> > http://www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html
> > 
> > An interesting wrinkle is that the rules of the Baxter State
> > park, prohibit any electronics (from radios, to walkmans, to
> > cell phones) from Mt Katahdin in Maine, and so we may have
to
> > use a human eyeball and flashing light for that final leg.
> > Woultn't that be a hoot.  Trying to close the 91 mile path
> from
> > Sugarloaf to Katahdin with a CW keyed laser at 5 WPM to an
> > eyeball receiver.  Actually, that would be quite easy to
> build.
> > 
> > But the only allowed TX capability will have to be a
flashing
> > mirror and hope for sunshine.  A small relay mechanically
> > coupled to a 1 foot mirror would do it, though the
combination
> > would have to be on a motoroized polar mount to maintain
basic
> > alignment with the movement of the sun.  I guess smoke
signals
> > could also be used, if anyone has any ideas how to generate
> big
> > ones without using any electronics.
> > 
> > So, pass this to any OPTICAL crazies out there..  We
wouldn't
> > want to cheat with a D7 now would we.
> > 
> > FOUR of the 14 sites so far now have good photos and images
of
> > the mountain peaks and the parking lots.  The goal is to do
> this
> > with drive-up D700 mobiles to keep it simple and
repeatable...
> > 
> > Still need volunteers along the way...
> > 
> > http://www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html
> > 
> > Bob, WB4APR
> > 
> > 
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> > 
> 
>