[aprssig] APRS Weather hops and rates

[Robbie, wa9inf]

Robert Bruninga wrote:
> I need to make sure I am best representing the Weather
> contingent in APRS.
> 
> Does the following statement best capture the best interests of
> both the weather guys and all the rest of APRS users combined?
> 
> "Generally WX stations should transmit weather data once every
> 10 minutes in the local area only.  A Weather station should
> transmit using a local path either direct or at most one hop.
> Under the unusual situation where 2 hops may be required, then
> the update rate should be reduced to once every 30 minutes.  If
> two hops are needed just to get to a NWS station or an Igate,
> then a generic/directed path of WIDE2-1,DIGIX should be used in
> that one direction."
>


I think weather is more important locally, than mobiles driving to and 
from work. That said, if I can only see the weather say 15 miles away 
from me, and there was a fast moving change approaching, what good did 
that weather station do me? Everyone knows that a fast change in air 
pressure is the key to all our weather..

With Ui-View, I cursor over all the weather stations on RF around me to 
see what is going on, and can see from 40-80 miles West and Southwest of 
me, and at this time of the year, I even watch to the northwest of me, 
:-)    If those stations were only transmitting every 30 minutes, I 
think most of that on coming weather would already be past me! I avoid 
the so called "Sea of Blue" from the CWOPs, and I mean no offense to 
those valuable Weather Stations at all by filtering..


> I recognize that early on stations tended towards a 5 minute
> rate, and I am not making any suggestion that they be taken off
> the air.  But for the basis of new designs, is the above
> statement fair to everyone?
>

No,

Again, the weather conditions should dictate how often a weather station 
beacons.. If all I have to go on, and this is just hypothetical, is a 
weather station's 30 minute beacon after I just got clobbered and I 
would have had time to dig a hole, that'd hurt...


> I assume that if a specific WX station is that important, then
> there should be an igate nearby to get the data direct rather
> than reducing the reliability of all other users and wather
> stations by using long hops.
>

I think most weather stations are already sending their info to the 
internet, except the numerous stand alone mountain top and remote types..

> Is the above generally agreed by all parties?
> Bob
> 

Agreed on what? You want the mobiles and home stations to take priority 
over weather? Weather information is very important. Its a condition 
thing.. 5 minute beacon may be too often for having nothing but routine 
weather, but too slow for Weather Watch conditions. It'd really be nice 
to have the beacon interval be set by the weather conditions!

Obviously, I do run a weather station, and have for 4 or 5 years I 
think, 10 minute beacons on RF, 5 minutes to the internet.. I use IL2-2.

Robbie

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