[aprssig] 9600b UHF APRS IS THE FUTURE OF APRS

[Robert Bruninga]

> I see WAY too many like the following:
> 
> Somebody>APRS,WIDE5*:Widen-n APRS Digipeater Someplace, Texas 
> running UIDIGI 1.9B3
> 
> This may make me sound like a curmudgeon, but I don't 
> really care WHAT software a digi is using as long as it 
> works, so why put it in the status?

Your sentiment is correct...

But unless we know what the digi is set up for, then we have no
clue what the network is doing or how to fix it.  It is
imperative that EVERY digi contain all the information to tell
us "what" it is doing.  BUT! I do agree that the above beacon is
absolutely wasteful of bandwidth!

"WIDEn-N" should be abbreviated as "W3" 
We already know it is an "APRS digipeater"
We can SEE where it is, and don't need "someplace, Texas"
And "running UIDIGI 1.9B3" should be in the TOCALL as "APNU19"

So in summary, the only thing needed in the above beacon other
than the LAT/LONG is the PHG, and then the abbreviation for
"W2,TXn" if it supports 2 hops and TXn-N routing.  Then any 
Additional text may be added if needed.

De WB4APR