Add APRS group messaging to the GhostNet protocol

[mechanik556]

Although adding VHF/UHF to the GhostNet plan has been mentioned before for the obvious reasons of reaching more ham operators and providing easier mobile use, given the current (5/11/2024) geomagnetic storm that has completely wiped out HF propagation, I'm sure it's obvious at this point that relying on HF entirely for the comm plan will not always work.

I have a suggestion, which is to add APRS text messaging to the comm plan, particularly group messaging with a set of formalized APRS messaging groups that correspond similarly to the JS8Call groups already listed in the GhostNet plan. APRS already gets good coverage with its existing distribution of digipeaters and igates, and there are numerous standalone handheld and Bluetooth KISS TNC solutions that allow for low power operation in the field with a variety of devices.

[shithubsucks]

Even though there was a G5 storm, it only completely blacked out HF for an hour or two at a time. The highly robust forward error correction and narrow bandwidth of js8 in SLOW mode was able to punch through to a decent number of stations during this event in my testing.

I don't see this as a huge issue especially given how rare theses events are.

[flakvest]

Well the iGates require the internet so I don't base nay comm plan around the internet other than business as usual. I think APRS though, on it's own is a good solution for local and maybe out to regional, just with digipeaters alone so I'm with ya there.

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On Sat, May 11, 2024 at 5:24 PM mechanik556 ***@***.***> wrote: Although adding VHF/UHF to the GhostNet plan has been mentioned before for the obvious reasons of reaching more ham operators and providing easier mobile use, given the current (5/11/2024) geomagnetic storm that has completely wiped out HF propagation, I'm sure it's obvious at this point that relying on HF entirely for the comm plan will not always work. I have a suggestion, which is to add APRS text messaging to the comm plan, particularly group messaging with a set of formalized APRS messaging groups that correspond similarly to the JS8Call groups already listed in the GhostNet plan. APRS already gets good coverage with its existing distribution of digipeaters and igates, and there are numerous standalone handheld and Bluetooth KISS TNC solutions that allow for low power operation in the field with a variety of devices. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#19>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AB5J6FGALQWLAHXN66JZTM3ZB2EBVAVCNFSM6AAAAABHSHCPYWVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43ASLTON2WKOZSGI4TCMBXGA2DENI> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>