[aprssig] Entering PHG into UIview

[Robert Bruninga]

>What is the correct format for manually entering the PHG 
>info into UI-View?  Should this go in the beacon comment 
>or the status text?

here is the spec from the original APRS digis.txt file

PHGphgd goes as the first part of the position comment
right after the symbol byte.  The "PHG" is just to identify
the next 4 bytes "phgd" of data.  These bytes are the digits
0 through 9 for each of these fields as follows:

  DIGITS   0  1  2   3   4   5   6    7    8    9  as used in the PHG
field
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  POWER    0, 1, 4,  9, 16, 25, 36,  49,  64,  81  watts  SQR(P)
  HEIGHT  10,20,40, 80,160,320,640,1280,2560,5120  feet   LOG2(H/10)
  GAIN     0, 1, 2,  3,  4,  5,  6,   7,   8,   9  dB
  DIR   OMNI,NE, E, SE,  S, SW,  W,  NW,   N,   .  This offsets the
range
                                                   circle in the
indicated
                                                   direction

  THey typical home station might be PHG5230
  Where 5 = 25 watts
  Where 2 = 40 feet above average terrain
  Where 3 = 3 dB typical antenna gain
  Where 0 = omni directional.



-----Original Message-----
From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org
[mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org] 
On Behalf Of Robert Bruninga
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 10:56 AM
To: aprssig at lists.tapr.org 
Subject: Re: [aprssig] Bob B statements

>>> "KK6RW" <kk6rw at kk6rw.com> 1/19/05 4:22:19 AM >>>
>> I'm sorry you see it as arrogance and demeaning, but
>> in Ham Radio, knowing and seeing the approximate relative
>> RF range of communications of stations and assets is
>> fundamental to being  able to communicate in the field.
>> PHG is fundamental to APRS.

>I specifically meant the quote:
>>"But since one of the most popular "APRS" clients doesn't
>>even display PHG ranges to its users, we are ending up with
>>a generation of APRS users who are blind to the APRS RF
>>network, connectivity, loading and proper RF settings."
>
>to be arrogant and demeaning... to describe the APRS client 
>as if Ui-View was not worthy as an APRS client...
>Furthermore, you take a potshot at a program the you know 
>will not be enhanced because of the demise of the author. 

Yes, talking about the shortcomings of UIview  is hard to do.  
Roger was a good friend and he was working towards 
correcting many of these shortcomings, but  that does not 
mean we should sweep them under the rug.  Especially since 
some of these omissions combined with the popularity of UIview
are exacerbating the network overloading problem.

>Roger did have the forethought to build in hooks to allow 
>add-on programs to interface to the Ui-View program. 

Yes, this has been done well to add the ALOHA display and
I hope someone will do this for PHG as well.

>PHG is only as good as the data input to make the calculations.

Which is another problem with UIview.  PHG should be in every
stations Position report.  But UIview has no provision for the user
to enter them or to calculate the PHG characters.  Users have to
do it themselves and manually type it into their position -comment 
text.  Occasionally, with enough typos and errors to make the data
sometimes of no value.

>While the PHG calculation is not automatic, there certainly are 
>ways to get that information should it be needed. 

Yes, I would like to see a push to get all UIview users to 
include their PHG string in their position text so that at least
the rest of us can see their radio ranges..

>the RF assets in a given local are not so fluid that we 
>need to have PHG ranges cluttering up our screens.

They never clutter.  They are not their until brought up with
a single key stroke.  And again, APRS is not for 24/7 static
lights-on-nobody--home operation.  It is for *doing something*
in the field, under varried conditions, and while mobile.  Or
finding alternate paths when a digi goes down.  Or choosing
to digi via a neighbor for a more efficient message path.

>UiView holds approximately a seventy percent share of APRS 
>users and has been the major reason for the influx of the new 
>generation of APRS users. 

Which is why my original statement was made above.
This means that 70% of users are not transmitting their PHG
data, nor able to see it.... a significant impact on APRS.

>Yes, many newcomers don't know all the intricacies of the 
>APRS system but this is where education and local help is 
>needed and available.

After 12 years of APRS we have found that constant
education is good, but that fundamental network stewardshiip
for fairly sharing the network has to be enforced by the
client software for the benefit of all.

>I agree APRS is not an end in itself and serves as a vital 
>tool in Ham Radio for communications needs. I'm not saying 
>you should not complain, only that complaining does not 
>offer any real solutions.

I'm sorry that my "complaints" are taken as bashing, when
they are not intended that way at all.  They are intended to
encourage those that -do- have the talents for doing 
add-ons to UIview, will see the shortcomings and possibly
make additions to meet them.

> The thing is, many of the complaints you have about UiView 
>have been addressed and I'm sure other features will be 
>added as add ons should the pressing need arise.

Yes, what I would like to see  are:
1) A PHG display option that also helps the user set his
    PHG string properly.
2) A "CHECK" program that automatically reviews all
   user settings and compares them to relatively common
   settings to help prevent any abusive settings
3) A smarter "CHECK" program that looks at the
    ALOHA circle, looks at surrounding digis and then
   makes a good guess at the best path and informs
   the user.

>> Someone has to point out the shortcomings that
>> impact us today so that future authors don't make the same
>> significant omissions and just think of APRS as some
>> internet video game...   de WB4APR, Bob

>Your comparison of UiView to an internet video game 
>is again inflammatory. 

I never intended it that way.  I think you are trying to
read into it some bias that is not there.  UIview was
never mentioned in that paragraph and the object
of the phrase was referring to -future- programs
by -future- authors is what I don't want to be thought
of as just an internet video game...

There is so much we can do to improve how APRS
is used and so much we can do with it on RF that we
havent even scratched the surface.  Watch for my AVRS
post later today...

Bob, WB4APR


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