[aprssig] Please, standardize UTF-8 for APRS (was: Future Concept for APRS)

[Matti Aarnio]

On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 08:14:48PM -0400, Robert Bruninga wrote:
> 
> > Which means a 256 character message 
> > could take 256 bytes in ASCII, 256, 
> > 512, 768, or 1024 bytes in UTF-8 
> > (1 to 4 bytes per char).
> 
> No, because the longest text string in APRS is 67 characters
> (now suggested to limit at 64 as a more binary round number...)
> Which with 4 bytes per, means 256...  It fits...

BoB:  You should really admit to yourself that original specification
      means "67 bytes" when it says "67 characters".

Now do you mean that it is OK to make LOOONG packet transmissions
in order to send messages, and everything else should use minimal
size transmissions?

A 1200 baud AFSK channel is about 150 bytes per second in HDLC data,
and a 256 BYTE (or 64 "character") message with maximum AX.25 header
will take about 2.4 seconds to transmit...

( 256 bytes payload, 9*7 + 10 "bytes" HDLC envelope and preample,
  a few % extra for HDLC bit-stuffing...  -> 360 octets )

> Bob, WB4APR 

73 de Matti, OH2MQK