[aprssig] RADIO paths in APRS Servers

[Robert Bruninga]

If I could chime in here... Just to clarify...

> the RF and Internet networks are designed  
> to accomplish the transport, not to provide 
> a traceback.

I would say that is true for the APRS-IS only.  For the RF path,
the New-N paradigm demands full RF traceability on all packets.

> When you hear someone making claims for 
> producing network maps or analysis,  
> look closely at the assumptions being made, 
> they are often not valid.

This is true. Although the New-N Paradigm demands RF traceabilty
(this means ID-callsign-insertion) on all digipeters, there are
still large numbers of digipeaters that are still not New-N
compliant (Some WIDE1-1's will never be).  And as Steve points
out, the APRS-IS will only capture the first packet heard, not
any subsequent paths taken.

But with the New-N Paradigm, the intention is FULL RF
traceability just so that we can get better at producing network
maps and system analysis.  See these excellent plots made by
Lynn KE4ERJ showing our APRS Buoy-4 going from Annapolis MD down
the Chesapeak to the ocean:

www.aprs.org/buoy/BUOY-4-2009-08-02T00.00-2009-08-02T24.00-9.JPG
www.aprs.org/buoy/BUOY-4-2009-08-03T00.00-2009-08-03T24.00-9.JPG
www.aprs.org/buoy/BUOY-4-2009-08-04T00.00-2009-08-04T24.00-9.JPG

Bob, WB4APR