[aprssig] Lets Fix New-N now!

[Robert Bruninga]

Everyone in APRS:

I received this email (below) from the wife of a long 
distance APRS traveler, frustrated by those parts 
of the USA network that still have not moved over 
to the New-N full support of WIDEn-N.

Please lets get those digi parameters changed to 
fully support WIDEn-N under the New-N paradigm
so that it DOES work everywhere.   There are still
114 old "T" digis and 95 "R" digis and 12 "W" digis
that dont support WIDEn-N at all!

Look at the letter below, and look at your map for
these digis and lets get them fixed...  But be nice.
de Wb4APR
*----------
>Dear Sir,
>My husband... changed to the new format...
>instead of RELAY..., but since he'll be 
>on the road for 2 months... I'd let you know 
>how it is for ME with [this]... new format.
>
>When he uses RELAY..., he is harrassed by 
>numerous of your base unit operators... MOSTLY
> in the  DC corridor ... with antagonistic comments...
>which I personally think makes the senders look 
>rude and crude.  
>
>When he uses your new format, it's VERY 
>UPSETTING TO ME.  I use... findu.com to keep 
>track of where he is....  We had a truck driving 
>ham friend who died in his truck and wasn't found
> for 10 days. 
>
>Since using your new format, I HAVE NOT BEEN 
>ABLE TO TRACK HIM...about 75% to 80% of the 
>time.  Without RELAY..., he's NOT ID'd in MOST 
>localities outside the DC corridor...
>
> it's NOT the truck drivers who are keeping your 
>new format from working... it's the land based 
>systems all over the US that are NOT USING IT.  
>
>Please tell your local stations they aren't helping 
>get cooperation by sending nasty, negative, 
>antagonistic comments to the mobiles passing 
>through their areas.  They are abrupt to the point 
>of rudeness and that's NOT the way to get drivers 
>to cooperate.  
>
> My husband is going to put RELAY BACK in his ...
>[path]... cause I need to know where he is as much 
>as possible... since  using the new format, it's NOT ...
>[working]...
>
>SIGNED....<snip>