The value of sending an Email via APRS Satellite in an emergency is that it is a set-and-forget outward bound communcations mode. Perfect for real emergencies.
You don't need anything but a 2m radio and a TNC. No special software. No special hardware, no satellite predictions, and no time consuming operating.
Just set the Email message in your TNC beacon, turn it on, and then return to all the emergency tasks at hand. Think Katrina. You wanted to report your status, but had no time for the tedium of "operating" to find a means to get your traffic out. There was just too much else to do...
In real emergencies, those affected have far too much else to do than to try to make a satellite contact to report back their location and status. But using an APRS beacon allows you to set up your outgoing message (or email), with no knowledge required about satellite pass times. Sooner or later an APRS satellite will pass over your location and your beacon and EMAIL will get in without any effort on your part.
Your emergency health and welfare email will not only get relayed by the satellite to a SATgate, but should then be automatically emailed to the intended recepient. You did not need any special software, no satellite predictions, no special hardware other than a TNC and 2m radio.
This is the ideal first-response health-and-welfare-status reporting mechanism. Put your beacon on the air and then do all the rest of the emregency work you have to do, and do not get burdened with having to sit and "operate" to try to get your message out.
The Satellite Simulated Emergency Test web page shows you how to use any TNC to set up your outgoing EMAIL...
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/sset.html
Try it with your old TNC. Anyone can do it. But the format must be correct for the packet that you place in your BECONTEXT:
BT :EMAIL :[email protected] your_message_goes_here...
Where 4 spaces are required after the word EMAIL and then the "[email protected]" must be the intended recepient.
Its only one line. But in an emergency, ONE LINE is exceptionally valuable, and has a great chance of getting through.
Not only will it get delivered (if the infrastructure works) but you can also just check the downlink yourself to see if it got through on:
Try it this week while PCSAT is working!
Bob, WB4APR