[aprssig] AL, GA, TN, VA APRS network Reliability

[William McKeehan]

One change has happened since your last trip down Bob. KC4LU-3 has gone up
about 1/2 way between Bristol and Knoxville; it provides pretty good coverage
in the hole that we had in that area.

-- 
William McKeehan
KI4HDU
http://mckeehan.homeip.net


On Sun, April 19, 2009 12:07 am, Bob Bruninga wrote:
>> My trip... from Charlotte NC area to Gatlinburg
>> /Pigeon Forge TN via I-85 to I-26 and I40, then
>> it was off to Nashville TN via I40... then back
>> tracked I-40 to I-81 Bristol then I-77 near
>> Bluefield/Princeton WV... then came back home
>> via I-77 into NC and finally at home in SC.
>
> Yes the I-81 valley is an amazing travel corridor for nearly 500 miles without
> any major cities, and hence, litte APRS density.  Yet it is the BACKBONE of
> the East Cost and with the only mountains in the east, we should have it
> nailed with APRS.  But I do think there must be some old WIDE's because I cant
> believe we should have those gaps.  And we are going to be dependent on this
> path for the Appalachian Trail Golden Packet event!
> www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html
>
> In particular I hear that there is a digi (KW4FM-3) on Sand Mountain in
> Wythville, yet in the months we have been planning the AT event, we have never
> seen it on the APRS-IS.  Also, the callsign does not have a valid Email
> address on QRZ.  My suspicions are that it is an obsolete WIDE and without an
> IGate in range, it is not being heard beyond its own footprint.  (though on my
> plot below, there was good coverage through Wythville from digis very much
> farther away.
>
> We really need to get in contact with the owner.  He will play a key role in
> the AT trail project.  Here is the web page on that part of the 14 hop link.
> www.aprs.org/hamtrails/sand.html
>
>> ... APRS coverage was good except south and north of
>> Asheville along I-40 and then it was very poor
>> passed Bristol TN and... into the area of the
>> I-81 I-77 interchange.
>>
>> The I-81 I-77 interchange has got to see several
>> hams a day cross the area,
>
> Yes, statistically, one every 10 minutes (ive calculated it during my long
> lonely drives every xmas)..  But with only 5% being APRS, then that is once
> every 3 hours.
>
>> ...but it's leaving the west side, Wytheville/
>> Princeton area really naked for a digi and the
>> only I-gates are too far away in Roanoke and Beckley.
>>
>> I know a ham in the area who may be able to
>> contact the powers that be and get some action
>> going.
>
> Oh please!  We really need to get that San Mountain digi upgraded, and we need
> to get his email address so I can work with him to make sure that site is set
> up for the Appalachain Trail event.
>
>> Rich, K4GPS
>
> Here again was my plot through the I-81 Corridor:
> www.aprs.org/I-81virginia.PNG
> www.aprs.org/AL-GA-TN.PNG
>
> Thanks RICH!
> Bob, Wb4APR
>
>
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