[aprssig] PACCOMM TNC & WIDEn-N clarification

[Brad Smith]

A couple of the local digis are running the old PACCOMM TNCs based on the
specifications on Bob's page at
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprs/PacComm-settings.txt . These aren't my
digis, but I'm one of the alternate "sysops" for the owner.
One of the local home stations was using WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1 in his path, and I
explained that in our area, home stations should get by with just WIDE2-1
(or in some remote cases, WIDE2-2 to hit the city). He responded that if he
used either of those, the digi in question (the only one that hears him
direct) would *not* digipeat him, but if he used the WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1, it
did.
 
I was a bit confused, but in re-reading Bob's page I saw the following:
 
>>>
USERS IN THE AREA OF A PACCOMM DIGI:  All fixed stations in range of 
this digi need to set their outgoing path of WIDE1-1,WIDEn-N where N is 
the common value in the region minus one.  If this is a 3-3 area, then 
use WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2.  If it is a 2 hop area, then use WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1.
<<<
 
So if I'm reading this correctly, anybody trying to go through this digi as
their first hop *must* have WIDE1-1 at the beginning of the path, or else
the paccomm will ignore them. I'm assuming if that's true, then in the "old
days" this would also ignore all packets without "RELAY" at the beginning.
 
Can anybody confirm that my understanding is correct, or educate me as to
why I'm seeing what I'm seeing? Is the next best viable option to look at
getting UIDIGI PROMs burnt for these digis? Is UIDIGI a better option?
 
Thanks;
Brad.
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