[aprssig] Overlooked TM-D710 Features

[Bob Burns W9RXR]

At 06:58 PM 5/9/2008, Robert Bruninga wrote:
>L) The D710 has Smart beaconing, and Proportional pathing, and Decay 
>to vastly reduce network loading.

SmartBeaconing(tm) is a trademarked term for a scheme that adjusts 
APRS(r) beacon rates based on speed and direction.

I downloaded the full TM-D710 manual from Kenwood's web site this 
morning and read the entire APRS(r) section. While I find mention of 
a Decay Algorithm, I see no mention of SmartBeaconing(tm). This Decay 
Algorithm appears to be a simple doubling of the beacon transmit 
rate, from 1 minute to 2 minutes to 4 minutes...up to 32 minutes, as 
long as the position does not change.

Kenwood's Decay Algorithm lengthens the beacon rate based on time 
since last position change while SmartBeaconing(tm) varies the beacon 
rate based on speed and direction changes. They may achieve similar 
results, but they do not appear to be the same thing.

Now, you mention that Kenwood will have a TM-D710 firmware update 
available at Dayton. Since you have inside information about 
Kenwood's D710 firmware development, I'll accept that you may know 
more about it's features, current and future, than the rest of us. I 
guess we will find out next week if Kenwood has truly implemented 
SmartBeaconing(tm) in the TM-D710.

Bob...