Tactical Value? [was: VX-8R Symbol/SSID (Was Re: [aprssig] YaesuVX-8R)]

[Stephen H. Smith]

Robert Bruninga wrote:
> Extremely valuable.  With not a single 'bit' of added load to
> the network, about a megabyte of information is transferred.  In
> that one symbol, one end of an APRS communication link has a
> "virtual megabyte" of knowledge about the capabilities,
> functions and operability of the other end of the link.
>
> If someone is having problems doing something on APRS with his
> equipment and someone else is monitoring with that same
> equipment he can jump in and offer detailed knowledge about how
> to resolve it.  I have yet to meet any one ham who has full
> knowledge of how to operate any of these modern gizmo radios.  I
> am always happy to have someone else help me figure out how to
> accomplish something with the tool in hand, without having to go
> home and get the "megabyte manual"..
>
> It seems just common sense to include such a wealth of
> informaion for free in our comunications...
>
>   

So is the Kenwood icon only supposed to be used with the APRS-capable 
Kenwoods?  

If so, is any information conveyed that isn't conveyed in MORE detail by 
the destination address like APK001, etc that will reveal the specific 
model?  (The icon only says it's a Kenwood.  The destination addr will 
tell you what Kenwood, and therefore what kind of display you are 
sending to.)

Oh, I guess that if a Kenwood is being controlled by an external 
computer (as I do in my mobile), then the Kenwood's distinctive 
destination call is lost.   (UIview makes it send APU25N instead.)   In 
that case, I would think the normal car icon rather than "Kenwood" would 
convey MORE information in the sense that it makes it clear (car 
combined with UIview) that this is a computer (with full two-way 
messaging and mapping capability) in a mobile which is not too common.   



--

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
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