Mike,

MP>I used them more for spying on my sisters & their friends than I did to
MP>actually communicate with anyone else.  They were not near as interesting
MP>as I imagined them to be. 

  With the APRS mode (available for Technician Class licensees and
higher), with such things as a beacon from ones Terminal Node Controller
(TNC)(a modem for ham radio)...or from their mobile rig...or from the
APRS app for Android, or a GPS-X command with the D-Rats program, one
can have their location out on aprs.fi around the clock. If I'm offline
for storms (as I will be tonight through Thursday night), I won't show
up.

  I have the APRS for Android app, but mainly have mine from the D-Rats
utility. RATS is STAR spelled backwards...so it's a companion to D-Star.
It allows hams to exchange message and files, and chat in real time.
Some nets have chat rooms, or are on "ratflectors" (as opposed to
reflectors on voice), and they can get rather busy. 

Daryl, WX4QZ

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