[aprssig] 6 m APRS

[Kenneth Finnegan]

6m APRS is a pretty interesting idea. I try and keep my events on UHF
repeaters, but we inevitably end up needing VHF simplex frequencies (I
shake a fist at the CA UHF band plan), so getting something off of 2m/440
would be pretty nice.

Just to make sure, we're talking about 1200baud Bell 202 on a 25kHz channel
here? 50.620MHz is listed as the packet calling frequency, but I suspect
anyone building an APRS network on it would be more use on that frequency
than even the packet calling frequency has seen in the last decade anyways,
and APRS is kind of packet calling-ish, so we're ok with that? I've gotten
chewed out for putting a 20 minute interval voice beacon on 2m calling
before, but as far as I can tell there's no winning on 146.520 anyways...

I've spent a few minutes trying to sketch out a few different
configurations you might want for cross-routing between 144.390 and 6m like
Jess is talking about, and I keep coming back to the fact that APRS is
meant to be local only, so there isn't much argument for dense mode
flooding between 144.390 and a longer range band. I also don't think I'd
recommend users to start setting up their trackers with 7 hop paths to
begin with. That just seems like something that would ultimately want to be
changed to a 2 hop path in the unlikely scenario a network actually
materializes on 50.620MHz.

Sharing objects/messages between EOCs seems like the most likely use case
(after headless trackers), which I think is in line with Bob's proposal for
it being primarily a headless tracker band. A network consisting entirely
of headless trackers and terminals/I-gates on the network at EOCs for
viewing the headless trackers and trading messages with the limited number
of other terminals on the band. No weather stations, no

There might be an argument for routing traffic from the 6m net to 144.390
with the entire path trapped (so it only goes out direct), but that's
probably only for areas for want of more traffic on 144.390. Any area with
already decently mature APRS traffic levels would probably only use 6m as
an I-gate-only net and rely on implicit RF-gating to route between the two
bands at best.

--
Kenneth Finnegan
http://blog.thelifeofkenneth.com/

On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 8:04 AM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu> wrote:

> We think that 6m APRS is an ideal applicataion... especially when 100W
> mobile low-band surplus radios are so cheap.  A guy got 100 of them for $10
> each.  But then he had to modify them and add TNC's.
>
> Although this is ideal for mobile for longer distances than 2m, the problem
> is there will never be enough infrastrucuter for travel out of area except
> in local areas that embrace it.
>
> A better idea for 6m radio is for emergency APRS communications at all
> operatinos centers.  Hams will want to use 2m and 70c bands for voice and
> so
> we do not want APRS messaging and tactical situational awareness objects to
> interfere.
>
> SO best to have 6m APRS at all emergency comms sites as a 3rd band for
> interchange between all emergency comm sites.  The sites will of course,
> MONITOR 144.39 national frequency so they can see all incoming APRS
> tactical
> situation, but their messaging between emergency centers on 6m would not
> interfere with other voice ops on 2m and 70cm.
>
> Bob, WB4aPR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ve2gqf at gmail.com [mailto:ve2gqf at gmail.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 06, 2017 10:46 AM
> To: WB4APR at amsat.org
> Subject: 6 m APRS
>
> Hi Bob,
>
> My name is Gilles, VE2GQF and live in Sherbrooke, Québec and an aprs
> enthousiat since the begening !
>
> We are interested to try APRS on 6 m band in Quebec province. Is it a good
> idea ? Is this mode on this band is always used ?  Internet seem to be have
> no large information about it ?
>
> I'm going to Florida in few days, is there always any 6 m APRS Igate near
> Washington and  Georgia - If yes I will transmet APRS 6 m beacon in my
> trip.
>
>
> Thank's for your answer and sorry if my english is not good, this is not my
> first langage.
>
>
> 73's Gilles ve2gqf
>
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