AMRAD at Hamvention 2009

[Philip Miller Tate]

Thanks Bob, you have confirmed what I originally thought. I can see  
that in certain environments and situations, APRS has some important  
uses. However, I can't see it benefiting the way that most people I  
know operate at Hamvention. Admittedly, I was neglecting to take note  
of the fact that there are other people at Hamvention - quite a few,  
actually! - who operate in a different manner, e.g. stallholders who  
are not continuously on the move. Your points are gratefully accepted.

Regards,

Phil

PS. There's a bar at Hamvention? Why did nobody tell me this before? :-)




On 10 May 2009, at 13:52, Bob Bruninga wrote:

>> As I understand it,
>> (a) I've got to set up my VX-7R [DTMF memory]
>> (b) I've got to carry a paper grid reference
>> (c) I've got to remember to update my
>> position every 100 feet, so that anyone who
>> happens to be near a display can see where
>> I am, provided they know my callsign.
>
> Basically, APRS is not a tracking system.  It was never designed to  
> provide the bandwidth for continuous tracks on everyone or even on  
> ANYone.   That is the great missconception about APRS and what  
> burdens the network with unnecessary tracking data when 99% of  
> everyone could care less where 99% of everyone else is.
>
> APRS is a communications system to facility communications between  
> hams needing to communicate without any apriori knowledge.  There  
> is no reason to transmit your position, unless there is a specific  
> reason why you want someone else to know where you are at that  
> instant.  Or to give them in the blind, your operating frequency.
>
> But if  you stop for an hour in a forum, or stop for 30 minutes  
> under the AMRAD tent, or the Bar, then you might want to send out a  
> posit to let your buddy know where you are.  In this case there are  
> only three XY coordinates of interest to you.  The one at the AMRAD  
> space, the one at the bar, and the one at the Forums.
>
>> Alternatively, someone who wants to know
>> where I am can call my callsign on an
>> agreed frequency.
>
> That works too but requires some inconveniences too.
>
> 1) you must have a pre-arranged freq
> 2) the freq must be relatively clear of other chatter
> 3) No opportunity for meeting others without #1,#2
> 4) the recepient must be listeing FULL time
> 5) Must have his volume turned up
> 6) Must be paying attention to ALL voice traffic so that he can  
> possibly hear his own call amongst the othres
>
> So both methods have advantages and disadvantages.
>
> An advantage of APRStt is that it is global.  Once you send out  
> your DTMF callsign memory, anyone in the World of amateur radio  
> that needs to conatact you can not only see you are in dayton (or  
> timbucktu), but can text message you.  Again, not that anyone  
> would, but if you ARE expecting someone at a distance to contact  
> you, this gives you the means to be contacted.
>
> For special evnts like marathons, etc.  The two digit numbers you  
> may use for your position can be the mile-marks.  This lets a VIP  
> shadow, or SAG wagon or any other non-APRS moving asset  
> occasionally report what station it is near (not while moving of  
> couse0, but when he shifs from one station to another.  This  
> eliminates a lot of voice traffic from an already overloaded voice  
> net.
>
>> Please explain what I have failed to understand...
>
> Hope that helps.
> Bob, WB4APR
>>>