A national BATC Zello channel?

[g8vpg]

Over the past few weeks, I have been experimenting with Zello. For those of you who are unfamiliar, this is an app that makes your smartphone, tablet or computer operate like a push-to-talk radio, except that it communicates via the internet and not RF. It is available for most platforms - I have it operating on Android, IOS and Windows. Further information is available here;
https://zello.com/personal/
The personal version is free. Use of the app is expanding rapidly amongst groups of radio amateurs all around the world, who mostly operate according to conventional amateur radio protocol. There are already several ATV channels to facilitate talkback whilst out portable - ATV south, ATV East & ATV Northeast and the microwave operators also have a channel.
It occurred to me that there are clusters of ATV activity scattered all around the country, who talk amongst themselves on 144.750MHz or a local channel. However, we seldom talk to each other except at a convention, rally or portable expedition. If we had a national BATC channel, we could communicate much more easily. If it proved popular, we could set up several channels to facilitate multiple conversations. It is easy to implement controls to restrict use to BATC members, licensed radio amateurs or we might want to leave it open. Is this a good idea? What do members think?
73 Shaun G8VPG.

[G8PEF]

Hi, Shaun

I'm already a Zello user and am finding it very useful, particularly for keeping in touch with our club members (I live too far away to reach them from a V/UHF handheld and I can't put external antennas up) - we have a club channel for this purpose, and I also subscribe to the Network Radios channels. I would certainly be up for joining a national BATC channel

John, G8PEF