[aprssig] Broken digis (Ohio to Oklahoma and everywhere inbetween)

[Robert Bruninga]

Several missconceptions that need to be addressed:

> It all seems like a lot of fuss to me. 
> I'm not sure that the new paradigm is necessary 
> in every locale.

Actually it is, if we want to provide a consistent service to
ham radio operators and mobiles everywhere, especially
travelers.

> ... since the changeover, the ONLY place 
> I can see that I've been digipeated at all 
> is on my own digipeater W0APR-3...
> I have no way of verifying that I am even 
> being seen/heard. 

The new-N paradigm is fully traceable.  That is one of its
significant advantages compared to before.  If your packet is
digipeated, then yoru radio should display MYPACKET just like it
did before as confirmation of your getting out.

> You can't even Ping a path any longer to verify 
> whether you are being heard or not with the new 
> system. 

I don't understand.  With new-N being fullly traceable, the
network is now much more easy to verify and trace packets.  You
can still ping packets and they should arrive with the full path
taken.

> Now in the Kansas City area we USED to have 
> quite a few low-power home stations...
> Without the availability of RELAY those stations are 
> potentially out of the picture! 

Simply not true.  Those stations simply change their RELAY
setting to WIDE1-1 and they can still operate as a home-fill-in
digi exactly as before.  The network works exactly as before.

> Regrettably the network is no longer truly open 
> in this area and new users who may come on-air 
> can't communicate they quickly lose interest.

The advantage of the new-paradigm, aside from providing a
consistent service to travelers everywhere, is that it vastly
simplifies APRS for everyone including newe users.  There is
only one recommended seting for digipeating.  Use WIDEn-N with
an appropriate N for your area.  This vast simpllification of
APRS to make user education easier was a primary mission of the
New-N Paradigm.

Hope we can get this info to the powers that be in the KC area.

Bob, WB4APR