Steve Fossett

There is still no word locating him. Hope for the best.

That brings up the ELT topic. It either did not go off or it is out of
range.

I have a APRS tracker that continuously sends position/velocity info
on the ham frequency and can easily be viewed on a Google map anytime.
Worked very well for me so far and gives peace of mind to relatives -
and useful to FAA on a flight plan. If Fosset had a continuous
tracker, the job of finding him might have been a lot easier.

You can build an APRS tracker for about $250 (no monthly fees). A
basic ham license is easy to get. It could save your life.

For more info http://www.abri.com/sq2000/GPStrack.html
------------------------------------------------
SQ2000 canard, http://www.abri.com/sq2000/

wrote:
There is still no word locating him. Hope for the best.

That brings up the ELT topic. It either did not go off or it is out of
range.

I have a APRS tracker that continuously sends position/velocity info
on the ham frequency and can easily be viewed on a Google map anytime.
Worked very well for me so far and gives peace of mind to relatives -
and useful to FAA on a flight plan. If Fosset had a continuous
tracker, the job of finding him might have been a lot easier.

You can build an APRS tracker for about $250 (no monthly fees). A
basic ham license is easy to get. It could save your life.

For more info http://www.abri.com/sq2000/GPStrack.html
------------------------------------------------
SQ2000 canard, http://www.abri.com/sq2000/


Very, very cool. I have a no-code tech license
and everything, gps, handheld and tnc just laying
around. This will go up high on my priority list.

wrote:
There is still no word locating him. Hope for the best.

That brings up the ELT topic. It either did not go off or it is out of
range.

I have a APRS tracker that continuously sends position/velocity info
on the ham frequency and can easily be viewed on a Google map anytime.
Worked very well for me so far and gives peace of mind to relatives -
and useful to FAA on a flight plan. If Fosset had a continuous
tracker, the job of finding him might have been a lot easier.

You can build an APRS tracker for about $250 (no monthly fees). A
basic ham license is easy to get. It could save your life.

For more info http://www.abri.com/sq2000/GPStrack.html
------------------------------------------------
SQ2000 canard, http://www.abri.com/sq2000/

How many APRS repeaters/IGATEs are there in the Nevada desert one
would be able to hit from a low altitude?

To be useful to the FAA, there would have to be a way to correlate
your N number to your HAM callsign and there must be procedure for
the FAA to know where the APRS internet sites are and to look you
up.

How does that happen?

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

On Sep 6, 12:15 pm, wrote:

How many APRS repeaters/IGATEs are there in the Nevada desert one
would be able to hit from a low altitude?

If you go to http://aprs.he.fi and login with CW5091 (a near APRS
weather station) and zoom out, you will see a bunch of digi's. Even a
crop sprayer plane will have tremendous advantage at low altitude over
a ground vehicle. I travelled west over Montana/Washington mountains
and rarely there was a gap in position reports.

To be useful to the FAA, there would have to be a way to correlate
your N number to your HAM callsign and there must be procedure for
the FAA to know where the APRS internet sites are and to look you
up.

A simple solution: I have a $20/yr website that correlates my tracker
with findu.com position. My relatives and FAA can know where my plane
is by going to the website. I simply put the website URL in my flight
plan comments for live tracking. Never been refused by FAA so far -
they are even enthusiastic.

Note: You can also use your N tail number instead of HAM callsign for
APRS tracking - just put your HAM callsign at the end of the digital
string to satisfy FCC.

You can choose your website URL something like MyPlanexxx.com for easy
entry - something simple like N345Q.com would be very easy to tell FAA
for flight plan comments. If your absolutely don't know how to make a
simple web page a friend can do it for you.

wrote:
On Sep 6, 12:15 pm, wrote:

How many APRS repeaters/IGATEs are there in the Nevada desert one
would be able to hit from a low altitude?

If you go to http://aprs.he.fi and login with CW5091 (a near APRS
weather station) and zoom out, you will see a bunch of digi's. Even a
crop sprayer plane will have tremendous advantage at low altitude over
a ground vehicle. I travelled west over Montana/Washington mountains
and rarely there was a gap in position reports.

I see next to none in the desert areas.


To be useful to the FAA, there would have to be a way to correlate
your N number to your HAM callsign and there must be procedure for
the FAA to know where the APRS internet sites are and to look you
up.

A simple solution: I have a $20/yr website that correlates my tracker
with findu.com position. My relatives and FAA can know where my plane
is by going to the website. I simply put the website URL in my flight
plan comments for live tracking. Never been refused by FAA so far -
they are even enthusiastic.

That doesn't mean anyone in the FAA has a clue of what to do with
the information.

Note: You can also use your N tail number instead of HAM callsign for
APRS tracking - just put your HAM callsign at the end of the digital
string to satisfy FCC.

You can choose your website URL something like MyPlanexxx.com for easy
entry - something simple like N345Q.com would be very easy to tell FAA
for flight plan comments. If your absolutely don't know how to make a
simple web page a friend can do it for you.

Here's a simple web page I created, own, and host: http://www.you-moron.com/

Or you could go get a portable 400 MHz locator now since most 121.5
services go away in 2009.


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

On Sep 6, 4:15 pm, wrote:

Here's a simple web page I created, own, and host:http://www.you-moron.com/


Thats interesting. My previous reply to your post was a mistake.

wrote:
On Sep 6, 4:15 pm, wrote:

Here's a simple web page I created, own, and host:http://www.you-moron.com/


Thats interesting. My previous reply to your post was a mistake.

Perhaps; it certainly had some arrogant assumptions.

FWIW, I've had a HAM license since 1963 and have been involved with the
Internet since it was called ARPANET.

None of which, however, addresses the issue of using HAM bands to get
around buying a 400 MHz ELT, which eventually everyone will have to do
or the lack of APRS station coverage in the desert areas.

Since Fossett was on a recon mission of sorts, it would be a reasonable
assumption most of his flight was low enough to get a good look at the
ground, which means zip APRS station access.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

wrote:

Here's a simple web page I created, own, and host: http://www.you-moron.com/

Wow, that is the shortest autobiography I've ever seen! :-)

Matt

Is there anyone besides me entertaining the idea (no pun intended) that Mr.
Fossett may be putting together a great publicity stunt?

Kobra

I doubt it... If it ever got out that it was a stunt, nobody would be
very pleased with him. Plus, I assume he has more respect for the SAR
personnel than to do something like that.

--Dan


On Sep 6, 7:54 pm, "Kobra" wrote:
Is there anyone besides me entertaining the idea (no pun intended) that Mr.
Fossett may be putting together a great publicity stunt?

Kobra