[aprssig] information of voice repeaters on APRS

[Kristoff Bonne]

Hallo Andre,



(inline comments)


On 30-03-13 15:36, PE1RDW wrote:
> Responded inline

>> However, if I am correct:
>> - the information send to the APRS node is not really standardised (it
>> seams to be an "object", but information like frequencies, supported
>> modes, ...) are in freeform text.

> It is very much standardiced, the problem mihgt be that not everyone
> follows that standard: http://www.aprs.org/info/freqspec.txt

Ah! I did remember seeing that spec, but when I looked for it later on, 
I didn't find it anymore.

However, it only seams to be related to FM repeater. How would one use 
this for D-STAR, MotoTrbo, TETRA, or other systems. (I'm interested in 
this because I work on the VHF/UHF modem for codec2 based DV).

What I am also missing is multiband repeaters. Where I live, we have a 
FM repeater with both a 70cm  and a 6 meter transponder (both in 
fullduplex) connected together.






>> - There does not seams to be a way to query the APRS network "give me
>> a list of repeaters"

> Because APRS is primary a local RF network you will have to look localy
> on rf for that info, in places where the digipeater is a TNC sitting
> somewhere the prefered way is for that info to be transmitted every 10
> minutes, in places where the local digipeater is on a PC then it is
> simply a matter of activating a QRU server on that, DigiNed has had that
> for years and is very capable and I understand software like aprs-IS/32
> can give QRU functions as wel, using a centraliced QRU server on
> internet is troublesome for this because you can not send a directed
> object to someone (technicaly you can but no current aprs capable radio
> I know of handles objects in messages correctly)

Well, if there is a standard that is flexible enough and that is 
supported abd used by everybody, this should give us more cloud to go 
the radio makers and tell them "this is the standard, it's now up to you 
to implement it".


> Some info can be found on http://www.aprs.org/localinfo.html but for
> some reason bob never puts any info on digined on his pages.

Well, if I look at this from the point of view of a handheld, I'm not 
interested in listening in on the APRS frequency all the time. What 
would be ideal is that you just do a query on 144800, get one or 
multiple replies and then QSY to the actual repeater-frequency.

So a "query" based system would probably be the most usefull.





>> There also seams to be a type-of-object "voice repeater", but I cannot
>> find the exact information in the specification on what is exactly in
>> there?
>> Does it also contain information like modes; is it extendable towards
>> digital voice (including non-D-STAR systems)

> That would be frequency format it can be used for anything you want
> including irlp echoling dstar voice nets etc. the reason it is not in
> the current specs is because it is an proposed extention, maybe time to
> go over the 1.2 proposals add the non controversial additions to the
> specs and wrap it all up in a complete specs so people don't have to go
> hunting all around for what has changed after the 1.01 specs pdf.

OK, but if I look at the speed of new features appearing on DV (like the 
CCS function of the D-STAR repeaters, TETRA repeaters, Mototurbo 
repeaters), I'm a bit pluzzled how to fit all this into a spec "carved 
into stone".

Why not simply use XML?



73
Kristoff - ON1ARF