[aprssig] Re: Tracker Smart Pathing: user types, alternatives

[Robert Bruninga]

>>> scott at opentrac.org 03/23/06 9:09 PM >>>
> I'm just not convinced.  When would I want to 
>run those rotating paths?  Some use cases:
>
>* Around town
>There are never more than one or two users in 
>direct range.  And I don't know them.  I want a 
>single hop, and that's it.  Direct just causes
>collisions at the digi, anything more than WIDE1-1 is QRM.

The Proportional Pathing gives the user any option
he wants.  If you dont want the direct option, then
do not enter it.   I'd probably use this setting.

30 sec path*:  none      
 1 min Path*:   none
 2 min Path:   WIDE1-1                  1 hop
 4 min Path:   WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1  2  hops
 8 min Path:    none
16 min Path:  WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2  3 hops
32 min Path:   none

>* Road trip when I want family to be able to see 
>where I am Need to get to an Igate.  A WIDE2-2 
>path is fine unless I'm going out to Utah or something, 
>then I might run WIDE3-3. 

THen I would use these settings below.  It gives 2 
minute updates via 1 hop and 4 minute  updates via 
2 hops.  And ifyou stray into Utah, then it gives  
you a 3 hop path every 16 minutes so at least 
someone knows you are there.

30 sec path*:  none      
 1 min Path*:   none
 2 min Path:   WIDE1-1                  1 hop
 4 min Path:   WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1  2  hops
 8 min Path:    none
16 min Path:  WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2  3 hops
32 min Path:   none

>Again, direct is useless.

THen don't enter DIRECT in any of your PATH options.

>* SAR operation with lots of local, tactical traffic
>No need for broad paths at all.  One hop max if 
>there's a digi up. 

Then notice these settings will have you visibile
to the local SAR area every 2 minutes without
making any changes. Just show up and operate.

30 sec path*:  none      
 1 min Path*:   none
 2 min Path:   WIDE1-1                  1 hop
 4 min Path:   WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1  2  hops
 8 min Path:    none
16 min Path:  WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2  3 hops
32 min Path:   none

*** AND GUESS WHAT?!
*** ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE THE SAME SETTINGS
*** The operator never had to change anything.

>Using the proposed path rotation scheme really 
>gains nothing, 

I donno, looks like it saved me from having to 
reconfigure my tracker... One setting works all 
of your proposed scenarios.

>and generates more traffic than I want, compared 
>to just selecting a reasonable fixed path.  

Really?  That is mathematically impossible.
 Proportional Pathing always results in
less QRM compared to to any fixed rate scheme
since fixed rate always has to be set to the
maximum required number of hops all the time.

> My T2 hardware should be ready by Dayton, at ...
>And I know you can't count on digi operators to 
>upgrade anything in a timely manner, but the 
>bottom line is that it won't hurt anything to run 
>AUTO even if no one supports it.

Yes it will.  It adds 7 bytes to every single packet
that are useless...  And mobiles runnning high
fixed rates generate more packets than all 
fixed stations total....  adding 7 bytes to every
one of them is a waste of network bandwidth

I think a lot of your customers would love to have
the proportional paths options.  It would be far more
beneficial to everyone.

Bob, Burninga
WB4APR