[aprssig] Coverage plots from findu.com data

[Steve Dimse]

On 3/12/05 at 10:17 AM Andrew Rich (VK4TEC) <vk4tec at tech-software.net> sent:

>I would like to grab packets from the findu.com database where they have
>a certain digi in the path.
>
From the FAQ on findu.com:

Why don't you track digipeaters, so I can see who is using my digi (or why don't
you support PropNet, or any other RF propagation related issue)

 This is a matter of findU (or more generally the APRS Internet System) being
the wrong tool for the job. My design of the APRS IS was based on getting data
distributed widely, not about characterizing the RF network. Therefore, the
system is designed at each stage to filter out duplicate versions of the same
data packet. However, it is precisely the differences between different
instances of the same packet that would allow you to draw interesting and/or
definitive conclusions about the RF network and propagation.

 The decision in favor of duplicate filtering was, and still is, the correct
one...without it, the APRS IS data stream would be perhaps ten times its present
size, which is already big enough to cause problems.