[aprssig] RE: New Local Info Initiative

[Robert Bruninga]

> One of the APRS digis here in NJ has phenomenally wide 
> coverage, so much so that it surpasses the coverage 
> range of several voice repeaters.,,,
> So, it would seem... NOT be the best station to
> announce a local voice repeater. 

I agree completely.  Let the lower more local digi's do that.
 
> My solution was to have my home KPC3 transmit the object. 
> ...set it to NO hops... and had it beaconing every 
> 3-4 minutes, in hope that someone traveling quickly through 
> my area would see [it]...
> ...I have since discontinued transmitting the object.

Yes, I agree it is best to take that off the air.  Your home
station was covering so little area as to make the effort not
worth while, and the high rate was added QRM that collided at
the local digi's with other local traffic that you could not
hear.

This is why it is best to let the DIGI's do this, since they can
hear the channel and avoid the collisions and also they are high
enough so that a 10 minute rate should inform a 60 MPH traveler
reasonably well. 

Also, I have cleaned up the LOCAL INFO INITIATIVE web page
significantly today, and added some images and some links to
Voice Alert and other mobile applications.

Bob, WB4APR

> --- original message ---
> From: "Robert Bruninga" <bruninga at usna.edu>
> 
> This is the launch of the New Local Info Initiative.
> 
> During  my 1800 mile round trip last weekend, I discovered
that
> most digipeaters have not implemented the recommendations of
the
> New-N Paradigm to include the local Voice repeater info in the
> beacon text of their local digipeaters.  These objects are
> supposed to show up on the front panel of the traveler's radio
> so he can see what frequency is recommended in that area that
he
> is passing through.
> 
> Without this info, the passing traveler has no clue where to
> tune his voice radio, and the ARRL repeater directory is
> practically useless because it lists 10,s of thousands of
> repeaters that in most areas have no one listening.  The
> objective of the transmission of an APRS local-repeater-object
> is to tell the passing traveler exactly what one-and-only-one
> local repeater is best for the visiting traveler to either
find
> someone, get local info, or find a QSO on APRS.  See the web
> page:
> 
> http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/localinfo.html
> 
> It is important to note, that this info can be provided at no
> cost to the network and will not interfere nor collide with
any
> other APRS traffic.  It is a free no-load part of APRS.  The
> reason it is a non interfering addition, is because it is
> originated at the digipeater which is listening to the channel
> and will only transmit the object when the channel is
otherwise
> empty.  This pushing of locally valuable info to travelers was
> part of the concept of APRS going back in the 1980's but seems
> to have been lost in recent APRS usage which only seems to be
> focused on mobile vehicle tracking.  APRS is supposed to be
much
> much more.
> 
> APRS is supposed to be the single local resource for all local
> information of IMMEDIATE interest to the local user.  This
does
> NOT mean SPAM from out of area.  This is direct information in
> SIMPLEX range of local users informing them of assets
available
> to them and local activities going on right now.
> 
> I have seen some of these repeaters on the air, but many of
them
> are implemented as objects from home clients and using the
> clients default multi-hop path.  I was driving down I-81 in
> Virginia and got a 440 repeater object from over 100 miles
away
> in a different state.  This is simply QRM and of no value to
> anyone.  Please, only implement these local voice repeater
> objects at the digi, and ONLY if the voice repeater really is
> the one-and-only one that you would recommend to a traveler in
> simplex range of it.
> 
> Anyway, this is a powerful part of APRS.  I think it is time
we
> start getting it implemented properly.  If you havent seen how
> these objects appear to the traveler on his D7 or D700, please
> see the web page above. 
> 
> Thanks
> Bob, WB4APR
> 
> 
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