[aprssig] APRS In the New Orleans Area

[Robert Bruninga]

Raging philosophies aside...

What appears to be needed right now is someone 
outside the area with an IGate to point a beam at the 
W5UK-9 digi that IS working in downtown
New Orleans.

The reason nothing is getting to the APRS-IS
is because the closest IGate is 120 miles
away via 2 hops in Alabama.  NOTICE that the 
W5UK-9 digi at 600 feet in downtown New Orleans
that is still on the air is a ONE-HOP digi.  It is an 
old PacComm dig that only digipeats one hop.  
Fortunately it does digipeat WIDE2-2, 2-1, 3-3 
and 3-2 but again, only ONCE.  This serves the
local area just fine,  But noting can get out farther
unless APRS operators take the time to do
directed digiepating.

So there may be many  APRS stations in the
area, but unless there is an IGate that can hear
that BIG TALL digi in downtown N.O. direct then
nothing is going to get out.  

I think the best use of APRS right now is getting
those one-line APRS Emails saying "Jimmy is OK 
in Smalltown" delivered out of the area to loved
ones elsewhere.

de Wb4APR, Bob