[aprssig] Balloons abusing our network (the network)

[Robert Bruninga]

> A balloon is JUST ONE STATION added you your local network.
> …If that "abuses" "your" network then you have problems in your local
> network.

True.

* Any balloon on 144.39 more often than 1/minute is NOT WELCOME just like
any other user at such high rates

* A balloon sending the WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1 is BAD, BAD, BAD.

* A balloon that can adjust its beacon at altitude is GOOD.

* But a balloon with a 1 minute fixed rate and a single path of WIDE2-1 is
not bad and is just another local user.

If every digipeater in an area digipeates these 1 minute packets separately
and discretely and seems to be overloading the local channel, then the
problem is in the local DIGIPEATERS.  Not the 1 minute user.

APRS NETWORK FRATRICIDE: Generally, all APRS digipeaters are supposed to
transmit immediately and all at the same time. They should NOT wait long
enough for each one to QRM the channel with the same copy of each packet.
NO, APRS digipeaters are all supposed to STEP ON EACH OTHER with every
packet. This makes sure that everyone in range of a digi will hear one and
only one copy of each packet. and that the packet will digipeat OUTWARD and
not backward. The goal is that a digipeated packet is cleared out of the
local area in ONE packet time and not N packet times for every N digipeaters
that heard the packet. This means no PERSIST times, no DWAIT times and no
UIDWAIT times. Notice, this is contrary to other packet systems that might
want to guarantee delivery (but at the expense of throughput).

APRS is unique.  It wants to clear the channel quickly to maximize
throughput.

Yes, there is a penalty to pay for a station that hears two digipeaters
equally and who will always hear a collision.  But then the responsibility
is on THAT USER to position his antenna so that he always hears his local
digi at least 10 dB stronger than all other digis.  This way, he will always
hear one copy of every packet, even if there is a collision.

Bob