[aprssig] Future APRS in every radio

[Robert Bruninga]

>>> scott at opentrac.org 3/4/05 4:07:32 PM >>>
>I also don't like how vicinity tracking is handled by clients.  
>If I recall, positions are just randomized based on the digi's 
>position. 

Yes, true.  But for those that havent seen it. it is also 
displayed with a large ambiguity circle so that there
is no way for the viewer to misconstrue that it is an 
approximate location of someone with range of that digi...

> I think it'd be better to have them appear somewhere OFF 
>the map, maybe in a sidebar of 'stations in this area.' 

Great idea.  Yes, that would be very nice..

>Putting positions on the map when you only know where 
>they are to within a thousand square miles (< 18 mile radius) 
>is misleading at best.

Yes, ... but another way to say it is that you DO know 
within 18 miles of where he is.  And with global APRS, 
and global IRLP and Echolink, and global WinLINK, 
knowing where someone is to within 18 miles is very 
valuable for establishing communications with him.

Yes, my map display was crude, but the best I could do in 
basic, and I welcome better ways of alerting APRS viewers 
to ham radio asssets  in the local RF area who are actively
supporting an event but dont have GPS.  It is important
that APRS not be exclusive and only include users with 
GPS.  

In my mind, everyone that is on the air on VHF or UHF 
or satelltie that is within RF range of my station is part of 
the environment or the event that I want to see on APRS...
That is why I also developed the APRStouch-tone 
interface so that any voice user could put himself in the
APRS network with a few TouchTone key strokes...  
But again, it only runs in dos with an external DTMF chip
and no one uses it... 

Talk about a revolution!  If somone would write APRS-tt
for a sound card it would revolutionize APRS!  Now everyone
in your club supporting an event would appear on the map
and could report their position as they move around the
venue..  not just the 5% with APRS...

For more on APRS-tt that I presented at DCC and Dayton
and had working several y ears ago, see:

http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprstt.html

Now there is a great project for someone...

Bob