[aprssig] What settings for igate?

[Robert Bruninga]

>> Currently I am only transmitting my fixed position 
>> once/hr, with a "house" icon.  

There are two standard net-cycle time expectations for APRS.
That is every 10 minutes for local direct or 1 hop activities,
special events and real-time things going on with real people
actually monitoiring.  The second is once every 30 minutes for
the larger area (2 hops).  If you are beaconing less often, then
it may appear that your station is inactive.

> I have hills on two sides.  The antenna currently is a twin 
> lead Jpole hanging on the wall in the shack, on the first 
> floor of the house.  Height above the street level is about 
> zero (the lot slopes down).  Power is 5 watts.  There is a 
> good digi and igate 21.3 miles from here (K6FGA-1)
> on Banner Mt.  

If your valley has even one highway running through it, you
station/igate could be the only source for a good position or
message packet from a traveler going  through the area.  But
just putting your antenna up on the roof and outside should pick
up 10 dB or more.

> A number of the postings related to old vs new addressing 
> (wide vs wide n-n) talk about needing to upgrade the
> hardware (TNC, presumably). 

Only  applies to stand-alone digipeaters.  Has nothing to do
with home stations.

Bob, WB4APR