[aprssig] APRS Golden Packet joins Scouts ON-TARGET

[Bob Bruninga]

APRS joins Operation ON-TARGET!

The annual Operation ON-TARGET consist of scouts and hams all over the
country going to mountain tops and attempting to communicate by signal
mirror (assisted by HAM contact to know where to point).  This is Saturday
July 21st, 1100 to 1400 LOCAL TIME.

See http:// http://www.ldsfacts.net/ontarget.htm

Take along an APRS HT or radio, since then everyone can see on their
attached GPS where everyone else is and can globally text message in real
time for coordination.  In addition, everyone back home can watch it all
LIVE and see on maps where everyone is and what links are successful on
http://aprs.fi

Operation on target has hundreds of participants out west because of the
accessible mountains and clarity of distance.  The goal is mountain top
connectivity across the entire US north to south. 

Similarly, APRS has had an annual event (Golden Packet attempt) on the 3rd
weekend in July to do the same thing but with APRS and packet.  We have been
successful in linking 15 mountain tops from Georgia to Maine with APRS and
will do it again this year.  But by joining with Operation On Target, at
least out-west, the APRS folks out west get to leverage the many more hams
that are involved already.  See all about the Golden Packet event:

http://aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html

At this time, we WILL plan on operating the APRS Golden Packet event out
west on the 21st with the Operation on Target.  We are still trying to
decide for the Appalachian trail group, originally planning on the 22nd,
Sunday, to move to the 21st Saturday to match up our efforts with East coast
Scouts that might be doing Operation On Target along the Appalachians.

So far, we have not found any east-coast OT plans.  So if anyone knows of
any, please let us know.  We will carry mirrors if there are scouts
watching...

Oh, and the CQ Worldwide VHF contest is that same weekend!  That starts at
1800z on Saturday (1400 EDT on the east coast).  The mountains will be
crawling with hams! (and QRM)...

For the 4 hour event, APRS will use 144.34 MHz.  Please join the
at-golden-packet at yahoogroups.com if you will participate so we can
coordinate. And review APRS Details on the web page above.  We will all use
the EYEBALL symbol to make it easy to identify participants.

Bob, Wb4APR