Local APRS History-

May 1998

Steve Anderman (K2SMA), talked about different forms & uses of Ham Radio during his discussion forum at the State Wyoming Hamfest held in Rawlins.(5/28/1998)

December 1998

Bob Bruninga (WB4APR) posted a message on one of the APRS mailing lists about the lack of APRS stations in many states, including Wyoming, and how some traveling to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Utah, would make use of this system. This got some of us locally thinking.

January 1999

With space made available in the local translator for Wyoming Media by Roger La France (WB7CBH) station engineer, Tim (KJ7AZ), and Mike (N7ZEF), built and installed the 1st APRS Digi.(KJ7AZ-5) Situated on a hilltop directly south of Rawlins, this digi uses an RS HTX-202 & KPC-3. Also setup the 1st I-Gate for APRS in Wyoming. With help from Bob (K0DJ) & Bob (WA7LFT), maintenance & improvements has kept this system going.(1/15/1999)

NOTE: This site was reworked on 4/10/2003 including the addition of simple telemetry, and repair of the original antenna.

April 1999

The Laramie guys got their local APRS stations and digi's going. Unable to connect via RF links between Rawlins & Laramie, traffic is passed via the 'net.

November 1999

Tim (KJ7AZ) & Bob (WA7LFT) assembled and put into operation a totally solar powered 5-watt digi at Continental Divide 30 miles west of Rawlins.(KJ7AZ-6) We believe this is a first in the APRS way of things for Wyoming.

NOTE: This site was reworked on 11/10/2001, adding more solar panels, telemetry, including solar "sunrise/sunset" sensor array for future experimentation, and a larger battery. Also a bi-amp was added.

June 2000

Old packet backbone on 145.090 operated by Randy (KK7CN) was converted to APRS use. These sites are at Pilot Hill, east of Laramie, and Aspen Mountain, south of Rock Springs. Additions of this digi's have extended APRS along I-80 from Cheyenne to past Rock Springs.

July 2000

Tim (KJ7AZ) and Bob (WA7LFT) converted the local club packet station at the Emergency Operation Center to APRS. Another 1st in the state.

January 2001

Randy (KK7CN) installs digi on Recheau Hill near Wheatland, elevation 7950. He announces plans to install a digi on Windy Ridge (elev 8887 ft) near Scottsbluff Nebraska sometime in early summer. Another great expansion to the network.

July 2001

Thanks to site access by Gene DeFoe (WA7SRI), a 5 watt digi (KJ7AZ-7) was installed on Limestone Mtn (9030 ft elev) in the Lander-Riverton area was installed by the APRS hounds in Carbon County. This was the first digi to make full use of the telemetry features in the TNC.(7/14/2001)

Installation of WA7LFT-5 (another 5-watt digi) completed on top of Elk Mountain (11,156-ft elev) Another of the telemetry equipped digi's.(7/28/2001)

January 2002

KA7SHX-5 was installed on Oyster Ridge in the Diamondville/Kemmerer area in southwestern Wyoming. This completed our goal to link into the Utah area. This is another telemetry equipped digi.(1/31/2002)

September 2002

WA7LFT-6 was installed on AT&T Ridge north of Hanna ( a 5-watt digi). This was intended to take the place of WA7LFT-5 if it fails. Telemetry equipped also.(9/30/2002)

March 2003

KJ7AZ-8 was installed on 9-mile hill north of Rawlins (a 5 watt digi). This was intended to help traffic to the north as well as surrounding areas. Telemetry equipped also.(3/15/2003)

You might be wondering why the telemetry equipped statements come up. Telemetry equipped digi's serve a great troubleshooting tool purpose to site owners. On 2 seperate occasions a problem of commericial power loss to sites was detected after installation of these digi's. Problem was due to line failures in the system miles away. We also have temperature sensors to show temperatures of equipment & room.