[aprssig] APRS<=>E-mail

[Kurt Kochendarfer]

> While I like this idea, would it make sense to set up a "APRS Mail"
> service with a dedicated domain? Allow APRS stations to set up a
> (callsign)@aprsmail.org, set up filters, etc?
> 
> -- 
> Ben Jackson - N1WBV - New Bedford, MA
> bbj <at> innismir.net - http://www.innismir.net/

This would be quite an undertaking for someone doing this on their own -
both in terms of time and money.  A team of folks might be able to make
it happen, but it would still be an enormous "labor of love", in my
opinion.

<emit APRS sig flame-worthy content>
It might be something worth floating to ARRL.  The league provides other
online services such as LOTW and arrl.org domain mail services.  It
wouldn't be a huge stretch for them to provide a gateway to APRS with
the existing mail service.
</emit APRS sig flame-worthy content>

On a serious note, ARRL would have to do some serious admin work on the
e-mail side of the house, as I'm fairly certain that the arrl.org e-mail
address service is simply a forwarding service, and not a full-on MTA
complete with filters and the like.  Adding a 2-way gateway to APRS on
top of that would take some technical expertise, but wouldn't be to
difficult for someone with that expertise to implement.  I don't know
how replete their IT staff is.

The real issue with Ben's suggestion, apart from someone already in the
business implementing it as an "add-on", is cost.  Hosting of the scale
needed to support a global APRS Mail service would cost a significant
amount of money.  You would either need a hosting agreement with an
existing company (high monthly cost), or you would need a big fat
internet pipe and about $10000-15000 in hardware to do it yourself.
(High monthly cost and high hardware cost.)

That being said, if there's anyone out there interested in taking on a
project like this, and we can find the server-space/bandwidth to make it
happen, I'd be interested in participating.  Other ideas on the matter?

Kurt
KE7KUS