[aprssig] Packet routing, path specification.

[Curt, WE7U]

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005, Robert Bruninga wrote:

> APRS was designed for rapid path changing to
> meet the immediate needs of the operator.
> APRSdos provided for up to 12 pre-definedd
> specific paths that could be INVOKED on
> each message line by line by a simple two
> character abbreviation at the front of a message
> entry.
>
> NW: Hey john, (northwest of me) did you get that radio?
> SW: sam, where is tht new digi you were talking about
> W2: This is a local messge packet going out WIDE2-2
> DC:  This is a directed packet to Wash DC using the pre
>         defined path to DC
>
> In each case, it took less than 0.1 second for the sender
> of a message line to indicate the path he wanted THAT
> ONE PACKET to go by adding the two digit path
> abbreviation for it.  THe problem is that NONE Of the
> other APRS follow-on clone software implented any of this.

Near as I can recall someone mentioned this facility in APRSdos
recently to me, but nobody put it on our feature request list.  If
it's there, it at least would get considered along with the other
220 active ones on the list.


> They just set a one-path-fits all mentality and the
> result is the mess we see today.  Remember this
> is radio and the rule has always been, use the minimum
> power (read path) to get the job done.  I can not
> help it that other clone software overlooked this
> fundamental aspect of APRS.  and not only that
> but did not even display the PHG data on the map
> so that one could easily SEE the best path to use.

_Some_ other software overlooked this.  We have PHG.  We can also
select the message path on a per-message basis, but it's not done in
the manner that you do it.

        http://www.xastir.org

--
Curt, WE7U.   APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
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