[aprssig] IS-to-RF packet Weighting

[Bob Bruninga]

> As stated before, you are trying to modify the path used 
> on APRS-IS.  As specified, it must be TCPIP* only...  
> Sorry but that is used for a number of things including 
> determining packet origin and determining RF/APRS-IS clashes. 

Understood.  But anything that can find "TCPIP*" only, should also be able
to find "TCPIP*" with something following.  Since this anti-loop detection
is so important, I imagine that programmers may have specified the match
string to be exactly ">TCPIP*:" (demanding the presence of the preceeding >
and trailing : colon) for such a critical function?  The safer detection
would have been to match the minimum critical ">TCPIP*".  Which then would
not be a problem...  Do we know in fact if any clients required the ":" on
the end?

> you are trying to give transmission control to the packet originator, 
> not the station operator (in this case, the IGate operator).  

I wish you would not interpret it that way.  I am giving the ORIGINATOR the
ability to INDICATE his desire and the VALUE of his packets.  The decision
to transmit on RF is entirely the RGATE operator's.  And by having the
ORIGINATOR identify only those packets of value to be RF gated and their
weighted rate value, this enhances the ability of the RGATE operator to
manage his local RF network.

> And, as has been repeatedly stated by myself and others, 
> that is not acceptable when you are telling a ham that 
> he is relinquishing control of his RF station.

I think you are misrepresenting this.  The local RGATE operator has complete
control.  He alone decides what packets and what level of load he passes to
RF.  Same as now, but better.  The ORIGINATOR helps him by specifically
identifying only those packets with RF potential and their rate weighted
value.

> As before, I recommend dropping this concept that an 
> Internet client (most are "unattended" even on smartphones 
> that just sit in their holder) can mandate packets being 
> transmitted on amateur radio frequencies by someone else's 

If they are not moving, then their RATE decays to once every 30 minutes.
Not much of a load on any local network.  And it is not a mandate. The local
RGATE operator chooses to allow it or not, and to what rate and what load
and in what area and to what limits.

Bob, WB4APR