[aprssig] MIC-E and APRS

[Wes Johnston]

It's a chicken and egg problem... MIC-e would be more popular if more repeaters
supported it, but until it catches on, no one wants to add it to a repeater.

I think we have a push in the right direction here in SC.  The NWS office in
Columbia has installed AGWPE on a machine with two sound cards.  They are able
to pick positons up off the output of upto 4 repeaters at the same time - in
addition to the d700 they are using in packet mode.  This is for use during
skywarn activation.  We are trying to get the skywarn spotters to add tinytraks
in line with their mics.  The NWS would like to see the positions of stations,
and this is a means to that end with the spotters having to only spend the $35
for tiny track, and some more if they don't already have a GPS.... certainly
cheaper than adding a whole 2nd rig for just aprs.

Now I did say this was only for skywarn activities.  That's because none of the
repeaters mute the packet burst and it will surely get annoying to other voice
users on the channel.  I have not seen a voice repeater yet that wouldn't pass
packet tones.

Anyway, long term is that we will have one repeater in Sumter SC on with mic-e
muting in a week or two, and hope to get more going in the coming months.  You
see, we finally have a legimate use for mic-e!! skywarn.

I've written a blurb about how-to add mic-e with muting to your local voice
repeater.  http://www.kd4rdb.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=92  .  If you use the COR
line to mute the packets, you can allow the mic-e users to ping the repeater
with a position report when the repeater is not in use, and it'll never come on
air.

Wes
--



Quoting Earl Needham <needhame1 at plateautel.net>:
>
>          BTW, how common is MIC-E?  I have a gut feeling that it isn't very
> common.
>
>          7 3
>          Earl
>
>
> Earl Needham, KD5XB, Clovis, New Mexico DM84jk
> http://kd5xb-2.no-ip.info