[aprssig] Hamfest and Local info

[Robert Bruninga]

>> You can't tell me that there aren't at least 2 
>> or more APRS users in each club... to get that 
>> information on the air and announce up coming events.
> 
> Again, I have to repeat that after two years of 
> announcing ham club meetings, and my Echolink node, 
> on APRS in Los Angeles, I had exactly ONE response.

How do you know?  It's a service locals provide.  It helps
others.  For example, I did not go try to find out who was
posting the HFEST-13 and thank him.  But it sure was a benefit
to me because I was able to attend a hamfest I didn't even know
about.  Also, I don't try to dig out who is posting those
recommended frequency objects in every town I drive through just
to thank him, but I do tune to those objects and try to make
human contact.
 
> The simple fact is that, like it or not, APRS has 
> morphed into overwhelmingly  a one-way transmit-only 
> AVL (automatic vehicle location) network... The vast 
> majority of users are simply not interested in 
> receiving stuff in their mobiles.

I think you are wrong.  The problem is a large number of people
in some areas got into APRS via dumb trackers, and so have no
idea what they are missing.  But if we do not provide CONTENT to
the mobiles, then we are part of the problem, not the solution.

And with Kenwood and Yaesu, and Byonics, and Argent Data now
making information display systems for their mobile APRS
devices, the trend is changing.

But if we don't provide content, its our fault if we remain the
nobody-cares-amateur-tracking-system.

See www.aprs.org/localinfo.html
To see what content we should be providing.
In my area, we even have TRAFFIC objects that alert APRS
operators to traffic problems with OBJECTS on the map.

Bob, WB4APR