[aprssig] TAC-5

[Pete Loveall AE5PL Lists]

The reason for tactical callsign use is relatively simple: if I can display/record stations based on function, it lessens the time and effort required to operate in a tactical environment.  This applies to APRS, voice, or any mode being used.  In other words, it is much easier to recognize SHELTR-1 as shelter #1 than to try to determine if AE5PL is at shelter #1, especially when AE5PL goes home to rest and W5EJL replaces him.  If the net control needs to know the actual station callsign, there it is in the text.  On voice, we send our callsign on the last transmission of a transmission group and every 10 minutes if the transmission group takes over 10 minutes.  A transmission group might be checking in, stating a status, making a request, etc.  What is more important to a tactical operation is what or where you are, not who you are.

Hope this helps clarify one of the main reasons why we use tactical callsigns at a lot of events in the US.  It simplifies and streamlines the actual operations of the event by emphasizing the information most important to net controls and supported groups, not who each participant is.

73,

Pete Loveall AE5PL
pete at ae5pl dot net

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Rich
> Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 12:16 AM
> 
> If you got to the effort of making up your wizzo tactical callsign, why
> not
> just out you callsign.
> 
> Doesn't wear out your keypad anymore than your wizzo callsign
> 
> And what the heck - if a person only cops one packet from you , each
> time
> they will know who u are
> 
> Unless you are working under SECRET APRS conditions and you don't want
> anyone to know where you are (down to 6m)