[aprssig] Fill-in Digis

[Cap Pennell]

N=2 (total) is better than N=3 West of the Rockies at least.  More courteous
to all the other users of the VHF network and plenty broad enough with all
our high-level modern "S overlay" digis.  (By the way, in California for
SSn-N in those "S overlay" digis we're using NCAn-N for Northern California
and SCAn-N for Southern California.)

Selecting good digipath defaults doesn't have to be complicated.
WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1 for mobiles, plain WIDE2-2 for fixed or Base stations.  Same
WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1 mobile path for routine use and special events.  Plenty for
a routine digipath out West!  Will be seen on the internet and over a very
broad area on VHF.

Our other modern digis show a "1 overlay" on their map symbol to indicate
they're "W1,fill-in" digis that respond to WIDE1-1 ONLY (and no SSn-N).  For
example, we have a good new one running UI-View32 as a "W1,fill-in" digi in
the heart of San Francisco, KG6MRC-1.  (For special events, just add local
temporary "W1,fill-in" digis as needed.)
Thankfully, good modern "W2,SSn" digis will spit out WIDE3-3 and not allow
all those additional, more than courteous, hops.  (In our "W2,SSn" digis,
those WIDE3-3 and WIDE3-2 calls are "trapped" in the digi TNC's UIDigi
setting.)

These days more mobile commuters (and APRS keyboard-to-keyboard messagers,
and some weather stations) are finding all of their routine needs for a
courteous share of the limited available airtime on VHF are actually quite
adequately met while using only a "one-hop" digipath of plain WIDE1-1 (or
even just WIDE2-1 or "SS1-1").
73, Cap KE6AFE


> -----Original Message-----
> From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org
> [mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]On Behalf Of Ron Stordahl
> Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 09:11 AM
> To: Curt Mills, WE7U; TAPR APRS Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] Fill-in Digis
>
>
> The Fill-in digi concept seems like a good one.  In view of this
> shouldn't the recommendations for an N=3 area be changed to
> "WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2" rather than "WIDE3-3".  And at the same time shouldn't
> the high digi's configured with the new paradigm also restrict WIDE3-3?
> If not then this opens the option "WIDE1-1,WIDE3-3" which violates the
> goal of N=3.
>
> Ron Stordahl, N5IN
>