<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV> </DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">An idea...<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Needing a break from simultaneous crashed hard drive re-build, a new computer shake-out and new computer spousal-training, I listened to the complete Tom Ashcroft On Point show about Twitter, it seems to me there's some concepts for APRS-IS services.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I have no idea about the feasibility, but I'll throw out the concepts.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The first is a directly equivalent service - APRS-TWITTER.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Perhaps a better name is CHIRP.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>CQ Server is close already.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Using the Twitter model, this server could be made to allow any APRS station to "subscribe" to messages sent by another, specific APRS station.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Send a message to the server with the target stations call "subscribes" to his APRS-TWEETS.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Perhaps a message TO: CHIRP with text "FOLLOW", or more in the ham area "COPY" and the target stations CALL-SSID.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The" followed" station sends CHIRP messages (Chirps) to the server and all stations following him receive the messages just like CQ server. To maximize message length ,the Message "TO" <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>should be short, perhaps even just a "@".<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>TO:@<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I also see it is similar to Bulletins and Groups, but on a world-wide level.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Client software would also enhance usefulness.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Now it is easy to see why someone would ask, WHY?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All I can say at this point is that the same question was asked five years ago about Twitter.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Straining for ways to use it... <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At a hamfest to announce raffle numbers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At hamfests announce when seminars (events) are start starting.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Tweet-like updates for Balloon launches (keep it in the Ham domain rather than on Twitter or Yahoo Groups)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Obviouslly Tweet-like updates for anything Ham related. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Club notices.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>NWS alerts.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A sever could be set up to monitor traffic conditions/reports then a traveling ham subscribes.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I haven't given this a lot of thought to figure out who it differs from Bulletins and Groups, or CQSERVER since some of these could be handled by them. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The setup would be different and uses should be more global in nature.</SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The second occurred as I started to write this.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A service that parallels the email server, but to Twitter rather than emailing - <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>an APRS link actually into Twitter. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Going the other way probably doesn't make as much sense because it has the same problems as receiving email via APRS and using the APRSlink model looses the immediate update Twitter model.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Like sending an email, sending a message TO:TWEET routes the message to your Twitter handle.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>You would send a special message to set up that link by specifying your Twitter handle to the server.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Or perhaps send TO:@handle.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I suppose allowing multi messages to fill the Twitter buffer.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>TO:TWEET-1, TO:TWEET-2, to get to the full hundred plus characters.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Also it is clear that this would work better with a touch-keyboard interface.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This appears to make it a natural for a smart phone app.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Anyway...just some ideas.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In addition, a realize this is following other technologyrather than leading, but it's an idea.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Perhaps there's a modification that makes more sense or fits into ham radio better...perhaps not.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-- <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">73, Steve, K9DCI<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Back to the computer business...</SPAN><BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></td></tr></table>