EastTNAPRS
NOTE: This information is out-of-date and should be revised.
Yahoo! Group
I have setup the EastTNAPRS Yahoo! group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EastTNAPRS) and a weekly EastTNAPRSNet APRS net to facilitate APRS experimentation and to coordinate APRS activities among those in East Tennessee that use APRS.
Operating
In East Tennessee, we operate APRS on the national APRS frequency of 144.390. It operates at 1200 baud. APRS was designed to support the rapid, reliable exchange of information for LOCAL, tactical, real-time events. The concept is that each station with new information transmits his new data to everyone in the net and every station captures that information for display.
When sending a message to a specific station, specifying each digi along the route that the message would need to travel will yield the best results. For example, to get a message from Knoxville to someone in Athens, use WA4KJH-7,KG4FZR-7 as opposed to WIDE2-2. Using a path of TNn-N allows you to route important messages statewide… useful for organizational bulletins or mayday. Please do not use TNn-N in your station’s path for routine operations (see "New-N Paradigm SIMPLIFICATIONS" at http://www.aprs.org/fix14439.html for more information).
For APRS, East TN is divided into roughly 4 different areas: Johnson City, Knoxville, Athens, and Chattanooga.
Johnson City
The Johnson City area is served primarily by W4FXO, W4FXO-3, W4FXO-4 and K4DHT-4 which covers ??? counties. They respond to
W4FXO has a KPC3+ TNC, Yaesu FT-2800 radio. W4FXO-3 is in Blountville, Tennessee operating with a KPC3+ TNC and a Motorola Maxtrac radio. It is located on top of Polly's Ridge near the interstate. W4FXO-4 is running a KPC3+ TNC and a Motorola Maxtrac Radio. It is located on top of Holston Mountain. The antenna is a Diamond 5/8's wave antenna up about 55-60 feet . K4DHT-4 is in Mountain City Tennessee operating with a KPC3+ and an Alinco radio. It is located on top of Stone Mountain.
Morristown
KC4LU-3 bridges the gap from Johnson City to Knoxville. It sits between Johnson City and Knoxville near Morristown providing coverage for Hamblen, Jefferson and Cocke counties. Additionally, it partially serves Grainger, Hancock and Greene counties. It responds to WIDEn-N, TNn-N and TN and traps large paths (such as WIDE4-4).
Knoxville
The Knoxville area is served primarily by GRNTOP-3 and KE4OTZ-3. These digi's provide great coverage in Knox, Sevier, Blount, Anderson, and Jefferson counties. They also provides limited coverage to surrounding counties. They respond to WIDEn-N, TNn-N and TN. They trap large paths (such as WIDE4-4).
GRNTOP-3 is using a Yasesu 2600m, Kantronics KPC3+ 9.1 firmware, Cushcraft commercial 4bay folded dipole, 7/8 hard line @ 5 Watts out of radio.
We also have WA4KJH-7 which covers Knox, Sevier, Blount, Anderson, and Jefferson counties. It also provides limited coverage to surrounding counties. It responds to WA4KJH-7,RELAY,WIDE,TRACE, and TN.
Fill-in digi’s (home stations, etc.) in this same coverage area generally respond to their callsign plus WIDE1-1. Suggested paths for base stations in this area is TN; for mobile stations, TN or the nationwide standard of WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1. This area is served by the KI4HDU-2 and WA4BDS IGates.
Athens
The Athens area is served primarily by KG4FZR-7 which covers McMinn County. KG4FZR-7 responds to KG4FZR-7, WIDEn-N up to n=3, and TNn-N.
KG4FZR-7 is made up a an ADI AR147 donated by Athens Police Department, and a TNC-X, on a Windows XP computer running UI-View32 with ini mods per Bob Bruniga.
The same computer also handles the software for a Winlink RMS packet server of KG4FZR-10 on 145.550. The TNC for it is a Kantronics KPC-3+, and also runs a KG4FZR-1 mailbox, and KG4FZR-7 node, and also serves as alais MCARC digi on the same 145.550 frequency.
The City of Athens provides the operating location and internet connection. Bob Miller, KC4KUZ is the trustee of the KG4FZR call, and Scott Duckworth, NA4IT, is sysop.
Suggested paths for base stations in this area is WIDE2-2; for mobile stations, WIDE1-1, WIDE2-2. KG4FZR-7 is also configured as an IGate. The McMinn County Amateur Radio Club's web site has more information on the specifics of this digi/IGate: http://www.mcminnarc.com/aprs/digigate.html
Cleveland
W4KCO-3 covers an area from north of Loudon County, east to North Carolina, west to the Cumberland Plateau, and south into Mid North Georgia, and responds to W4KCO-3, WIDEn-N up to n=3, and TNn-N. It is located west of Cleveland on White Oak Mtn.
Chattanooga
The Chattanooga area is served by KA4EMA-3, W4KCO-3, W4LAW-3, and W4LAW-5. KA4EMA-3 is located on Signal Mountain on a tall tower. Dan Odom, NT4M is responsible for the hardware operation of this digi. Dewayne Siddon, KE4IDH handles the digi software and settings configuration. This station runs on an PC with internet access, backup power and is accessed via remote access van for configuration updates. The PC runs Windows XP and is set to automatically reboot each day at 11:00 am.
W4KCO-3 responds to WIDEn-N, TNn-N. W4LAW-3 is an old style digi which responds to TRACE, WIDE and WIDE1-1. W4LAW-5 is an old style digi which responds to RELAY.
WA4YYM in Cleveland serves as the local Igate.