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Bob,<br><br>I've been following along on your efforts for this event, and it certainly sounds like an interesting project, but I'm not sure I understand the goal.<br><br>The stated purpose of this:<br><b>PURPOSE:</b> To field enough
amateur radio emergency communications teams on mountain peaks in The Eastern USA
to be able to communicate
<a href="http://aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html"><b>packets and APRS messages</b></a>
from end-to-end of The Appalachian Trail.
<br><br>But the planning that goes in - and the back-channel communications links to allow coordination - make this seem more like a lab experiment than a practical communications system. <br><br>Is the eventual goal setting up an alternate APRS net along the Appalachian Trail using self-sufficient devices? Or is this just something to demonstrate that with intricate planning and coordination using existing communications methods an APRS network can be built to deliver a message 1200 miles away?<br><br>I apologize if this sounds rude; I'm just trying to understand if this is a precursor to something else or just a one-time demonstration.<br><br>Thanks,<br><br>Kevin<br><br><br>--Forwarded Message Attachment--<br>From: bruninga@usna.edu<br>To: bruninga@usna.edu; aprssig@tapr.org<br>Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 16:34:06 -0400<br>Subject: Re: [aprssig] Appalachian Trail Golden Packet Event update<br><br><pre>Good news - Bad news - Good news!<br>AT Trail Golden Packet Planning:<br> <br>The good news is that the silo on the tree covered hill called<br>Governor Dick Hill in SE PA is not a silo, but is a public<br>Observation tower! Piece of cake for operating (after climbing<br>the 60 feet of 8' vertical ladders between landings. <br>See www.aprs.org/hamtrails/GD-hill.html<br> <br>The bad news is that there are no driving roads to the tops of<br>the WV mountain station and the mountains are covered in tall<br>trees.. But the good news is that we found a rock outcroping<br>called White Rock Cliff that can see both links NE and SW and so<br>we no longer have to hike-up a 60' mast! <br>See www.aprs.org/hamtrails/WV.html<br> <br>Each of the 15 stations now has its own web page and cross links<br>between them all, so you can move up and down the trail to see<br>how the project is coming. The main page is still:<br>www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html<br> <br>This event on Sunday Afternoon 26 July should be lots of fun for<br>APRS and packet and VHF<br>folks that like to get out into the great outdoors. We will<br>also have voice comms, and an echolink conference for mountain<br>top coordination over all 2000 miles of the trail!<br> <br>Bob, WB4APR<br> <br>> -----Original Message-----<br>> From: aprssig-bounces@tapr.org <br>> [mailto:aprssig-bounces@tapr.org] On Behalf Of Robert Bruninga<br>> Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 5:50 PM<br>> To: 'TAPR APRS Mailing List'<br>> Subject: [aprssig] Appalachian Trail Golden Packet Event<br>update<br>> <br>> The date of the Golden Packet event on the Appalachian Trail<br>has<br>> moved to the weekend of the 25/26 July to avoid QRM at the<br>> mountain tops with our teams and the CQ World Wide VHF contest<br>> on the original 18/19 proposed date. Those guys try for<br>50,000W<br>> ERP to make DX contacts... See updated web page:<br>> <br>> <a href="http://www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html" target="_blank">http://www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html</a><br>> <br>> An interesting wrinkle is that the rules of the Baxter State<br>> park, prohibit any electronics (from radios, to walkmans, to<br>> cell phones) from Mt Katahdin in Maine, and so we may have to<br>> use a human eyeball and flashing light for that final leg.<br>> Woultn't that be a hoot. Trying to close the 91 mile path<br>from<br>> Sugarloaf to Katahdin with a CW keyed laser at 5 WPM to an<br>> eyeball receiver. Actually, that would be quite easy to<br>build.<br>> <br>> But the only allowed TX capability will have to be a flashing<br>> mirror and hope for sunshine. A small relay mechanically<br>> coupled to a 1 foot mirror would do it, though the combination<br>> would have to be on a motoroized polar mount to maintain basic<br>> alignment with the movement of the sun. I guess smoke signals<br>> could also be used, if anyone has any ideas how to generate<br>big<br>> ones without using any electronics.<br>> <br>> So, pass this to any OPTICAL crazies out there.. We wouldn't<br>> want to cheat with a D7 now would we.<br>> <br>> FOUR of the 14 sites so far now have good photos and images of<br>> the mountain peaks and the parking lots. The goal is to do<br>this<br>> with drive-up D700 mobiles to keep it simple and repeatable...<br>> <br>> Still need volunteers along the way...<br>> <br>> <a href="http://www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html" target="_blank">http://www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html</a><br>> <br>> Bob, WB4APR<br>> <br>> <br>> _______________________________________________<br>> aprssig mailing list<br>> aprssig@tapr.org<br>> <a href="https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig" target="_blank">https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig</a><br>> <br> </pre></body>
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