[aprssig] Killer APRS use! ;)

[A.J. Farmer (AJ3U)]

On 3/8/06, Alan WA4SCA <WA4SCA at amsat.org> wrote:
> I came across the following application, which seems custom made for APRS,
> on REC.RADIO.AMATEUR.EQUIPMENT.  Assuming Shelly is not a Galapagos turtle,
> it will need a very small unit.  ;)
> ==========================================================
> Every year, Shelly the tortoise gets lost or manages to escape the garden.
> It can take days to find her.  I would like to build a locating device so
> that I can track her down.

Hmm..  While it might sound good at first, APRS is probably not be the
best solution.  I can't imagine a tortoise wandering miles away, or
even thousands of yards before going unnoticed.  The lat/long probably
wouldn't help you much because it would already be nearby.  A simple,
small transmitter that beacons on a regular basis and a "fox hunting"
antenna setup for the owner makes more sense to me.  You would not
even need a yagi antenna.  Just use an HT and rubber duck and use your
body to block out the signal to narrow down the direction.  If a very
high frequency can be used, the antenna would be very small and the
battery and equipment requirements would be a lot less than an APRS
and GPS setup.  KISS approach.. ;-)

--
A.J. Farmer, AJ3U
http://www.aj3u.com