[aprssig] I-80 Ohio/IN and D710 objects

[Robert Bruninga]

> A lot of objects out there, some would tune but 
> most would not. Some would key up but most would 
> not so it was either a "paper repeater" or the 
> object did not include the proper, if any, tone code.

Yes, this standardized FREQ object concept is only about 3 years
old, and yet some digis have been beaconing some free-text
frequencies in their digipeater beacons for many years.  SO it
is time to search these out, and help the sysops to properly
configure to the format.

> When it comes to repeater objects that can be probably 
> the MOST useful thing for visiting travelers but if 
> it's a bogus repeater or not configured
> correctly to use the TUNE feature don't even bother. 

Its amazing the number of FREQ objects that do not properly
contain the "Tnnn" for tone.  It is fixed-3-digit-format,
without any decimal Hz.  So 107.2 is "T107" and 79.7 Hz is
"T079" yet the majority of sysops have it wrong. Google for
"APRS localinfo" for format.

> About 6 weeks ago I did a SC to NY/NJ run along the 
> western portions of VA and MD. I saw a lot of repeater 
> objects but most of them were showing up to 200 miles 
> away.

Bingo! It's the ego-peaters that are coming in from 100+ miles
away that really ruin it for everyone.  When my display clutters
up with these ego-peaters that are no where in range, it
undermines the list of the ones you could use...

> The two areas I remember... that were difficult were
> Blacksburg VA and Reading/Harrisburg PA. In the 
> Blacksburg area... I noticed was ... a SUPER long 
> TXDELAY,

> -----Original Message-----
> [DIGIS are supposed to beacon TWO things:]
> [Their own position and user info (W2, SSn-N...)]
> 
> What the discussion is about is having one of the 
> beacon strings announce the location of an open voice 
> repeater repeater with coverage approximately the 
> same as the digipeater's.    Ideally this should be
> beaconed on a direct path, or at maximum only one 
> digi hop, and should contain the repeater's location 
> (coordinates so it will show on a map),
> frequency and tone code (if any).
> 
> The idea to make travelers aware of the recommended 
> voice repeater as they pass through the coverage 
> area of your digi,  when they are close
> enough to actually hit it; not a hundred miles away.