[aprssig] pointless text in the status (was: Preparing for a longroadtrip - VA)

[Robbie, wa9inf]

Dave Baxter wrote:

>My five eggs worth......
>
>Plus, if too many people even just start saying "Hi, saw you on my
>screen how goes?" on your APRS frequency, there is even more congestion
>on .390 (or .800 in EU)  Is it not possible to use another frequency
>that will not clag up the data channel?
>
>As for "Just look at the D7 or D700 screen (The D7 only has 2 lines btw)
>to see who caused the beep"  Yeah right...  A fraction of a second after
>one posit arrives, the next one comes in and knocks it out of view.  Not
>a lot of good, and even worse if driving, so don't even think of saying
>just push this, turn that etc...
>
>"VA" is also used here as an abbreviation for our local repeater (GB3VA)
>so could be misconstrued as, "listening on VA".
>
>Also, of course, you could see someone on your GPS screen, flagging that
>they have Voice Alert active, but you'd never contact them by voice, as
>digi's don't pass voice of course!  Just because you are in range of a
>beacon, doesn't automatically mean you are in voice range, that beacon
>could have taken the scenic route (if only 2 or 3 hops) to get to you.
>That situation could be even worse in a built up or hilly area.
>
>Don't get me wrong, Voice Alert is a good useful feature, but sadly I
>can see if you publicise it too much, you could make a rod for your own
>back, when the voice traffic begins to impact the APRS data traffic, all
>on one frequency.  Personally, in the UK, I don't know anyone who uses
>it.  Is there anyone here that does?
>
>Lastly.  The reported bug(?) with TT3's, and the PTT (Anyone spoken with
>Byon?)  You could use SOTT, open sourced so roll your own, etc.  Then
>you can implement whatever PTT scheme you wish.  The last time I looked
>though, it didn't have smart beaconing, but there was much talk about
>it.  That, over a year and a half ago.  I guess Scott will be checking
>his Opentrack behaviour for that "feature", unless he knows it hasn't
>got it from the outset...
>
>73.
>
>Dave G0WBX.
>
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>  
>
Dave, Of course Voice Alert is not digipeated. However, one would not 
hear the Voice Alert if it was out of simplex range, therefore if you 
hear it, you generally  can work it. You do not need to see "who" 
actually broadcasted the voice alert, just briefly ask who is on 144.390 
Voice alert. The other station will hear you and respond and tell you 
what voice channel he is on, then you both QSY.. No harm what-so-ever to 
the aprs frequency for that brief mobile to mobile exchange..

Robbie