[aprssig] The new APRS n-N Paradigm SUMMARY

[Robert Bruninga]

As exciement and success with the new n-N paradigm for
APRS builds, and with feedback from a number of users
I now think we can boil it down very simply to two new
systems to replace WIDEn-N (in areas that are saturated).

UIFLOOD ##LNKn-N linear systems along the ## Interstate corridors
UITRACE SSn-N within state borders (or ARRL  sections in big states).

Both of these are self-limiting yet very userful for the long
haul traveler and for EOC's and Emergency APRS comms
and still fully support local operations with RELAY and WIDE
and others.

At first I just proposed LINKn-N and LANn-N generic 
systems to see what the APRS community came up with.
And so far, the Interstate and STATE systems seem to
be perfect.  I was worried about the need for cross state
line traffic, but in talking with many APRS users and
Emergency Comms support personnel I got these points:

1) Most COMMS nets and groups are organized by state
2) Many state borders are rivers or mountain chains which
    naturally restrict commmunications needs across them
3) We are not intending for everyone to switch from WIDEn-N
     to SSn-N and continue their flooding!  We are intending
     users to all cut their paths to RELAY,WIDE or WIDE,WIDE
     or SS2-2 but do want to have a system for state wide
    (or section wide) comms if needed
4) You can still listen or send traffic across to another state
    if you live near one and need to:

   a) Point your antenna across the river and  work their digis
       since the net will work better without all the WIDEn-N QRM
   b) Install a local DIGI that is high and LISTENING to their
       other state SSn-N system but digipeats in YOUR city
       all that traffic onto UHF so that you can still be in full
       communications with THAT state while not QRMing  yours.
   c) or if you want to support a visiting XX3-3 visiting mobile
       from adjacent state XX, then put XX3-3 in  your UIDIGI
       list.  Your DIGI will get him out, but then no incoming
       XX3-2 or 3-1 or 3-0 will get back into your area..

And FINALLY, by deciding to go with UIFLOOD of ##LNKn-N
and UITRACE of SSn-N we get back to a system of universal
generic settings that visitors can infer. and we get path tracing
where needed (SSn-N) and short packets for long-haul (##LNKn-N)
where they do the most good.

USER RECOMMENDAATIONS fall back to:

 REL:AY,WIDE universal for mobiles (or SS2-2)
 DIGI,WIDE for fixed stations
 SS3-3 for local state operations (or section).

Some digis at intersections of major interstaes may have
to use up both of their UILFOOD and UITRACE on the
two interstatesa, but an adjacent digi can probably still
support the SSn-N or you can simply add an addtional
TNC to the same radio to support the SSn-N.

Lots of exciting options.  Go for it!

I have updated my FIX14439 WEB page to cover all this:

http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprs/fix14439.html

It still needs some more fine tuning, but will be updated
over the coming weeks.

de WB4APR, Bob