[aprssig] are write-only APRS-IS clients valid? (dynamic Map?)

[Robert Bruninga]

>> If I had the skills, what I would like to see is a map of the USA of
>> all digipeaters with their PHG circles shaded yellow.  Then all such
>> PHG circles that enclose a 2-way IGate to be shaded green, and all PHG
>> circles that do not have a 2-way, but do have a 1-way Igate to be
shaded red.

> ... Maybe Lynn could do this for us, but with actual coverage data.
> He is the keeper of some valuable data!

Actually, anyone can get the data.  Just monitor an unfiltered stream for
say 4 hours and one should have all the data needed.  (writing code to
make sense of it all is the challenge).  If a digi or IGate does not show
up in the APRS-IS in 4  hours, it is so unreliable for the purpose of this
test  as to not be worth knowing about anyway.

> I know of digis in my state that don't reach igates or at least don't
always reach igates.

Yep.  Then by definition, the network is "not working for messaging" in
that area.  Fix that problem first.

>> Then everyone could see how the network is "working".  To me, the lack
>> of 2-way Igates in range of most digis is the #1 problem in APRS.
>> A brute force method might be to have some 2-way CZAR algorithm in the
>> middle of the night, originate "messages" to each digipeater...

> The messages would need to originate on RF.
>  If the message originated from APRS-IS, it would be gated to RF
> as a 3rd party packet, and therefore not passed by any receiving igates.

Drats!  I knew there was a reason why this wouldn't work or  we would have
done it by now.  Anyone have another idea?

 If not, then it is time for APRS-IS 1.1 and have a means for knowing
itself.  We now have new ACTIVE code writers for clients, and Pete is hard
at work maintain theAPRS-IS so maybe those great minds can agree on some
kind of APRS-IS construct that CAN work to make the network self aware.

Ideas?

Bob, Wb4aPR