[aprssig] Use of XXX devices for APRS

[Keith VE7GDH]

Julian G4ILO wrote...

> If you are on APRS at all then surely everyone including RF users
> local to where you are should be able to see you?

Any local APRS users on RF should be able to see my IGate, my digi
and the other radio that's hooked up to my laptop when I'm "home" as
well as a number of other devices if I happened to be playing with it
including a WX station that's indoors, beaconing with no path. Gotta
get it outside where it will be useful!

If I happen to turn on OpenAPRS on the phone, only people getting
a feed from the APRS-IS will see me.

> If you can send a message out through an IGate to my radio then
> I'd probably like to see where you are as well. Perhaps I could even
> speak to you. Just because someone is using a phone device for APRS
> it doesn't mean they don't have a voice radio.

I just sent a message to G4ILO and got an ACK right away. I can't
"see" you on the map though. You didn't reply, but it's gone midnight
in your time zone.

You could try calling me on the radio, but I probably wouldn't hear you
although there are about 10 radios within arms reach. HF or IRLP
would be the best bet. Pretty much zero chance on any of the other
radios - hi!

If I'm out, I would probably have two HTs with me plus a "mobile"
radio running APRS. The mic is in the vehicle, so I can plug that in
and use the radio for voice if I had to. I'll eventually get a T2-135
and a Nuvi 350 going again in the vehicle, or a HamHUD if I ever
get it built.

Without checking, I don't know where you are, but from your callsign
I would guess you are in the UK somewhere... unless you are away from
home. From my callsign, you should be able to guess that I'm in BC
in Canada, unless I'm away from home. Both are far enough apart that
it doesn't really matter if I knew exactly where you were. However,
from home, or on the road with my laptop, or somewhere with my
iPhone (if I'm within range of a cell site) I could find out where you 
were if I really needed to. I just did exactly that in OpenAPRS on the
iPhone. I can see that G4ILO is an IGate (going by the symbol) and
even the name of the road that you are on in the western edge of
Cockermouth. I've never been up that way, but I'll bet that it's very
nice around there.

I then went to aprs.fi and looked at your destination... APWW08
and then went to http://www.aprs.org/aprs11/tocalls.txt (it always
takes a search to find the page) to see that you are using APRSISCE
Win32 version.

73 es cul - Keith VE7GDH
--
"I may be lost, but I know exactly where I am!"