[aprssig] SCOUTS to RF Broadcast Server???

[AE5PL Lists]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Bruninga
> Posted At: Saturday, October 06, 2007 11:23 PM
> Subject: RE: [aprssig] SCOUTS to RF Broadcast Server???
> 
> Now I remember how this originally worked.  A station at a SCOUT place
> would temporarily change his call to SCOUTS and send a message to
> SCOUTS.  This way, the local IGate would learn that "SCOUTS" was a
> local callsign.  THen all messages seen on the APRS-IS would be picked
> off the APRS-IS and sent via RF back to this station.
> 
> Hummh... thats why we didnt need a CQSRVR and that is how all messages
> to SCOUTS could then be received by SCOUTS.  And that is also how we
> did not need any action on the part of the IGate sysop either.

CQSRVR doesn't need sysop intervention.  The problem with your original
concept was not that it required IGate sysop intervention, but that
IGate software purposely does not pass broadcast messages (re-read my
original post).  The problem with the "temporarily change callsigns"
scheme is that you would need to do it at least once every 30 minutes
and you would have potentially hundreds of stations trying to ack
messages (not all software sends unnumbered messages).

> Unless it is too late at night and I am offtrack again, then this
> worked then, and it will work now... and we dont need a CQSRVR?  Am I
> missing something again?  But this method is a a bit of a kludge... so
> the idea of a CQSRVR really does appeal to me...

You are off track.  Basically, CQSRVR properly interacts with APRS-IS
and -all- client software to generate the proper messages, q algorithms,
etc.  I have been very careful to provide compatibility with today's
clients and minimize the impact on APRS-IS.

> THough, I think in the long run, maybe the name of MSGSVR might be
> better, so that it can serve the more generic service of just
> connecting message groups together... not just for the purpose of
> initial CQ contact...

It is not designed to be a broadcast message server.  This, again, is to
reduce the potential for abuse by people not knowing what ramifications
their messaging might generate.  That is why there is a 30 minute "dupe"
check that keeps people from sending more than one message every 30
minutes to the group.  It is for generating initial -direct- contacts,
not for broadcast messaging.  The impact of the latter could be
significant to the already heavily loaded APRS-IS.  For SKYWARN and
other such activities, those are local on RF and would not benefit from
CQSRVR.  They can easily use many of the mechanisms already built into
APRS for broadcast messages on RF.

73,

Pete Loveall AE5PL
pete at ae5pl dot net