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On 3/1/2010 10:05 AM, Michael Singewald wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:c2f8dc1003011005n5fdfd3bdk3042fb6e6403357f@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">My APRS call is N1PLH-7 and I am in the zipcode of 06855.
I believe that I may be able to receive a Wide 2 digi if I were using a
mobile or base, however, I am only using a portable VX-8DR at the
moment and I hear the local Wide 1 digi (WX1CT) just fine.<br>
<br>
I am still just learning how to interpret paths as shown on APRS.fi and
on my radio. I am not even sure how determine which digis are Wide 1
or 2. <br>
</blockquote>
<br>
You have to be able to see the symbols for the various
digipeaters either on a map, or on your display screen. Lookup their
own calls on APRS.FI or findu.com The
six-pointed green star "digipeater" symbol will be overlaid with
different
letters or numbers depending on whether it is a low-level home WIDE1-1
or a high-elevation wide-area WIDEn-N. The digi's own periodic beacon
may also make it clear what kind it is. <br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:c2f8dc1003011005n5fdfd3bdk3042fb6e6403357f@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite"> I can check for paths that they might be included in and
see if there call is in the first or second slot, but is that the best
way?<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
1) WIDE1-1 should ONLY be in the first hop of your outgoing
transmit path setting.<br>
<br>
2) Low-level home fill-in WIDE1-1 digipeaters ONLY respond to
WIDE1-1. <br>
<br>
3) True high-level WIDEn-Ns respond to all values of n and N
including
WIDE1-1. It doesn't matter if your first hop hits a home digi or a
wide digi -- any system within direct range of your transmitter will
repeat the FIRST hop of
your packet. <br>
<br>
4) The following HOP(s) [i.e. any entry(s) in your path setting
after the first one] will (or should)
ONLY be processed by high-level WIDEn-N digis. The assumption is that
once
your packet has been assisted by a nearby home station in reaching a
high-level more distant WIDEn-N, that other WIDEn-Ns will be able
to hear the first WIDEn-N. <br>
<br>
5) Since ANY digipeater can respond to the first hop, there is no
obvious way, looking at the transmitted path on APRS.FI (or your own
receiver), to tell what kind of digi processed the first hop. The
following hops (if any) will normally only be true wide-area WIDEn-N
digis.<br>
<br>
Note that the path list, as you transmitted it, will be re-transmitted
at each hop. The key is to note whether a given hop is marked as
"USED" with an asterisk (*) next to it. Depending on the
sophistication and settings of each digipeater, you may also see "real"
callsigns replacing (or in addition to) the generic WIDEn-N
"callsigns". <br>
<br>
For a full discussion of
digipeater principles and path settings,see my web page at:<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths"><http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths></a> <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:c2f8dc1003011005n5fdfd3bdk3042fb6e6403357f@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite"><br>
So, I need to know how I can tell which type of digi is which (Wide 1
or 2), and then how I can see if I can hear that particular station
directly. Or, am I going about this all wrong to try and understand
the network in my area?<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
Each digi beacons periodically. By monitoring for a while, you
should be able to tell which digis if any, you can hear. The path of
these incoming beacon packets should tell you whether you heard them
directly, or via another digi. Of course, you must BE ABLE TO RECEIVE
to determine this; i.e. dumb transmit-only trackers can't give you this
information.<br>
<br>
<br>
Each time your radio transmits, if you then see one incoming report
with your own packet when your radio unkeys, you can tell that at least
one digi re-transmitted your signal. If a few moments later, you see
a second retransmission of your own packet, you can tell that a second
digi heard the first one and re-transmitted again on another hop. Of
course, if the second digi is too far away for you (on the ground) to
hear directly, it may re-transmitting the first one (that you did
hear), but you WON'T hear the second one yourself. <br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:c2f8dc1003011005n5fdfd3bdk3042fb6e6403357f@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite"><br>
Another thing, I Gates are nice, but I am a bit of an RF snob and it is
too bad a couple of the local stations are only I Gates that receive.
As I drive through these areas, my radio hears nothing, but my packets
are making it to the internet only.<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
There is nothing you can do about this. Other than crusade for more
local APRS activity at your local radio club.......<br>
<br>
<br>
<hr size="2" width="100%"><br>
--<br>
<br>
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com <br>
EchoLink Node: WA8LMF or 14400 [Think bottom of the 2M band]<br>
Skype: WA8LMF<br>
Home Page: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net">http://wa8lmf.net</a><br>
<br>
NEW! Universal HF/VHF/UHF Antenna Mounting System<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/mobile/UniversalAntMountSystem.htm">http://wa8lmf.net/mobile/UniversalAntMountSystem.htm</a><br>
<br>
"APRS 101" Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths">http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths</a> <br>
<br>
Updated "Rev H" APRS <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/aprs">http://wa8lmf.net/aprs</a><br>
Symbols Set for UI-View, <br>
UIpoint and APRSplus:<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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