[aprssig] The best resolution of position from APRS

[Curt, WE7U]

On Tue, 3 Jan 2006, Robert Bruninga wrote:

> Please, do not encourage the use of the
> obsolete, broken,  compressed object format.

Please don't obsolete parts of the ratified APRS spec that are used
and have been used for years.

You yourself asked me at one time to encourage the use of Base-91
compressed packets.  I had the only non-APRSdos implementation of it
in my truck many years ago, in the form of an embedded app on an
HC11 controlling a PK-88 TNC to send the packets.  Later I added
code to Xastir to both send and receive that protocol, including
objects and items.  Later yet Scott added the protocol to
OpenTracker.  Then you took it out of the spec.

The Kenwood ratios _do_ decode Base-91 compressed posits.  What they
_don't_ decode is base-91 compressed object/item format.  Why
obsolete the entire format just because the Kenwoods didn't
implement that part of it?  The vast majority of the APRS client
users out there have the capability of using this protocol, even for
objects and items (see the chart).

Those of us that have written firmware do realize that there's often
limited space to implement features: Often only the most useful
subset can be implemented.  Later devices often come along with more
code and/or RAM space, then more features get implemented.  I keep
hoping for a Kenwood (or other brand) with a built-in TNC that
starts to become downright useful.  We're so close now, it wouldn't
take all that much to push it over the edge.

--
Curt, WE7U.   APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
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