[aprssig] New Jersey and Rutgers APRS and repeaters?

[John Gorkos]

Not to poke a badger with a stick, but you DO know that maps aren't the
end-all, be-all of APRS, right?

The idea of the local info initiative is to provide RADIO-FRONT
information about the local tactical situation, and repeater objects are
the heart and soul of that information.
The general idea is this:
I just landed at airport XYZ for a 5 day business trip to the area, and
would like to expand my ham-radio horizons.  As soon as the plane hits the
ground, I fire up my Kenwood TH-D72A.  It's already tuned to the national
APRS frequency.  As people push and shove and crowd around the cabin (I'm
too poor to fly first class), my radio is getting a GPS lock and inhaling
the local tactical situation.  By the time I get to the rental car (or by
the time I get to the airport bar to kill an hour during a layover), I
should have a list of all the local "visitor friendly" repeaters,
including their frequency, offset, tone, periodic net times, and physical
location.  I pick one that's geographically close to me on my list of
heard objects, hit the "TUNE" command, and announce my presence.
I'll also know if there's a local club meeting, a ham-fest, Echolink/IRLP
nodes, etc.  And all of that without looking at a single map!  THAT'S the
whole point of the local info initiative.  Giving transient operators
local information so they can be part of the on-air community.

BTW, if you ever happen to fly to Boise, ID, try the exercise I mentioned
above.  I was there a few months ago for business, and man do they get it
right.  We're trying to do the same thing here in Atlanta, and the Stone
Mountain digi just came online in March providing all the info I mentioned
above, with good coverage of the airport.

John Gorkos
AB0OO

On 4/10/13 8:44 AM, "Steve Huston" <huston at srhuston.net> wrote:

>Probably because there isn't enough map room to place all the
>"recommended" repeaters, and placing only one will be the source of
>endless consternation among everyone who can see/hear it.
>
>On Sun, Apr 7, 2013 at 9:10 PM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu> wrote:
>> Anyone know the most active recommended voice repeater around the
>> Rutgers University area in NJ?
>>
>> I checked the map and not a single APRS digipeater is doing its proper
>> job of informing mobiles in the area of the recommended repeater.  Why
>> is this so hard for digi owners to understand.
>>
>> see http://aprs.org/localinfo.html
>>
>> Bob, WB4aPR.
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>
>
>-- 
>Steve Huston - W2SRH - Unix Sysadmin, PICSciE/CSES & Astrophysical Sci
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