[aprssig] APRS Weather hops and rates

[Brian Webster]

One of the things we need to consider here is that the Weather service
offices are using the WX data in many cases, off the air not via the APRS
Internet stream. In Binghamton NY they like the off air APRS because it
gives them a secondary method for obtaining any weather data should their
normal systems become inoperable. In a wide area disaster the internet may
not be up and therefore I-Gates not sending the data. Since the
reorganization and reduction of NWS offices the direct path data would not
reach those offices. I think a 15 min interval and 2 hops is not the end of
the world for many areas.



Thank You,
Brian N2KGC

-----Original Message-----
From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org
[mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]On Behalf Of Robert Bruninga
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 3:37 PM
To: 'TAPR APRS Mailing List'
Subject: [aprssig] APRS Weather hops and rates


I need to make sure I am best representing the Weather
contingent in APRS.

Does the following statement best capture the best interests of
both the weather guys and all the rest of APRS users combined?

"Generally WX stations should transmit weather data once every
10 minutes in the local area only.  A Weather station should
transmit using a local path either direct or at most one hop.
Under the unusual situation where 2 hops may be required, then
the update rate should be reduced to once every 30 minutes.  If
two hops are needed just to get to a NWS station or an Igate,
then a generic/directed path of WIDE2-1,DIGIX should be used in
that one direction."

I recognize that early on stations tended towards a 5 minute
rate, and I am not making any suggestion that they be taken off
the air.  But for the basis of new designs, is the above
statement fair to everyone?

I assume that if a specific WX station is that important, then
there should be an igate nearby to get the data direct rather
than reducing the reliability of all other users and wather
stations by using long hops.

Is the above generally agreed by all parties?
Bob


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