[aprssig] winlink

[Robert Bruninga]

>>> HamLists at ametx.com 12/30/04 10:05 AM >>>
>> Since D7's can only see the first 20 bytes of the text, the 
>> WinLINNK freq will not be seen by one of them. 

>In "most" cases, a D7 in APRS mode will not be used to 
>determine a WinLink node.  This will probably be done with 
>APRS software since the person will be then switching their 
>PC to the WinLink frequency and running WinLink software.

Well, unfortunately, I disagree again.  It is fact that 85%
of mobiles that "view" APRS data are using the D7 or D700.
It is those mobiles that will probably also be the first to use
WinLINK while portable. (WinLINK is *not* a fixed station
system.  It is for mobiles and portables only).  And most D7
mobiles run in APRS mode most of the time because of its
heads-up front panel display of info. They switch to PACKET
mode to make the WinLINK call.  But if they cant see the
node frequency first in APRS mode, then it sureis a lot of
trouble to have to stop the car, hook up the PC just to be
able to see the frequency to tune to.

>It does, however, make gating to RF trivial (for instance, 
>I am gating all objects which start with EM13 as that covers 
>Collin County, TX).

Yes, and this is one of my biggest stump issus with this 
marriage of the Internet and APRS and that is that being "easy"
is not what should be driving network and applicatiosn design.
It should be end-user functionality, reliability and usefullness.

The local beacon that tells the APRS mobile where the WinLINK
system is should be:
1) Should contain all useful information so that it can be seen
    at a minimum on a D7 front panel display
2) Should be locally generated based on the actual activity of
    the WinLINKN node
3) Should only be beaconed in the immediate area of the WinLINK
    station so that only those people that can actually use it
    will see the beacon.

I appreciate your efforts.  This is a great capabiltiy.  I am not 
criticizing current efforts.  Just trying to make sure we strive
to the ultimate soultion outlined above... 

Keep up the good work..
Bob