[aprssig] SHUTTLE Launch info via ANSRVR

[Lynn W. Deffenbaugh (Mr)]

Greetings fellow APRS users,

If all goes well, I'll be on the ground in Titusville FL at the Space 
View Park (http://aprs.fi/?call=SPACVWPRK) from tomorrow evening through 
the Shuttle Endeavor launch window from 3:47pm through 3:57pm 
(19:47-19:57z) on Friday 4/29/2011 
(http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html).  A local 
repeater operator phone patches into a live NASA audio feed so that the 
local amateur operators can be up-to-the-minute informed of any 
situations that may develop.

I'm planning to provide updates via APRS messages relayed through the 
new ANSRVR group called SHUTTLE.  To join this group, simply send an 
APRS message containing the text "CQ SHUTTLE <text>" (without the 
quotes) where <text> is an optional text that will be sent to all 
current members of the group.  For the next 12 hours, any other messages 
sent to the SHUTTLE group via ANSRVR will be forwarded on to the station 
that you used to join the group.  Of course, if you join more than 12 
hours before launch time, you'll have to re-CQ to refresh your membership.

Provided I'm packing enough power, you can track me and send APRS 
messages via KJ4ERJ-12, my nearly-always-on APRSISCE instance.

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - Author of APRSISCE for Windows Mobile and Win32

PS.  ANSRVR works similar to CQSRVR from a command perspective with the 
following exceptions:  1) You can CQ a group without text to silently 
join and/or monitor a group.  2) You can send message to the group via 
ANSRVR more frequently than allowed by CQSRVR.  This latter feature 
makes ANSRVR uniquely suited for sending ANnouncements out to a group of 
interested listeners.

PPS.  For APRSISCE/32 users, simply use Messages / Announcements / Join 
Group and enter SHUTTLE.  You probably want to check Keep Active to 
allow APRSISCE/32 to generate automatic CQs to the group at the 
configured interval (default 8 hours).  If you check Quietly, then the 
automatic CQs will not contain the CQ Text which would then only be sent 
if you explicitly click the "Send" button (which obviously I will be 
doing to send updates out to the group).