NWAPRS serves: Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories,
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana

At 05:47 PM 12/8/98 -0800, I sent:

I'll be brief as I possibly can to wrap up the results of the survey. (Turns out I wasn't).

We have 135 members on the NWAPRSSIG mailing list. The survey was only sent to the list. There was no attempt made to query those w/o internet services but operators of APRS w/i our area. That would be too many one liners. I did not include those from out of area (non-nwaprs). This accounts for about 10% of our group. I won't elaborate or identify specific users on the list, but will say that key APRS people from around the country do subscribe to our list, as well as others interested in APRS activities in the NW.

We had a 25% response rate to the survey. I guess that's OK, but was hoping for a wider response.

Of that response, 78% committed to an annual membership of $25, another 7% said a reduced amount of $10 would be better, and 14% said NO to the suggestion of an annual fee.

A majority agreed that a non-profit organization status would benefit the group in its search for financing of group-owned resources, such as WIDE/WX digi sites. Along with this, many agreed to formalizing the leadership with an appointed Board of Directors. Several members proposed the name "Northwest APRS Group". I don't know the costs involved in making this happen, but some members cited piles of paperwork (due each year) as enough reason to NOT formailze the organization. I take this under consideration, as the last thing I need is more damned paperwork.

Almost all agreed that any equipment paid for by the group thus became property of the group and not one individual person. There was alot of discussion on this topic, e.g. what happens to the resources if a person moved away. Who would the equipment belong to? Some preferred staying away from group ownership of any equipment. Politics was brought up and comments to what's happened with other clubs, etc, were heard.

While I didn't specifically ask, some members commented on furthering the web page to include internic registration and claiming the www.nwaprs.org url, which is available. For those who do not know, internic registration of a domain name costs $35 per year. In addition, the ISP charges $30 per month plus a $50 (one-time) set-up to maintain the site. The estimated annual cost of maintaining the web site, which is our primary source of information for our group, is $515. This includes the $10/monthly fee for maintaining the mail list. Hefty fee, if you ask me, about 1/2 the cost of a WIDE/WX digi.

I did receive favorable comments re combining weather stations with our remoted digis. This makes each digi location a valuable tool beyonds just being a relay station. Current weather, including temperature, rain, wind speed and direction, are all critical information when working a disaster, or enduring another winter.

I've considered each and every email that was received. Some were sent privately, and others to the group. I thank those who participated.

Now here's my .02 cents of what I plan on doing:

1. There will be no "required" annual membership fee to be a member of NWAPRS. Yippee.

2. In January of each year I will query the membership to help me out with funding the web site and email list. If you can afford to help out, please send in NOT MORE THAN $5.00. If 24 members respond with $5.00, the mailing list will be paid for. If 100% of the group responds with $5.00 we will be close to funding the internic, url, and ISP costs for www.nwaprs.sig.

3. If you send in an extra $3.00, I'll make a (very nice looking) membership badge. The are business card-size badges, laminated, and with a clip. It has the APRS logo over a gridded Earth, and says "Northwest APRS Group, Member, Name & Callsign". The first batch has been completed and will be sent to the area coordinators. My cost on these is $1.85 each, and the remaining $1.15 would be used to help maintain the SIG list.

4. Next: We, and that's you and me, have at least two priorities, or goals, to strive for in 1999. First and foremost we should all help, where we can, with increasing the number of digipeaters throughout the northwest system. While Vancouver BC, Seattle, Vancouver (WA), Newport (OR), Yakima, Ellensburg, Spokane, Boise, and Coeur d'Alene are pretty well covered, many areas are still not. Populated areas should be high on our list, and then extend coverage along the primary road-transportation lines (I-5, I-82, I-90, I-84, etc). We're still hurting for coverage in Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. I know the folks in BC want to extend their coverage north. I know the loners in Newport (OR) would love to get into the VHF system on a regular basis, rather than when conditions are perfect. Likewise the group in Boise has a new digi up and is looking for resources and location to put something up that will link to the YAKI digi. I've even talked to the MT folks about converting an un(der)-utilized packet node atop Lookout Pass (MT-ID on I-90) that would extend east our existing system, and possible merge with the effort going on in the Kalispell and Helena areas.

Frankly, if I were a regular user of APRS and lived in the.... say Seattle area, and was asked to help out with funding a digi in southern Oregon..... I'm not sure I'd contribute. We need to get our people resources going in those areas where there SHOULD BE APRS digis, and then they need to coordinate the finances to get their own area WIDE up and running. But by all means, let the SIG know what you are planning and don't be afraid to ask. I guarantee a check of some contribution to any request made to me for help with a new WIDE APRS digi. Just ask. Don't expect this of the entire membership though. Go out and find those deep pockets, like a private foundation or something, to help with the costs.

Consider any contribution you make towards a WIDE site to be personal to the person helping set it up. For the meantime, the group will not claim ownership to any equipment. I gave up all rights (and responsibilities) to the equipment I funded for the South Mountain site when I unpacked it and gave it to the site sysop, Nick Jones. I don't expect the membership to make major contributions everywhere there is a WIDE, but if you can afford $5.00, it helps.

God, I'm getting long winded and I promised not to do that.

Next, for the existing sites we already have, we should help out with the finances of adding a weather station. If we do one a year, great. Two a year, even better. I'm committing $50 towards a wx station at South Mtn. Whichever WIDE is closest to you, contact the site manager and inquire if you can help out ($5-$10) contribution to add a weather station.

God, I hate even mentioning the CLOSED APRS system in Oregon on 145.75, except that each of those WIDEs have a weather station attached. It's a great system, but too bad the control op is a dictator. I know I'll hear about this, but what the hell, it's Christmas time and this is my way of giving. eh eh.

So, in wrapping this up......

No dues. If you can afford $5.00 to help with the web site and list, great. Thanks. If you can afford another $5 or $10 to the site manager of your nearby WIDE digi, excellent. If you do both, you're out $15 and that's hardly a trip to McDonalds these days.

So as I wrap this up I can't help but thank all of you who have helped make APRS fun and exciting for me. I look at the map today and see many many icons and more each month. This is great progress compared to a little over two years ago, when NOBODY was on APRS in the northwest..... well, except for the dictator on the other frequency.

Anyhow, happiest of the holiday season to you all. God be with you each day, especially when you travel. Keep in touch and let's all work at making 1999 an even better year than 1998. Aloha, Dave Dobbins/K7GPS