[aprssig] APRS in Atlanta

[M. Schneider]

 > Message: 15
> Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 17:44:36 -0500
> From: Stan Coleman [N?YXV] <n0yxv at gihams.org>
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] APRS in Atlanta
> To: TAPR APRS Mailing List <aprssig at lists.tapr.org>
> Message-ID: <1128984276.434aeed4b74cf at www3.srcproductions.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> /snip/
> Please don't take this the wrong way I'm merely trying to get more 
> information.
> But name one connection where you NEED to use RF instead of letting the
> internet help the packet along.
>/snip/

One example, not at random:  Here in Oklahoma, both the Norman and Tulsa NWS 
Forecast Offices have APRS displays, and in fact, the Tulsa office can 
overlay the APRS positions on their Nexrad radar displays.  In combination 
with two extensive linked repeater systems, spotters across the state can 
send in eyeball reports of severe weather activity and if they are 
APRS-equipped, the forecasters can see exactly where they are, and even 
compare their observations with what they are seeing on the WSR-88D.  As any 
NWS meteorologist will tell you, such "ground truth" reports from trained 
spotters are vital.  But the catch is, many of these spotters are going to 
be more than two hops from the NWS FO.

When I get the STLWTR digi reprogrammed (hopefully later this month), it 
will support WIDE3-3 as well as OKx-x, so that these spotter locations stand 
a better chance of making it to Tulsa and Norman.  The traffic level in 
Oklahoma is sufficiently low that I believe the system will support the 
additional hop from a digi that is located nearly in the middle of the 
state.  At a later time, it may be necessary to lower the path.  I might add 
that most of the Igates are in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City area, so getting 
a position to an Igate is essentially the same as getting it to the forecast 
offices via RF.

Mark Schneider - K5MAR
Control Op - STLWTR Digi  (K5SRC-1)