Fwd: Re: [aprssig] APRS routing strategies (while mobile?)

[Robert Bruninga]

>>> henk.de.groot at hetnet.nl 2/17/05 6:00:46 PM >>>
>> Then he had better look at a map and look at the 
>>PHG circles of his station and surrounding stations 
>>and decide what he should do at that place at that 
>>location...
>
>And you want him to do that while driving arround? 

No the recommendation to look at the map is for the
FIXED station who is brand new to APRS and wants
to see the network in his area.  Then he can set his
home station and mobile to an appropriate path.  

This is what Ham Radio is all about.  Listen, investigate,
check the frequency and net, see what is going on, and then
*think* about what you are going to say and *then* Transmit.
Ham radio is not about buying a radio, plugging it in, and then
transmitting first...

>And when using a tracker, what map should he look at? 
>Searching for clues on his paper map?

Yes, if he plans a trip then the prudent sentient individual
plans his trip, and plans his comms before he leaves.
Trying to plan your operation while driving across 
unfamiliar terrotority is not a good thing to do...

But if he is SO CLULESS about APRS then he can
always check the map-for-dummies above or he
can just set WIDE3-3 and it should work fine.  He wont
be in range of any particular local area to be too much
of a problem for very long...

>> ... that is why I recoemmend WIDE2-2 as a univerasal path..
>
>If the IGATE is only one hop than WIDE2-2 is QRM,

I don't see 2 hops as QRM.  THe purpose of APRS is not
just to hit an IGate.  It is to see what is around you and
in VHF range of you... and to announce  your presence
to your fellow APRS users and travelers that might want
to QSO.   2 hops is not QRM.  In any area that it IS QRM,
then the digi's in that area will be "1 hop" digis that will
truncate it to 1 hop (a 1 hop digi is easy to do with any
existing APRS digi our there)..

> if the IGATE is 3 hops then the "universal path" doesn't 
>hit the IGATE. Besides that IGATE can be converted to 
>a directed path and is not flooding like WIDE2-2. 
>So WIDE2-2 is wasting much more bandwidth than IGATE 
>would have. IGATE is more universal than what you are 
>proposing and causes much less QRM. Besides 
>that, it is clear what the user wants.

But I do APRS for the RF network.  I am not interested in 
the internet.  When I am mobile, I expect to see everyone 
around me.  That is what the hobby is for.  To QSO hams.
If all somone wants is to be tracked on FINDU and he does
NOT want to be seen by anyone else within his ALOHA
circle, then I'd think he would be better of with a 
comercial service and not bother with HAM radio where
the objective is to enjoy the hobby with others...

>> Very simple, look at your radio.  Look at the digis listed on the
>>front panel.  Click on it.  See the STANDARD nomenclature
>> for that digi.  If it says R,W3,S3, then that means that
>> WIDE3-3 or SS3-3 is recommended in that area and anything
>>larger will be truncated.  etc...  Very easy, very intentional,
>
>While driving?

Yes.  Most D700 users mount the remote control head at eye
level for heads-up display.  If the operator is afraid to press
the OK button to select the details about a digi, he can simply
wait for the next 10 minute ID of the digi to appear and it will
FLASH on the front panel with the W3 or whatever
recomendation for 10 seconds.  A totally hands-off way
to learn what the "N" value is for the area.

de WB4APR, Bob