[aprssig] Another Source of Network Overload ?? -- Too Many WX Stations Close Together.

[Phillip B. Pacier]

This is one reason why I'm testing a low-level 9600 baud system in So. 
Cal.  One of my proposals was to have the massive number of RF weather 
stations, which are fixed point stations, use the 9600 baud RF network 
to send their packets.  I currently have the 9600 channel (which has 
QSYd to 438.975 since my last post) set up as an IGate to feed the 
internet stream.  It would be one way in which 9600 works well.  Then, a 
local network could designate certain weather stations to be repeated on 
2m (or use the ones who are unable to switch to 9600 baud).  Something 
like that; like I said, it's an idea and we're testing.

BTW, I have eliminated the blanket gating to the 144.39 1200 network.  
Since the 438.975 channel is now an IGate, it will pass messages between 
the 1200 and 9600 networks only when necessary.

73
Phil - AD6NH

Stephen H. Smith wrote:

>I am currently in a Denver motel room (waiting for a car repair after 
>skidding off I-76 during Tuesday's storm) monitoring APRS via the 
>Internet stream.
>
>Looking at the area around me here in the Denver area, I was struck by 
>the huge number of weather stations located very close together.
>
>Here's a map captured from UI-View after listening to the APRS internet 
>stream for less than 3 minutes!
>
>     http://members.aol.com/wa8lmf/aprs/DenverAPRS_WX.gif
>
>[ I have filtered out over 30 non-RF Citizens Weather stations that were 
>also on the map. ]
>
>
>Allowing for the fact that some are up in the Front Range thousands of 
>feet above the plains but only a few miles farther west, there still 
>seem to be an excessive number located in the flatlands along I-25.
>
>
>1)  Note the cluster of 4 in the area between Longmont and Fort Collins 
>at the north end of I-25 on this map.
>
>2)  Note 4 of them within about 10 miles of each other just north of 
>Colorado Springs.   Surely the weather can't be that different in 
>locations 5 or 10 miles apart on the plains.
>
>I've noticed this proliferation of close-spaced WX stations in other 
>urban areas as well as I drive cross country.
>
>
>
>Do we really need this many this close together?
>
>
>
>
>Stephen H. Smith                wa8lmf (at) aol.com
>
>Home Page:                      http://wa8lmf.com
>
>New/Updated Symbols for         http://members.aol.com/wa8lmf/ham
>UI-View and APRSplus:
>
>
>
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