Honoring Roger Barker's (G4IDE) contribution to APRS....

From: Dave Anderson

Subject: [ui-view] Honoring Roger Barker's (G4IDE) contribution to APRS....


September 4, 2004...   For Immediate Release!

Last week, the Tier 2 SysOps posted a notice that they were forming a
tribute called "UI-View Forever" to Roger Barker, G4IDE, the author of the
UI-View APRS client software package.  The Core APRS-IS SysOps also
recognize the importance and sheer impact that UI-View has had on the APRS
community.  We applaud the efforts that the Tier 2 SysOps have made.  This
tribute could not be for a more worthy cause or purpose.

Since the best of amateur radio is always revealed in times of crisis or
need, the Core group of SysOps have resolved to assist Roger as well.
Taking a cue from the Tier 2 SysOps, we developed another approach to honor
Roger's contribution to APRS, and specifically the APRS-Internet Service.

UI-View's importance extends past its functionality with Tier 2 and
javAPRSSrvr-based servers.  Therefore, the three APRS-IS Core SysOps have
decided to offer a contribution based on UI-View connections to ALL APRS-IS
servers.  The contribution reflects connections to Core servers and any
regional server identified on either of the two common APRS-IS server
statistics websites (http://www.ahubswe.net/aprs_stat.asp and
http://www.aprs-is.net/APRSServers.htm).  We have taken a snapshot of all
connections that occurred at 1730Z on September 4, 2004 and will donate one
U.S. dollar for each UI-View connection that was observed.  Note that since
only the three Core SysOps performed the counting, and there are tens of
servers, some of the counts may not have been taken at exactly 1730Z.

Here is what we observed:

Core Servers:    145 UI-View Connections
Tier 2 Servers:  252 UI-View Connections
Other Regional Servers: 153 UI-View Connections

The accumulated total was 550 UI-View connections to the APRS-IS.  We
rounded this value up to 600, compensating for any missed counts.  The
corresponding total amount of $600.00 will therefore be forwarded by the
group of three Core APRS-IS SysOps to Roger and his family in their time of
need.

We challenge ALL amateur operators to consider making some type of
contribution to Roger and his family, however small.  If it isn't possible
to contribute directly, consider donating a few dollars to your local Cancer
Support group.  These groups provide invaluable services to families during
times of need.



About the Core APRS-IS Servers
-----------------------------

The center of all internet-based APRS data is passed through the three Core
servers.  We provide connectivity via servers running at large educational
institutions and data centers having large bandwidth pipes in order to
provide large-scale user access to this data.  The Core servers offer data
feed options ranging from downstream server access ingesting the entire
world's real-time APRS data stream, to the end user needing specific data
via a filtered port connection.  We urge you to connect wherever you are
able to get the best results.  Should you decide to connect to the Core
directly, we provide a round-robin next server rotation DNS system; all you
need to use is rotate.aprs.net as your host and the port (10152 for the full
world, 10154 for the continental US, and 14580 for a custom feed, just to
name a few) of your choice.

Again, we are glad to be part of the global APRS-IS network, and wish all
the best for Roger and his family.

For more information about APRS:
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprs.html
For more information about the APRS-IS: http://www.aprs-is.net/


Very 73,

Dave Anderson KG4YZY
Gerry Creager N5JXS
Greg Noneman WB6ZSU

Reference: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ui-view/message/36231