[aprssig] RE: APRS User Activity Bit

[kb2scs at optonline.net]

HI All
           APRS-SCS displays the call signs of the stations on its 
map in different colors. The colors provide information about the 
stations on the map. The colors match APRSdos symbol colors.

In other words bright white call sign the station is APRS message 
capable.

On 9 Mar 2005 at 14:10, Bill Herrmann wrote:

> Well, the activity bit is only part of the answer. If you check the 
table
> at the beginning of chapter 5 in the APRS spec (The one that says 
"APRS
> Data Type Identifiers.") you'll see that messaging capability is 
one of
> the things called out there too. My suspicion is that some of the 
client
> software does not distinguish between those and should. Check "!" 
and "="
> or  "/" and "@" for examples. Each pair means the same type of data 
but
> specifies whether the station supports messaging capability.
> 
> Curt - We may want to add something to the client capabilities 
chart to
> indicate whether program X distinquishes between stations that can
> message.
> 
> Personally, I'd like to see APRS client software better distinguish
> whether a station is message capable and possibly even warn you if 
you try
> to send a message to one that isn't. (and I'm gonna have to look at 
the
> various APRS applications that I have to see which do that as I 
don't
> know!)
> 
> Bill
> 

Let us hope we never witness the "Silence Of The Hams"
73 DE John  KB2SCS
       E-Mail:            kb2scs at arrl.net
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