[aprssig] South/central virginia and Tennessee

[Keith VE7GDH]

Stephen K1LNX wrote...

> there are a couple of assumptions I have that I believe add to part of
> the problem here:
>
> 1. High level digipeaters (mountaintop) should not respond to Wide1-1,
> that is what fill ins are for? We have several that respond to it....

I would have to disagree there. While there will sometimes be WIDE1-1
fill-in digs in the valley, you can't count on them being there. If the
high WIDEn-N digis didn't also respond to WIDE1-1 and the mobile station
didn't happen to hit a fill-in digi, it wouldn't go anywhere. If the
WIDE1-1 digi and the WIDEn-N digi both fire off at exactly the same
time, no harm is done.

> 2. Repeater objects. I plan on implementing this myself on a fill-in
> digi, not the standard I know, but better than nothing. I am
> considering a 2 hop path to blanket the area. I will be setting up a
> simplex IRLP/Echolink node soon on 440 that I will be beaconing as
> well. Ideally I think just one high level digi should implement this
> for the repeater that is used most often in this area.

Why not just install the IRLP APRS status script? It will generate an
object for the node on the fly that will tell others the frequency, the 
status (idle, connected to, disabled etc.) and then get the local IGate 
to gate it to RF... preferably direct or via one hop if it's appropriate 
for that area. It would really depend on the kind of coverage the IGate 
itself has. I would tend to reserve digi-generated repeater objects to 
regular repeaters that aren't capable of beaconing their actual status.

> I've been using APRS for two years now and I still can not understand
> my local network. My gripe is that their have been standards put into
> place that have been suggested for use and they aren't. It makes it
> difficult for end users such as myself to figure out the "best path"
> to get a packet out.

It can be difficult! Just use WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1 wherever you go. It will
work most places. If you happen to be in an area where digis are still
using obsolete settings, too bad. They will (hopefully) one day be
updated, or they will just die and be replaced by digis with up-to-date
settings. Of course, you don't have to wait for them to die. Just put in
an appropriately located fully-compliant WIDEn-N digi and use that
instead of the obsolete digi.

> How can I as a user make APRS better in my area? I encourage everyone
> I know that uses APRS to run the suggested settings, but I still feel
> like it's a constant uphill battle.....

Keep on encouraging! Be diplomatic. Try and encourage new people to get
into APRS... for the right reasons. Use the recommended settings even if
you are surrounded by obsolete digis. It will take time, but we are
getting there. It's all downhill once we get to the other side!

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