[aprssig] 18 Wheeler APRS pix?

[Robert Bruninga]

>> I might be able to get a short article 
> into a Trucker periodical for ham truckers...
> 
> You should seriously consider the consequences 
> of this before you submit it.  Do we really want 
> hundreds, if not thousands, of "good
> buddies" running APRS?

I was invited to do this by an APRS trucker who knows a lot of
other good truckers.  Many hams enter ham radio from CB and
unless we start reaching out, we wont exist when "we" all die.
With nearly 100 repeaters in range of my commute in the
Baltimore Washington DC area, I can scan between 7 to 8 AM and
maybe only find 1 to 4 in use.  This is like dead silence
compared to 10 or 15 years ago...

> If history is any indication, there will
> result in 18-wheelers running kilowatt APRS 
> stations with beacon rates of 10 secs and 
> paths of 'WIDE7-7,WIDE7-7'.  I know of a few 
> truckers who are hams and they run by the rules,
> but they will be in the minority if APRS catches 
> on with the majority of regular truckers.

I doubt it will.  But at least a live APRS operator will be
there and someone with useful information to the mobile
operator.

> I've got my flameproof undies on, so flame away.

It is a concern.  But with APRS, at least we know exactly where
they are.  FCC would like that too maybe for some cases..

Bob, WB4APR