[aprssig] -IS to RF Igating reloaded (Was: APRS on Android)

[Max Harper]

The problem as I see it is if you are on RF then you also
appear on APRS-IS, but if you are using one of the smart 
phones then you only appear on APRS-IS. I was looking here
 
http://www.aprs-is.net/IGateDetails.aspx
 
and it looks like the functions of the igate are pretty 
simple. Now what if these functions where moved to the 
servers. Using a Kiss tnc, a small microprocessor and a 
serial to Ethernet converter (terminal server) the
microprocessor would establish the connection to the
server and identify the station with a call-sign and 
location and any other options.
 
Once the connection was made the server would have a remote
kiss tnc and would have complete control over what was
sent back out over RF. Then if a station was using a
smart-phone to send out positions the server could send
that back out the nearest igate to RF without any
reconfiguration of the Igate. Any user wanting to see
what is going on around them would use their favorite
APRS software to connect to the APRS-IS just like normal.
 
A PC running 24/7 that consumes 100 watts costs about
$10 a month and most PCs draw more than that. I would
gladly pay $10 dollars a month to the server operator
to not have to worry with keeping a PC running for an Igate.
Yes there would be the initial costs of the microprocessor
and terminal server, but it would be allot cheaper than
maintaining a PC and I don't think it would increase
the load on the servers very much. But I could be wrong. It
would also help offset the expenses incurred by the server
operators. 50 users x $10 (month) = $500 to the server 
operators. Also when the software on a server gets an
update, all its users get updated.
 
I know this is wishful thinking on my part and may not ever 
happen, or it might not even be possible, but it might solve
a lot of present and future problems.
 
Just thinking out loud.
 
Max KG4PID
 
P.S. I have been using a terminal server for over a year
now to drive a remote display for my weather station. It
handles dropped connections very well. As long as it
has power it makes the connection, logs on, sends the
filer command and waits for incoming data from my
weather station. If it gets disconnected, after a couple of
minutes it reconnects on it own. 



      
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