[aprssig] APRS Symbol Question

[Stephen H. Smith]

Jeff Dugas wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> I have a little puzzle I'm trying to solve regarding defining my APRS symbol
> in my D700.
>
> If I put in '/(' I believe I'm selecting the symbol for "Mobile Sat
> Station", as defined in the primary table.  This is what is desired.  I can
> verify this by looking on the web in certain places, such as findU.com, it
> shows the little car with satellite symbol.
>
> But at other places, like aprs.fi, I see the "Cloudy" symbol.  The Cloudy
> symbol appears to be in the same position, yet on the alternate symbol
> table, and should correspond to '\('.
>
> Am I doing something wrong?
>
>   

No.  You are just experiencing the basically intractable problem of 
changing/adding APRS symbols. 

Once again (for about the third time in the last week and a half):   

"APRS symbols (icons) are NOT little bit map graphics transmitted 
through the air by each user.   They are images stored ahead of time at 
the RECEIVING end.    All you TRANSMIT is a two-character alpha-numeric 
shorthand code that causes the receiving end to select a symbol from the 
stored set and display it on their map.

To get everyone to see a new symbol requires that **EVERYONE* *update 
the locally-stored symbol set in their programs or hardware devices 
(i.e. GPS displays, Kenwood radios, etc).  Not to mention the online 
services such as findu, aprs.fi, openaprs, etc. 

Further, in some programs, the symbol set is embedded inside the 
compiled .EXE file and is not readily available to be replaced even if 
you were willing to do so. "


*The problem is that many users, applications and web sites are using 
OUT-OF-DATE symbol sets.  If the symbol set they are using is different 
from the one you are using, they WILL NOT show the same thing you see. 

*
------------------------------------------------------------------------

--

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
EchoLink Node:      WA8LMF  or 14400    [Think bottom of the 2M band]
Skype:        WA8LMF
Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.net

JavAPRS Filter Port 14580 Guide
  http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/JAVaprsFilters.htm

"APRS 101"  Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
  http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths

Updated "Rev H" APRS            http://wa8lmf.net/aprs
Symbols Set for UI-View,
UIpoint and APRSplus:

*


*

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