[aprssig] HT and Mobile Radio OBJECT function

[Bob Bruninga]

After seeing the total devistation of parts of Japan and Joplin, MO, and the disorientation of losing all known landmarks and signs, I am going to make a formal proposal to the Radio MFRS and all other APRS product builders to:

Include the mechanism for the holder of a Radio to press a single Button to MARK a spot and to send it as an OBJECT.

This is invaluable in SAR and other field activities, where you need to mark the location of something to show up on the EOC or ICP map from the field.

When one presses the OBJ button, it sets up an OBJECT with the next serial number for your call suffix|SSID.  Such as APR9-M01 which you can accept, or can write over with a new 9 character object name.  SUch as Gas-leak, fire, Pwrlines, etc  Your over-write will be LEFT justified so if hey are less than 8 charactes, they too will also use your same incrementing sequence numbers

These objects are transmittted for 5 minutes or untill some other station takes over reporting repsonsiblity(the radio sees the same object from someone else).

In this manner, any one with such a radio, HT, or 2-way tracker can easily place things on the map AND everyone else can see their location on their maps and/or radios!

The original APRSdos had a mode called NET CONTROL mode.  In this mode, the program would TAKE OVER (USURP) every object heard and then put it into the queue for reliable retransmission.  That way, the senders of such objects could then move on, because their reporting responsiblyt would be transfeerred to the better placed net-control, and this would assure that EVERYONE got a reliable and consistent copy, while at the same time controlling the traffic load.

I was driving with my APRS mobile just yeserday on a lnog trip and wanted to report several Accidents and road blockages that I ran into.

But imagine the benefit to a SAR or Survey party in Japan or Joplin...

Bob, WB4APR



Bob, WB4APR