[aprssig] Vicinity Tracking

[Lynn W. Deffenbaugh (Mr)]

Robert Bruninga wrote:
>> Hi all, tell my kids how to properly configure 
>> the tracker without using GPS(no GPS) 
>> show examples, thanks!
>>     
>
> Hopefully all of the other APRS sites such as APRS.FI and
> Oaprs.net have it as well.
>
> This Vicinity tracking was fundamental to the original APRS as a
> means of identifying somewhere on the planet the source of a
> packet that entered the APRS system.  With a global system like
> APRS, it is nice to be able to locate any packet (even without a
> position report) to a given digipeater footprint...
>   

Please help out a newbie and tell me how to represent a "vicinity" 
tracked station on a map?  It would seem that no matter where I position 
it, it would appear to have beaconed that position.  (I had the same 
issue with ambiguity, but at least that only goes out to a mile or so)  
Currently, I would place such stations off the coast of Africa (0,0) and 
allow visibility to their most recent raw packet.  A quick Find will 
bring any digi to the map center to get an idea where the station was heard.

If you can describe an idea of how to make it clear that the station 
isn't really where it's being drawn, I'd love to show a more approximate 
position based on the "first" digi in the used path of the packet, 
provided of course that that digi is actually transmitting coordinates!

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - Author of APRSISCE for Windows Mobile and Win32