[aprssig] Voice Alert comments WAS: D700 and D710 settings

Sat May 22 19:27:11 EDT 2010

Concurring, Steve, writes:
Granted:
Yes, (all) the manual(s) do a poor job of explaining some things.  This is one of my original complaints, which, also includes so much info on the net.  People stink at maintaining their web pages.  The Web is a "post-and-forget" world.

I will also clearly state that writing manuals IS NOT EASY, either.

FACT: APRS  ** IS **  complex.  It is not Plug-And-Play.  It is AX.25 with many patches, plug-ins and shoe-horned-in bits and bytes and features -- granted *cleverly done*, but complex.  One MUST learn much to do it right.  

I'm not complaining, just stating a fact that:
A - makes it difficult for beginners (even long-time Engineers used to reading complex specs, like me).
B - Possibly discourages many.

That's life. but it IS compounded by inadequate manual explanations, old info on the web and many mobiles and Digis set up incorrectly.  The D7's APRS extended APRS manual is one of the better ones, but is also dated.

  Hence, my attempt at a Beginner Guide.    http://K9DCI.home.comcast.net  

Now my real point:

. . . . . .   When Voice Alert is ON it *IS* A CQ.  

When you run 100 PL on .39 in the US you  ARE  CALLING  CQ.    AND you are LISTENING for similar CQs...(supposed to be)

That's what it is for.  We don't call CQ with the receiver off. 
 YES...Too many folks don't understand this.
If some of you remember, I designed radios and PL circuitry.  When it was first introduces, EVEN _I_ had it on my radio (thinking I understood it) and couldn't figure out why I was hearing ocassioal packets.  I thought Kenwood had a software bug.  THEN ONE DAY I had a Bart Simpson moment...DOH!!

   S O  ...
I propose changing the name to   "Traveler CQ".  Too late, I know.

> > ... the success of
> > Voice Alert depends upon certain conditions being met
> > My point, ... while Voice Alert is a good idea it is
> > dependent upon all parties involved having their
> radios set basically the same way. 

YEP!  More support for the observation/FACT-of-life that APRS is complex to use (requires user knowledge).

> > And what if there happens to be a third user beaconing nearby? No
> > problem as they are also welcome to reply to a QRZ

YEP ... and he doesn't have to transmit there since he should have heard the first call and subsequent QSL, so if he wants to join (he *was*, after all, also sending Traveler CQs). 
I have listened (in carrier squelsh) over a significant chunk of the country and a rare and single "Let's go to 52." and a "Roger" won't kill any area.  The becons will wait for 2-3 seconds and go on normally.

NOW...  This point I don't get:

> ...Voice Alert isn't for everyone. I understand how it works, 
> but I will never set my D-700 up to use it.
...  OK ...
> A quick, short voice call on the data channel (not even
> waiting for a reply) is all that is needed. Yes, it does add
> to the traffic but only very little.

This seems to argue first for NOT using 100PL then says that a short call on .39 is quite ok.  Did I misintrepret this?  Are you saying that you think the call is ok even though you don't want to use it ...or are you listening to ALL APRS beacons on .39, in order to 'hear the call' ?

--
 73, Steve, K9DCI

FINALLY, an up to date APRS Beginner Guide - 2009.
Direct link:
http://k9dci.home.comcast.net/APRS Beginner Guide - K9DCI Ver 5-1.pdf 
OR (since spaces those may mess up the URL)
  http://K9DCI.home.comcast.net 
    Click the APRS Beginner INFO link under Contact

More Details, Features and Downloads at:
http://home.comcast.net/~k9dci/site/?/page/Amateur_Radio_Control/

  http://k9dci.home.comcast.net/