[aprssig] Re: SSID's

[Christopher A. Kantarjiev]

> 
> People like Bob obviously have written software aimed at a standard range of
> SSID.
> 
> I am concerned that I see more and more new stations coming on, and they
> just gave a wild stab at SSID.
> 
> And then they copy someone else's bad guess.

Or they copy someone's documented standard - one of about 20 that you'll find if
you "google aprs ssid". 

Speaking as a person new to APRS, I can completely understand the problem and
have to admit that it's really frustrating. The "legacy of packet" and the old
SSID traditions that have changed over the years are still out there on webpages
that read like authoritative surveys of the APRS world. It's pretty darned hard
to decide just what SSID should be used.

For example, Andrew vk4tec suggests -10 is "Mobile message capable", but Bob
Wb4APR pages say that this is operation via the internet only! 

None of the SSID tables handle enough cases - for example, I carry a tracker
when hiking, and there's no "standard" SSID for that (much less a suggestion).

Jason KE4NYV suggests another list that I haven't seen before. 

I've given up trying to figure out the "correct" SSID. Icons rule.

"The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from" --
Andy Tanenbaum.