[aprssig] Re: Tracker Smart Pathing: user types, alternatives

[Robert Bruninga]

My usage or APRS is totally different and has oposite conclusions:

>* Around town - There are never more than one or two users 
>in direct range.  And I don't know them.

I like to see people nearby.  That was what APRS was all about,
to make sure you were aware of everything around you and
especially everything in simplex range!

>  I want a single hop, and that's it.  Direct just causes
>collisions at the digi, anything more than WIDE1-1 is QRM.

No, not if the same rate is used.  Compare apples to apples.
A 1 hop path is about 10 times times the QRM of direct
(assuming a digi with 12 mile range comapred to the 4 miles
(direct range).

>* Road trip when I want family to be able to see where 
>I am Need to get to an Igate.  A WIDE2-2 path is fine 
>unless I'm going out to Utah or something, then I might 
>run WIDE3-3.  I can select between two profiles if I 
>need to.  Again, direct is useless.

Running voice alert, on the open highways, I find it
fascinating to hear another APRS mobile enter within
3 or 4 miles of me and making a quick simplex
QSO.   Crossing at 60 MPH and 3 minute rates, you
may never hear each other.

>* SAR operation with lots of local, tactical traffic
>No need for broad paths at all.  One hop max if 
>there's a digi up.  More likely I'm using timeslotting.

The Proportinal Pathing lets you enter the SAR without
even having to re-program your tracker.  because it
is alredy transmitting locally at a 1 minute rate.

>Using the proposed path rotation scheme really gains 
>nothing,

As long as you are willing to change the settings in your
tracker all the time as you suggest above...  Proportional
pathing works in all 3 while minimizing QRM

> and generates more traffic than I want,

No, it generates less traffic than the same fixed rate.

> compared to just selecting a reasonable fixed path.  

>With the AUTO proposal, on the other hand, I can keep 
>using the same paths I use now, but add AUTO to the end.  
>If I drive into an area that has an AUTO setting defined, 
>it drops the static part of my path and substitutes
>the recommended path.  

So you will be setting ahigher than normal rate ALL the time
so that an AUTO if soeone ever makes one, can cut it back?
That guarantees more QRM to everyone everywhere while
we wait for an AUTO digi...

>If it's not supported, things continue as normal. 

Yes with more hops than are wanted...

de Wb4APR, Bob