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PACKETEERING @ KWARC |
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PACKETEERING @ KWARC |
 After a
quick update from Gord VE3EOS on the projected Las Vegas International Packet Conference
we got to talking about that ever popular topic - the weather. Many of us had attended the
CANWARN seminar on April 20 and were impressed by the excellent presentation on severe
weather by Randy Mawson of Environment Canada. Dave VA3DGS had some suggestions on the
future of packet and weather reporting. With encouragement from our executive Dave has
been investigating ways to enhance the use of our local packet repeaters He proposed that
we consider the purchase and installation of a "weather link" system. The system
is essentially an automated weather reporting machine. It would be available on the VE3IXY
APRS node (144.390), to anyone with APRS capabilities, including CANWARN. VE3IXY is
located at Baden, "upstream" in terms of local severe weather. As far as is known only 4 clubs in Ontario currently have this capability. The closest being Staynor up in the Blue Mountain area. Norm VE3DEQ felt that the cost might exceed our financial resources. The treasurer indicated that while it would be tight we might just manage. We would like to finance the basic unit (computer module, temperature sensor, anemometer and wind direction indicator). Dave passed around the specs sheet for the various components of a full system. Add-ons include an hygrometer sensor and a sophisticated precipitation monitor. It was suggested that we seek assistance to help pay for these items. This equipment in addition to serving local users in S.W. Ontario would also feed local weather into a continent wide system via an Internet Gateway. The group was most enthusiastic about the proposal, and directed that we proceed with implementation as quickly as possible. Larry VE3LGN and Dave VA3DGS were to present this plan at the upcoming KWARC executive meeting with hopes of gaining the clubs interest. It was felt that this technology would enhance the clubs mandate as a public service oriented group. Dave thinks that the VE3KSR repeater has the capability of being programmed to give voice-weather if this is desired by the club. We hope to be able to provide an update on our project at the next monthly KWARC meeting. In Other Business, Larry VE3LGN will be our rep on the KWARC executive for 1999-2000. It was noted that 5 Packet group members were assisting the Red Cross volunteers with their second annual car rally on Sunday 16 May. We want to thank all those who have been contributing Zehrs tape receipts to the Group. Zehr's make this generous offer to not-for-profit service groups. Mary VE3MWE has carried out the Augean task of collecting and summing all of these sometimes almost indecipherable ribbons of paper for the past 5 years! Without Mary's (VE3MWE) and Drew's (VE3AOR) efforts this opportunity would be lost. Keep those tapes coming. This was WWPUG's last official meeting until October. Thanks have been expressed to Ratz-Bechtel for their generous offer of the use of the Family Centre. Think LA 2000 de Larry
Gorman
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