[aprssig] Creation Festival & APRS

[Jim Alles]

 Greetings!

Amateur Radio did a demonstration project during Creation
2011<http://www.creationfest.com/>,
(sepcial event call W3C) using Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS)
technology, which allows us to track the postion of a GPS-equipped Ham HT
(walkie-talike), providing position reports graphically on a map, indicate
the location of important buildings, posts, and venues; all available to any
computer with access to the Internet. (Mobile devices can be used with
varying success)

We used Lynn's APRSIS-32 on a MS WinXP Pro SP3 machine as I-gate, WIDE1-1
digipeater, object server, and primary display console.  We used a wireless
access point for Internet service, but this could have been wired.  We used
a 5 watt Yaesu FT-817 as the transceiver, tuned to 144.990, into a J-pole
antenna on the office trailer roof (20' AGL)  We ran with squelch disabled
(open) and VOX enabled.

The interface to the computer used the RJ-45 mic connector and speaker out
to the computer soundcard through isolation transformers (and attenuation on
the MIC / computer line out connection).  The audio was processed by the AGW
packet engine for windows, with the TXdelay extended to compensate for the
VOX activation..

Here are links to a database of saved position reports on a Google map; feel
free to zoom in, pan around, change map types, or click on anything (there
is nothing to break):

My call sign is KB3TBX and this is a track from Thursday, including a
bicycle ride out Keystone Rd.:
http://aprs.fi/?call=A%2FKB3TBX-7&dt=1309392000&mt=ROADMAP&z=15&timerange=86400


Here are objects useful for orientation:
http://aprs.fi/?call=a%2FW3C%20%2FR%2Ca%2FW3C-1%2Ca%2FW3C_1-AID%2Ca%2FW3C_BARN%2Ca%2FW3C_GATE%2Ca%2FK3MHL%2Ca%2F522%2Ca%2FBack%20Gate%2Ca%2FChildrens%2Ca%2FColgate%2Ca%2FFound%2Ca%2FFringe%2Ca%2FGilbo%2Ca%2FKeystone%2Ca%2FMain%2Ca%2FRunk&date_start=2011-06-30%2000%3A00%3A00&date_end=2011-06-30%2023%3A59%3A59&mt=satellite&timerange=86400


This is sample position of the traffic backlog on Keystone Rd.  This can be
updated directly on the computer from simple field reports, and is our
primary objective:
http://aprs.fi/?call=A%2FBACKLOG&dt=1309305600&mt=roadmap&z=13&timerange=86400

Some improvements might include DTMF tone decoding for check-in at specific
locations form any HT, adding information about the current artist
playing in a venue objects' description text, and providing a remote, higher
elevation digpeater for broader coverage.

APRS can also do two-way text messaging, which might be useful in noisy
situations.

Also,
Mapquest has good aerial imagey of Creation Festival 2010 - we think
Wednsday morning:
http://mapq.st/q9aKhD (We used this as the background in the Amateur Radio
shack computer for the APRS display).

Please feel free to ask any questions

Peace

Jim Alles KB3TBX

APRS <http://www.aprs.org/> is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga,
WB4APR
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