[aprssig] Omni DFing...

[Robert Bruninga]

>the only way to get signal strength is via operator 
>intervention so that's kind of a bust too.  I'd have to 
>switch to the same antenna I'm using for APRS 
>and manually get an estimate of signal strength.  

Humhh...  Why change radios?  All we are asking the
APRS operator to do is:

1) QSY his existing radio (1 knob) to the frequency
    of the signal of interest.  And listen.
2) Then asses what he hears on a subjective 0-9 scale.
    No signal meter needed.  Most hams can tell the
    difference between a weak signal and a strong one
    by ear.
3) Then make a single digit report (0-9)

>... it's more convient for me to just use an
>audio "yup" or "nope" than to try to send a message
>or modify my APRS settings.

Yes, an audio report to someone else to enter your
LAT, your LONG, your Antenna Height, your antenna
Gain, your directivity and your signal report into APRS 
may be easy, but not efficient. 

One of the  original aspects  of APRS was that all APRS 
software would make this a trivial one-entry process.
APRS already knows everything needed except your 
1 digit signal strength report.
  
All you should have to do with your APRS software is 
enter just one subjective digit 0-9 and the signal report 
is done.  Since everythig else is already known.  ANd 
it is automtic, and everyone can see the solution instantly
develop  on their own maps.
Done.

>Its a beautiful Friday morning, and if this works for 
>you then it is a wonderful thing.

Thanks.  Yes, it is so very hard to get the average ham 
to respond with signal reports when there is jammer 
or stray signal on the air.  The usual responses are:

1)  Im mobile,
2)  I dont have any DF equipment.
3)  I dont have a beam.
4)  I cant easily listen on the input
5)  I cant remember how to do REV on this rig
6)  Maybe tonight I can do something
7)  I only have an omni antenna...
8)  I'd have to change radios
8)  Get someone with some DF equipment to help
10)  I cant hear anything

*** ATTENTION ***  None of those excuses in any
way prevent that station from giving good valuable
data to help locate the signal.  All we need are:

a) His location
b) His Antenna height, gain, directivity
c) A signal report including the very valuable 0.
d) A map to plot all this data on...

Now, APRS already is transmitting (a) and (b), and
has (d), so all it needs is a single digit -c- from several 
stations to localize the signal.  That is why we 
thought in 1993  that DFing would be equal in scope
in APRS as GPS Tracking and WX.   But so few of the 
APRS clone ("tracking ") programs (except Xastir) 
even include this fundamental aspect of APRS, so 
now, 13 years later, we still hear all the top-10 
excuses and can only find a signal if we call out the 
DF boys....    when it could be so easy...

What we need is someone to write an ad-on to UIvew,
to do this fundmantal APRS DFing technique (as
well as the other ones too)...  Then maybe more
people would enter their PHG (another add-on) and 
be ready to help us localize interfering signals...

And we need JOE-EVERYDAY-HAM to understand
the value of a SIGNAL STRENGTH report (including
ZERO) in localizing signals.  Everyone has an input
then, not just the 1% with beams on a Sunday
afternoon.

Sorry for the soapbox....

de Wb4APR, Bob