Hi folks, I'm new to the list (KD7OFR) and thought I'd introduce myself now, even though this is somewhat off-topic. I've been trolling for a week or so now on the list.

I own an OLPC/XO but have never used APRS, although I'd like to participate in this mapping. I notice that the west coast is conspicuously empty. I live in Oakland and work in San Francisco, and two of my friends/coworkers own OLPCs as well (one of them is scheduled to become a ham soon).

Are there really just that many more active hams on the east coast? It seems hard to believe. I'm in my mid-20s and have been licensed since I was 19. Is this indicative of a larger social trend within the amateur radio community? I work in the tech sector and while there are plenty of very technical folks in their mid-20s through their mid-40s, none in the software engineering group I work in are licensed amateur radio operators, sans one other guy (on a team of over 20), even though there seems to be at least a casual interest in it by many members of my team. I am of course encouraging them to get licensed and emphasizing that getting one's technician ticket isn't exactly difficult ;-)

I'm concerned there's not much outreach going on by the most active sector of the amateur radio community. Can anyone speak to that? Perhaps I'm completely off-base, but from my perspective, there seems to be a slight bit of reserved apathy. I myself would love to teach teenagers about amateur radio.

I live a few blocks from Oakland Technical High School (http://www.oaklandtech.com ) and think introducing disadvantaged kids to amateur radio would be a great way to emphasize that there's a world outside of the city of oakland borders via a very real and tangible activity, while at the same time teaching some basic technical skills in the process. Communicating with people and objects zooming through space is not something one would normally otherwise ever do ;-)

I myself am attempting to start a social event/group which is intended to bring together some of t

I hope you will all forgive my meandering first message to the list, but I'd love to hear all your thoughts on the matter. Feel free to reply off-list if you are uncomfortable with the level of off-topic- ness. This subject may even deserve its own mailing list. Anyone else interested in the subject? I can host an ML. Are there any organizations who teach kids/teenagers/young adults about amateur radio in a holistic manner? if so, I'd love to hear about them!

Send me your thoughts, Alex Perez (KD7OFR)

On Jan 8, 2008, at 8:53 AM, Robert Bruninga wrote:

OK, the first XO laptops are starting to show on the APRS system. I have added a link to Steve Dimse's FINDU.COM that can selectively display them.

http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/APRS-OLPC.html

Bob, Wb4APR

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-----Original Message----- From: Bob Bruninga [mailto:bruninga@usna.edu] Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 10:21 PM To: bruninga@usna.edu; TAPR APRS Mailing List; 'Paul

Kronenwetter'

...

Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: OLPC positions and MESH-ing

...

In the DC area, I think we have several Hams with XO's. Maybe we should schedule a meeting and show-and-tell so that everyone can benefit from the fruits of our efforts?

Actually, I would like to build a map of all HAMS with OLPC's to help us play and possibly MESH together.. The map will include both your home and work locations which are two places where you might have your OLPC laptop for meshing. If you are retired, then include any other place you may

frequent.

...

Just email me your CALL, and LAT/LONGs for both of your locations. If you have other daily locations you may add them too. ALso indicate how many OLPC's you have. Here is the preferred format:

WB4APR:3909.12N/07629.34Wl Home, with access to 3 OLPC's

The LAT/LONG is in DEG and decimal minutes. The two spaces after the decimal points are for hundredths of minutes. If you replace them with two spaces, then your position can remain ambiguous to the nearest mile, if you like. The "l" (lower case L) after the W is the laptop symbol. Everything after that is free text to describe your OLPC.

Those that are into APRS can go ahead and just change your normal APRS station to the LAPTOP symbol for the next week or so, and I can capture your posit that way electronically.

...

TO make it easy to compute the centroid of local OLPC's, everyone could beacon their position on APRS using the LAPTOP symbol with a note about their OLPC. Then we can pick the centroid to plan a meeting...

Thanks! Bob, WB4APR

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Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

Hi Alex, My comments are interspersed, but you are right on target, with your opinions, and the fact that I've been into ham radio since I was 14 (72 years ago) does not qualify me as an expert, but I've been exposed.

I've seen interest in ham operation go up and down throughout the years. Accounting? I really have none.

With the exception of my own grandson who lived with us in his formative years...At five he learned the code (21 years ago), and was determined to become licensed. Just about that time we got our first computer, and his eyes shined with this new interest...The intrigue was so great that ham radio took a background, and I think that is what happened to a lot of his contemporaries...

He is now working at Qualcomm in computer engineering, going to school for it, but is still an unlicensed member of our ham club...He will get it when he is ready...

The computer no longer holds the fascination or the challenge it once did. Ham radio still does, and my prediction is that is once again its challenge will attract that group again....The computer, for most, will remain a tool, just as a wrench or a screwdriver....

AMSAT-NA has failed miserably in attracting this group through lack of information, and education, but it too will get back on track, once that dawns on the powers that be...

Are there really just that many more active hams on the east coast? It seems hard to believe.

No, not really, Project Oscar that launched the first satellite Oscar One was conceived and came to fruition on the WEST COAST!! But there are Easterners that have the opinion that when one crosses the Mississippi from E to W, one drops their brains in the river!!! Hundreds of hamsat operators on the left coast, but one does not hear much from them in comparison to some of the drivel that comes from the other side of the river!!!

I was born in Minnesota, DIRECTLY NORTH of its source, so am unbiased!!

Most of them never admit that Project Oscar ever existed...

Rob Turlington G8ATE did something about it this year, and got a special callsign for 5 days GB Zero Oscar One (gb0o1), and we all should be grateful to him for his efforts..

I'm going to do something this year about it for AMSAT_NA, and get a similar special event callsign W6XXX to commemorate it in 2008.

I myself would love to teach teenagers about amateur radio.

My door, and station is always open, and if there is the slightest interest I give a demo....I given hamsat presentations to all of the 18 clubs in San Diego at least twice throughout the years...I know, some of them were just "filling a slot", but even suspecting that, I enjoyed doing it...

I hope you will all forgive my meandering first message to the list, but I'd love to hear all your thoughts on the matter.

No, keep your thoughts coming, yours was as refreshing a message that I have heard among the dozens of others on the bb in a long time!!

73, Dave, WB6LLO dguimon1@san.rr.com

Disagree: I learn....

Pulling for P3E...