[aprssig] APRS tracking the EV Ford Focus across the USA

[Bob Bruninga]

I hope some of you can help use APRS to track this Ford Focus EV from NY to
LA next week?

See: http://www.menshealth.com/techlust/electric-car-challenge

The team will leave the New York International Auto Show on April 11 and
will stop between 40 and 55 times to recharge the battery of its 2012 Ford
Focus Electric... With each charging stop taking between 2 and 4 hours--and
with the drivers progressing in shifts around the clock--the team expects to
arrive at Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles ... on Earth Day, April 22. 

The team will crowd-source most of the trip, inviting readers and supporters
to help make the record possible by offering their 240v, 40-amp outlets,
such as those typically installed for clothes dryers...
The team's route--extending to Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Oklahoma
City, Amarillo, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, and Los Angeles, and all points in
between--will maximize driving efficiency.

Anyone who sees them can post an OBJECT on APRS so all else can see.  Yes,
the Shack-potato's can see the posit direct on the above web page, but we
want to share this event on APRS too.  It is also a good time to test our
ability to do OBJECTS from the field on RF and to confirm our systems work
as expected.

For example, if the object's name is FOCUS-EV then one should be able to
send an APRS RF message to "FOCUS-EV" and the local IGate should respond
with an up-to-date current position for that callsign.

But this assumes that the IGate treats OBEJCTS and STATIONS the same as
*intended* by APRS (some don't).  We need to find these weaknesses and fix
them.

Bob, WB4APR