[aprssig] RE: "Local Info" confusion...

[Robert Bruninga]

> I see the "local info" initiative has yet made another 
> change in the format... I'm not sure why to change when 
> the previous method is working just fine.  Please explain

Thanks, I'll share the response with the APRSSIG.  When Alabama
implemented this in all their digis, it was soon observed that
all Uiview clients would mark the DIGIPEATERS as IGATES that
were the source of these 3rd party voice repeater objects.  This
is the wrong method for detecting Igates, but we are stuck with
it, and Uiview cannot be changed.

So rather than having every digi being marked with the IGATE
square around it, we decided to abandon that approach and go
back to the original OBJECT format.  And rather than have the
PHG data that takes up 7 bytes and also is not displayed on
Uiview, and not easy to interpret on the front panel of the
radio, we came up with this very concise display:

147.105-D  - The "D" is for Davidsonville (location)
T107 R30m  - Tone and reliable Range in miles
Net 8PM Tu - Net time
MTG 8Th    - Meeting time

The idea was to have everything a visitor would want to see
right there on the front panel of his radio every 10 minuets.
And at no-cost to the network since these objects are ONLY
DIRECT and are originated by the DIGI which will not TX until
the channel is clear.

If it is DCS instead of tone and metric, then it is "D234 R15k"
It's a fantastic resource for all of HAM radio travelers.

Oh if the range is different in one direction than another, then
this is also possible "N15 S35mi "  which means a the repeater
favors the south by 35 miles and only 15 miles to the North.

Hope that helps.

For details see: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/localinfo.html

Bob, WB4APR