[aprssig] DARPA "balloon hunt"

[Robert Bruninga]

> $40K for finding 10 WX balloons. 
> That should be a piece of cake for APRS... 
> How about a collaborative effort... and 
> share the locations with the prize being 
> spent on APRS projects where they can do 
> the most good?

Compared to FACEBOOK and other bazillion user networking sites,
we don't have a chance, unless GREED makes it hard for them to
organize a colaborative effort.

I was going to propose $2k off the top for the successful
spotters, but then that will get hard because many in a given
area may see it at once and we don't want to squabble over the
proceeds.  SO I agree. It all goes into APRS infrastructure,
Igates, digipeaters, and APRS-IS etc... Including some to the
person that writes the code (see below)...

SO, given that we CAN do it...  How? 

Even if we come up with a good format, how do we get the other
40,000 APRS users to know it????  We can't use OBJECT format
since some people might use the same name and they would
cancel...  Probably have to use a MESSAGE format since it
includes the sender..
How accurate does the balloon position report have to be?

WHO do we send the message to? To assure rapid collection?

Assume it will be sent by mobiles.

Can someone on the APRS-IS write an AUTO SYSTEM that works like
follows:

* Looks for messsages to "RED"
* On receipt, CAPTURES FIRST POSITION of callsign that sent the
message.
* Builds the list (while watching distances between reports)
* as soon as list = 10 with suitable DISTANCE between them IT
SENDS IN THE EMAIL TO CLAIM THE PRIZE...

I think that is the best we can do.  It is automated as best it
can, so that 24/7 when we see all the balloons, we have done the
best we can to respond.

Maybe ALSO set up the same as above  but with the word "TEST"
instead of "RED" so that we have something to test to... Without
sending false alarms.  I would imagine that too many false
alarms will get our group disqualified.

Bob, Wb4APR