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ARLB095 TAPR Digital Directory

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ARRL Bulletin 95  ARLB095
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  December 16, 1996
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB095
ARLB095 TAPR Digital Directory

With the support of the ARRL, the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio
Corporation (TAPR) will begin providing at the TAPR Internet site
the information on digital systems that formerly appeared in the
annual ARRL Repeater Directory. The digital directory information
will be available at http://www.tapr.org/directory. Information on
digital systems will not be published in the 1997-98 edition of the
Repeater Directory, permitting the publication to better focus on
its primary use as a guide to voice repeaters for traveling
amateurs.

In planning the 1997-98 edition, the ARRL concluded that the
Repeater Directory was no longer the most effective medium for this
information. Discussions involving various regional digital groups
that provide data to the digital section of the Repeater Directory
led to the conclusion that TAPR was the logical group to take on the
task of a new North American Digital System Directory.

This new database system will describe systems used by Amateur Radio
stations involved in digital communications in United States,
Canada, and Mexico. The Digital System Directory will be based on
information provided by regional, state, and local organizations as
well as individuals, in a nearly real-time format. This should allow
information to be maintained and updated more frequently than in a
yearly publication. TAPR will also work with participating
organizations to make this information available on TAPR's yearly
CD-ROM as well as some future publication for local/regional groups
to distribute.

The purpose of the Digital System Directory is not to manage,
coordinate, or regulate the usage of digital systems, but to provide
the most up-to-date and accurate listing of digital systems that can
be provided. Neither is it a formal organization, but a mechanism to
allow regional groups to provide and share information regarding
digital systems.

The Digital System Directory is intended for use by individuals to
further their enjoyment of the hobby, and by organizations to help
plan and develop digital networks.

Regional/Local groups have already begun to participate in the
process. These groups include TwinsLAN, Texas Packet Radio Society,
Miami Valley FM Association, Ohio Area Repeater Council, Puget Sound
AR TCP/IP Group, Northern California Packet Association, Northern
Illinois Packet Radio Frequency Council, Indiana Digital
Experimenters Association, Central Lakeshore Experimenter's Digital
Organization, HogNet Packet Radio Association, YCCC Sysops
Association and the Missouri Amateur Packet Radio Society. TAPR
encourages other regional groups to support this project by
contributing data from their respective areas.

For further information on the project and how to get involved,
regional groups should check http://www.tapr.org/directory or send
e-mail to Carl Estey at wa0cqg@tapr.org.
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