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Robert Bruninga wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:0426772626D54FE3BB00B4F70120E3FD@ewlab.usna.edu" type="cite">
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I often wish I had an easy way to transmit a
traffic report from my D700....
I'm often stuck in traffic, 3 or 4 times a month...
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap=""><!---->
The easy way (I think you tried it) is to quickly bring up the
APRS menu on your radio and change your call to TRAFIC. THen
press the BCON button a few times to make sure it is digipeated.
THen press the PM# button to re-load your normal config (and
callsign).
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
Simpler approach:<br>
<br>
Connect a TinyTrak,preprogrammed with the callsign "TRAFIC" , to the
radio's Mini-DIN6 "Data"/"Packet" connector. Configure the TT for
Mic-E-on-Unkey PTT operation. Then all you have to do is push a
dedicated push button connected to the TT's PTT input a couple of times
to send the beacon. No fumbling with PM modes, or dealing with the
Kenwoods horrible and distracting user interface while driving. <br>
<br>
Further, I think any traffic-warning scheme that involves pushing
publicly-available traffic info collected off the web (or elsewhere)
onto APRS RF is basically useless, and just a generator of additional
congestion and clutter on 144.39.<br>
<br>
In my experience, in the Traffic Congestion Capital of the Universe
(c), i.e. Los Angeles, the time delays in collecting the traffic data
from in-road sensors and then formatting and distributing it from
government agencies to the public renders it stale by the time it
reaches users. <br>
<br>
I have compared what I hear on local all-news radio stations ("Traffic
Every 6 Minutes!!!), what the MSN traffic data shows on my Garmin Nuvi
GPS, and what I see from the CalTrans (California State Transportation
Department) website. I have seldom seen any correlation between what
the media are reporting and what I am actually experiencing. [Except
for truly major accidents such as a rolled-over 18-wheeler blocking ALL
the lanes of a major freeway during rush hour (which here means 5:30AM
to 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM to 8:00 PM).] Particularly, alerts continue
to be issued long after the incident has cleared.<br>
<br>
To keep 144.39 from being totally saturated with stale and useless
traffic reports, one would have to filter out only these truly major
events that are known locally here as "SIGALERTS", to push onto APRS. <br>
<br>
[A SIGALERT, named for Loyd Sigmon who first developed the
selective-tone signaling scheme used to send alerts from police
agencies to the broadcast media, is defined as an unplanned closure of
a freeway for more than 30 minutes. WiKipedia article here:
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sig_Alert"><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sig_Alert></a>]<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
<br>
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com <br>
EchoLink Node: 14400 [Think bottom of the 2M band]<br>
Home Page: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.com">http://wa8lmf.com</a> --OR-- <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net">http://wa8lmf.net</a><br>
<br>
World Digipeater Map<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/APRSmaps">http://wa8lmf.net/APRSmaps</a><br>
<br>
JavAPRS Filter Port 14580 Guide <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/JAVaprsFilters.htm">http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/JAVaprsFilters.htm</a><br>
<br>
"APRS 101" Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths">http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths</a> <br>
<br>
Updated "Rev H" APRS <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/aprs">http://wa8lmf.net/aprs</a><br>
Symbols Set for UI-View, <br>
UIpoint and APRSplus:<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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