[aprssig] Marathon Pace Generator

[Lynn W. Deffenbaugh (Mr)]

Just a curious question: do you put position ambiguity on them?  Or 
otherwise indicate that they're estimated positions?  Maybe the unknown 
position (\.) symbol?

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - Author of APRSISCE for Windows Mobile and Win32

On 3/21/2013 10:47 AM, Robert Bruninga wrote:
> The most fun we had was one Marathon where there was a Juggler and a guy in
> a clown suit.  Using APRSdr I could just place them on the APRSdr map and
> give them an estimated speed of about 5 and 8 kts respectively and then
> everyone else with APRS could see where these two highly visible people
> were.  This wont be possible with my little hardware CPU version (you wont
> have a PC for easy addition of objects), but it will do lead male and female
> and TAIL and allow for minor tweaks along the way.
>
> The key will be asking the race coordinators what is the expected finish
> times of these 3 and then entering them in the "APRS Pace" generator.
>
> Bob, Wb4aPR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: aprssig-bounces at tapr.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces at tapr.org] On Behalf
> Of Shawn Stoddard
> Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2013 10:39 AM
> To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] Marathon Pace Generator
>
> Either one. I lead up several public service events plus participate in
> half/full marathons. I could see this type of functionality being handy.
> Like you we have experimented with placing an actual tracker on key runners,
> bike lead, etc but that only provides a partial picture and brings issues
> like these people being licensed. Always on the lookout for different
> perspectives and ideas.
>
> On Mar 20, 2013, at 23:08, Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu> wrote:
>
>> WHich - which marathon?  The one I just did for the Annapolis
>> Striders, or the first one where I used APRSdr back in 1995 (Marine
>> Corps Marathon)?
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2013 at 4:51 PM, Shawn Stoddard <stoddard at pobox.com>
>> wrote:
>>> Which marathon?
>>>
>>> On Mar 19, 2013, at 14:47, Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu> wrote:
>>>
>>> Back in the 90’s, APRSdr was a version of APRSdos that would
>>> dead-reckon any number of runners along a Marathon route that was
>>> drawn on the map in purple.  Any object placed on the map on the
>>> purple line would begin to move at the indicated pace along the route
>>> and these objects would be updated and transmitted once a minute for the
>>> duration of the event.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I just programmed such a DR engine into a basic stamp.  Just two
>>> wires to a TNC and it will generate a LEAD runner and a FEMALE lead
>>> on the map, moving along at Marathon pace.  No muss, no fuss.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The value of this was 20 years ago at the start of APRS was for
>>> tracking the lead male and female runners without having to outfit
>>> them with GPS.  It was usually just as accurate as GPS back when GPS
>>> would not guarantee any better
>>> accuracy than 100 meters.   But even now, with most trackers only
>>> updating
>>> at 1 minute report rates (+/- 30 seconds of error or about 420 feet),
>>> the DR object is just as good .  Im adding buttons on the box to
>>> slightly increase or decrase the rates if reports from checkpoints
>>> appear to be ahead or behind the pace.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> During the Marathon this weekend, the organizers did not want a lead
>>> bicycle, so looking at the map gave no clue where the LEAD was (only
>>> the TAIL)..
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> So as not to confuse everyone, Im going to use the object names of
>>> PACE for the lead runner and PACE-F for the lead female.  Then
>>> possibly one more for PACK which will have the typical average pace for
>>> typical marathons.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The set up for our marathon needed only 23 points to define the route.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Donno if anyone else would use this or not.  It can be just a dongle
>>> with a
>>> DB9 connector for plugging into any TNC or Tracker.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Bob, WB4APR
>>>
>>>
>>>
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