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

[Jason Winningham]

On May 30, 2006, at 11:34 PM, A.J. Farmer (AJ3U) wrote:

>  I just don't see the point in announcing it as part of your status 
> text.

That hits one of my pet peeves - pointless nonsense in the status field.

A personal message is fine, a town name or email address is great, but 
why in the world would station AB1CDE use "AB1CDE" as the status text?

UI-View's default status must be {UI-View a.bc} or some such.  If 
UI-View uses the destination call correct, all that information is 
already in the packet without wasting most of the status text dispaly 
on a D7 or D700.

Probably the worst is WinAPRS, which has program name, version number, 
and some abbreviated form of location that turns out to be just 
garbage.  Here's an example:

WinAPRS 2.5.1 -ALDALOZARK   -251-<520>

OK, we're apparently told 3 times what version of WinAPRS is running: 
once in the destination call and twice in the status.  Maybe <520> is a 
build number?  Who knows.  what is ALDAOZARK?  some reverse engineering 
and map browsing will eventually tell you that this cryptic string 
means the station is in Ozark, AL, Dale County.  The coordinates in the 
packet already gave me that information.

I'd like to be clear I do not blame users for the defaults that the 
_developer_ includes.  I'm certainly not picking on the station whose 
status text I copied (note I didn't include the call).


Rant mode off.  Sorry, just couldn't hold that one in any longer. (:

-Jason
kg4wsv