[aprssig] UI-VIEW Inet to RF messaging

[Keith VE7GDH]

Andrew VK4TEC

> What do I have to do to UI-View to make it pass messages from INET
> to RF for just messages in our area? Is it pass vk4* messages only?

Nope... with the IGate enabled and otherwise configured (enabled i.e. "open
the gateway", insert station callsign, gate local messages, possibly use
reverse digi path unless you specify one in EDIT IGATE.INI, transmit IGate
status, connected to an APRS server with a validated connection etc.) just
go to FILE - EDIT IGATE.INI and set "max digis for local" to something
appropriate for your area like 0, 1, or 2 etc. and that's it. If the
recipient has beaconed and made it to your IGate, messages from anywhere
else in the world to that station that make it to another IGate will be sent
to you and your IGate will send the message out on RF. Without a checkmark
in GATE LOCAL MESSAGES, UI-View won't gate messages out on RF.
If you don't have "use reverse digi path" enabled you could enter a path in
EDIT IGATE.INI... e.g. WIDE2-2 or even specific digis depending on the
topography in your area. From the help...

     Gate local messages - If  you check this option, then any messages
     seen in the internet data stream for stations local to you will be
     transmitted on the appropriate radio port. A local station is one
     that is being heard on a radio port but not being heard on the
     Internet.

and

     Max digis for local - Specifies how many digis a frame can pass through
     and the sender still be regarded as a local station. The default of 0
     means that only stations heard direct are regarded as local. You can
     effectively disable the checking by putting any number greater than
     eight, because no AX25 frame should ever pass through more than
     eight digis.

If it's a long way, i.e. multi-hops to the next IGate, set it to a larger
number, but in populated areas, a low number would be more appropriate.
Setting it to zero means you would have to have heard the recipient direct
before you would gate traffic to that station. Setting it to 1 or 2 means
that station would have to be no more than one or two hops away from you
before you would send it out on RF. If you are on a hilltop, zero might be
appropriate. If it is 4 hops to the next IGate, setting it to 2 or 3 would
probably be best. In areas where the frequency is very busy, you won't
have much success with more than one or two hops in any case, but if
the frequency is very quiet, chances of success with "max digis" set to
a larger number might be might be a bit better.

73 es cul - Keith VE7GDH
--
"I may be lost, but I know exactly where I am!"