[aprssig] ARISS Satgates

[Robert Bruninga]

More ARISS Satgates needed?

Today I did a quick look at the packets arriving at 
http://www.ariss.net to see where the IGates were:

00:03:21:35 : qAo,WA6LIE-4  Southern Calif
00:06:29:46 : qAo,N0AN        Boone Iowa
00:06:31:57 : qAR,KE4AZZ    Greenwood Indiana
00:07:23:15 : qAo,VA3BOO   Kinsington, ONT
00:08:01:18 : qAO,KC9DOA   Fondu Lac WI
00:08:47:24 :        VK5AH-1      Adelaide, AUS
00:09:34:58 : qAo,VE2TSO     Quebec
00:11:21:27 : qAo,KB0LCR-1  Watertown SD
00:12:36:58 : qAR,F4CEP      France
00:12:40:22 : qAo,ON7EQ      Belgium
00:12:51:22 : qAo,KC9ECI      Onalaska, WI

Notably absent were very large sections of the USA
such as the East Coast, Souitheast, Souithwest, 
South and Pacific Northwest.
 
Global areas missing:  Japan, South America, Souith 
Africa, Hawaii, Alaska, Israel, UK, Spain, Central 
America, etc...

Two things of note.  

1) Setting up a SATGATE to link ARISS into the internet 
is simply a whip antenna, an FM rig and TNC on 145.800 and
just about any version of APRS.

2) There is no such thing as overkill.   The APRS internet
system filters out all dupes so it is better to have too many
than not enough IGates.  And having at least TWO igates
in every area doubles the probability that EVERY packet
that makes it through the AIRSS digipeater will be captured
by at least one IGate.

So if you have a spare TNC and FM radio and permanent
internet access, please  consider setting up an IGate.

* A whip antenna does NOT need to be high or to see
    the horizon.  Someone else's IGate will hopefully be
    closer.   A 19" whip over a ground plane is simple and 
    effective.  No moving parts.  Low so it avoids lightening
    vulnerability.  etc..

de Wb4APR, Bob