[at-l] Sort of 'off topic' but with an AT question

[lubitz@alpha.fdu.edu (Richard S. Lubitz)]

The AT runs within a few miles of West Point near Bear Mt.  While 
bushwacking in the northern edge of the park I have run into Cadets on 
bivouac.
Rich
 > 
> I heard a story on NPR yesterday about BIG VOICE. This is a new warning 
> system being tested on an Air Force base in Arizona. It consists of a huge 
> speaker system with 400+ megawatt amplifier. The reporter said it could be 
> heard for 6 miles and that if you were next to it the volume literally 
> vibrated your entire body. It's intended to provide quick warnings to 
> troops on the airfield of dangerous conditions such as approaching 
> electrical storm without the necessity of individual radio contact.
> 
> In testing it could be easily heard in neighboring civilian areas and 
> proved so startling that there were complaints. As a consequence they now 
> have to go through command channels and notify everyone before using the 
> system. It seems to me that kind of defeats the reason for using it. If 
> you're going to notify everyone that you're going to make a BIG VOICE 
> announcement, why not just tell them what you plan to announce. I guess 
> that's why I never got past Sergeant in the Army. I think logically. The 
> reporter closed the story by saying that every military installation in the 
> US is going to get it's own BIG VOICE.
> 
> Anyway here's the AT question: I know that the Army Rangers 'play' war 
> games along the AT (GA or NC?) but I'm wondering how many military 
> installations are within 6 miles of the AT. Anyone know? Perhaps our 
> resident ATC staffers have info on this. For some, hiking the AT is a 
> spiritual experience but I don't think a booming voice in the middle of 
> nowhere warning of a change in the weather is what they are expecting. 
> Perhaps warnings to expect this will have to be added to future guidebooks 
> for affected sections of the trail.
> 
> Saunterer
> 
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