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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 5/15/2019 12:05 PM, Robert Bruninga
wrote:<br>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">That
is why the Talkin station needs an APRS display.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">And
why the OBJECT needs the frequency in FREQUENCY format so
the APRS mobile can instantly QSY to talkin.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">911
is not used often either by most people. I have not used it
in 71 years. But it should be manned and ready.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Bob,
Wb4APR</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
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</blockquote>
<p>You've been proselytizing about this for literally decades, but
the APRS uptake among the general ham population is still less
than 5-7%. Most event organizers are still totally clueless
about APRS. I have beaconed major hamfests, club meetings, etc
around Michigan (and California before that) for many years. When
I would happen to mention that I was doing that to principals of
event, the usual response is total lack of comprehension. <br>
</p>
<p>Further, I do a fair number of presentations to radio clubs each
year on APRS, soundcard interfaces, SSTV, radio (MARS/AFVN) in
Viet Nam, etc. Before the presentation, I always ask the audience
if anyone saw it or found out about it on APRS. In over 2
decades of doing these things, I have NEVER had a YES response to
this question. <br>
</p>
<p>The simple fact is that APRS is a niche activity within the ham
community. The number of mobiles that can actually act on the
frequency object is miniscule, making it a niche within a niche. <br>
</p>
<p>Based on my recent experience with plotting the APRS Internet
feed only on maps here in central Michigan, I find that the
majority of actual mobile users (i.e. not digipeaters, igates, WX
stations, etc) I see are entering the APRS network exclusively
directly from the Internet via smartphone apps. 1) These
stations never get seen on RF. 2) They don't even have a (ham)
radio so the tune objects are totally useless to them. <br>
</p>
<p>[ Many times at university radio club meetings, users (usually
under 45 or so) come up to me and tell me "They're on APRS",
meaning they are running an app on a smart phone. When I tell
them that they are not really "on APRS" if they can't be seen on a
radio, they usually seen utterly dumbfounded. Both that APRS is
a radio activity, and that they don't somehow magically appear on
RF. To these types APRS originates from a phone app and ends up
on public Internet sites like APRS.fi.] <br>
</p>
<p>I suspect that part of the problem is that compared to the slick
polished user interfaces of smart phone apps, the user
interface and clunky configuration issues of RF-based APRS (the
inscrutable digi path settings, beacon intervals, setting TX
deviation of TinyTracks, setting ridiculously long TXDs to
accommodate the absurdly slow keyups of cheap junk Chinese
handhelds, etc) is a complete turn-off to recent arrivals. It's
SO MUCH EASIER to just install an app on an iPhone or Android,
and "magically" just show up on APRS.fi. <br>
</p>
<p>_________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com [Who is a "hard-core
radio guy"]<br>
Skype: WA8LMF<br>
EchoLink: Node # 14400 [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]<br>
Home Page: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net">http://wa8lmf.net</a><br>
<br>
Live Off-The-Air APRS Activity Maps<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://wa8lmf.net/map"><http://wa8lmf.net/map></a><br>
<br>
Long-Range APRS on 30 Meters HF <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/HF_APRS_Notes.htm"><http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/HF_APRS_Notes.htm></a><br>
<br>
</p>
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