Fwd: Re: [aprssig] APRS routing strategies (3-3 or 2-2?)

[Robert Bruninga]

>>> henk.de.groot at hetnet.nl 2/17/05 6:00:46 PM >>>
Robert Bruninga schreef:
> Absolutely he should!  He should be using 3 if he
> needs to go 3 hops and he should never use
> 5 as he will QRM too much area...

>How does the user know he needs 3 hops while driving 
>down the highway where sometimes he needs 1 and 
>sometimes he needs 4 hop to hit an IGATE. 

Very simple. 

*** We assume he is a Ham and has at least a clue about
VHF radio range.  

***Then he looks around him.  If he  sees Mountains then 
he knows that other fellow hams who cannot resist mountains 
has probably installed an APRS digipeater on one of them.  
And if so, then the range might be 50 miles or more.  If not, then
the range might be 20 miles or less.

*** Then this same sentient being also knows whether he
is 20, 50, 100, or 300 miles from the nearest city.

*** Since almost EVERY city in the USA has APRS and
at least one IGate, then he can do the mental math
of whether 1 hop, 2 hops or 3 hops will probably 
get him to the Internet (if that is his objective).

*** If he is so cluless about the range of his VHF radio,
he probably shouldnt be licensed to use it.  If he is so clueless
about where he is, he should look at a map...  If
he is so clueless how to think these things together,
and is just an internet appliance operator, then he can 
always look at the very nice dummy map we have put 
together for him on the New n-N Paradigm web page:

http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprs/usamapfu.gif 

where it is obvious to the most casual observer what
path is probably appropriate where...

>Even if he could read it from a front pannel and punching 
>it in while doing 60 mph, by the time he activates it the 
>value is already obsolete.

Its a big country.  I'd say that 80% of its AREA is safe for
WIDE4-4.  I'd say that 90% of it is safe for WIDE3-3 and
100% of it is safe for WIDE2-2.  On a five day drive from
New York to LA on Interstate you might have to change
your path twice. 

In NY CIty, start with WIDE2-2 to be gentlemenly with
your use of spectrum.  THen 3 hours later in PA, switch
to WIDE3-3.  Then 2000 miles later and 5 days later
shift to WIDE2-2 as you enter LA.   This is really not
rocket science...

de Wb4APR, Bob