Possible letter to Park Officials requesting "Event Fees"  20 Jun 2009
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Dear Ranger xxxx,

As a follow-up to our conversation on 20 June 2009

We informed you that we were intending to do an amateur radio test
from the Roan Mountain area as part of an emergency communications
experiment to validate the ability to establish a temporary data
link from Georgia to Maine on demand under emergency conditions.  
This is a typical emergency preparedness test of Amateur Radio that 
is fundamental to the mission of Amateur Radio in support of city, 
county, state and federal backup communications systems.

This is a 4 hour test scheduled for 26 July 2009.  It is not an
event that would have any impact on the park or other park visitors.
Our test is intentionally planned to use nothing more than a typical
mobile 2-way radio so that it can be used in an emergency with
minimal prior planning or a back-pack portable not much different 
than that carried by radio equipped hikers.  These stations may also
set up a short 10-15' pole to extend their antenna above surrounding 
vehicles or obstructions.... But otherwise, non obtrusive.

But again, this experiment nothing special, just normal operation 
from a vehicle parked in an appropriate parking place along with other 
visitors in the park or a hiker with only his back-pack equipment.
I hope you will find these conditions would not require us to submit 
a formal "Park Event Application", since the Park itself and it's
environs is not a significant part of our test.  

Our use of the term "event" was inadvertant.  In Amateur Radio, we 
use the term "event" to refer to a congregation of a number of 
individuals on a common frequency in the radio spectrum and not at 
a physical "location".  You should not be alarmed that this is an 
"event" involving a congregation of lots of people at any one site.  
It is not.  It is only a few individuals at these sites, acting as 
temporary relays as part of an emergency communications test,

We fully understand the concerns of impact on the park and
other visitors, and have made every effort to minimize our presence
and visibility and footprint to be no different from any other park
visitor.  ALl of our plans are found on these web pages:

WEB PAGE DOCUMENTATION:   www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html 

We have discussed this thoroughly with the Chief Ranger, Todd Remaley, 
Appalachian National Scenic Trail, P.O. Box 50 (252 Mc Dowell Street, 
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, (w)304/535-6171 (c)717/991-0126.  His 
response after a thorough review of our plans was that we did not
need to submit an "event" application for the "AT" and his final email 
on the subject was:

Quote:
Thank you Mr. Bruninga. You have satisfied my 
concerns and I truly enjoyed speaking with you.
Best of luck with the event.

Sincerely,
Todd
Unquote.

Although AT Conservancy does not speak for the dozens of other parks
and public properties involved in the Appalachians, we hope that his
response will provide a precedence and assure other administrations
that this is not a typical "event" requiring formal "event" applications 
and fees along all 15 stations involved.

Very Respectfully

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