[aprssig] Kenwood T/G-Overlayed Diamond

[Lynn W. Deffenbaugh (Mr)]

On 9/25/2011 9:28 AM, Bob Bruninga wrote:
>
> All&  symbols are Gates, so it makes sense to have a G on it and then to indicate what type with the overlay.

"All" is a bit stretched and apparently isn't really the case, at least 
from http://www.aprs.net/vm/DOS/SYMBOLS.HTM (Last Modification February 
16, 2001):

> Symbol 	PRIMARY SYMBOL TABLE (/) 	ALTERNATE WX TABLE (\)
> ! 	Police, Sheriff 	EMERGENCY (!)
> " 	reserved (had been rain) 	reserved
> # 	DIGI (white center) 	NUMBERED STAR (green)
> $ 	PHONE 	Bank or ATM (green box)
> % 	DX CLUSTER 	
> & 	HF GATEway 	NUMBERED DIAMOND
> ' 	AIRCRAFT (small) 	Crash site
> ( 	CLOUDY 	CLOUDY
>

And I've seen other references that describe \& as a "Numbered 
Diamond".  There are specific mentions of I and R overlays in an older 
version of symbolsX (http://www.aprs.org/aprs11/symbolsX.txt - Revised 
25 Mar 2008) that says:


> \&   OG# OVERLAY GATE I=2way, R=1way

But that's only for two specific overlays (I and R) being Gates.  And 
even the current definition (http://www.aprs.org/symbols/symbolsX.txt 
revised 19 Sep 2011) really only says I, R, T, and 2 overlays are 
implied "Gates"

>   \&   OG# I=Igte R=RX T=1hopTX 2=2hopTX


We talk about expanding the symbol set, and allowing more specific 
overlay definitions, there's GOT to be other uses of a Numbered Diamond 
than just Gates.  Even the "gold standard" symbol set at 
http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/APRS_symbols.htm shows a plain black diamond at 
the \& entry.  And for those of us trying to support and implement this 
stuff, we can only work from what is written down, not what may be 
implied, intended, or even though of.  We can only work from the 
specific words.

Now that I notice, the newest overlay-specific specification from 
http://www.aprs.org/symbols/symbols-new.txt is inconsistent about 
defining the non-overlayed alternates for some symbols, in particular 
the non-overlayed alternate \& is missing from (and should say \& 
Numbered Diamond (the original definition) IMHO):

> GATEWAYS: #&
> /&  = HF Gateway<= the original primary table definition
> I&  = Igate Generic (please use more specific overlay)
> R&  = Receive only IGate (do not send msgs back to RF)
> T&  = TX igate with path set to 1 hop only)
> 2&  = TX igate with path set to 2 hops (not generally good idea)

Just because the most common use was with a G overlay, I personally 
think it was a mistake for Kenwood to make their default base symbol 
appear as if it had a G Overlay when (hopefully, anyway) the actual 
overlay character would be displayed right beside the graphic.

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - Expressing my opinions (and frustrations) here, so 
please don't flame too harshly


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