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

[Robert Bruninga]

>>> 5) Remember, EVERY digi should have a recommended 
>>> FREQ object for its footprint.
>>
>> So how should this information be formatted?

Google for "APRS localinfo" and that will give you the spec.

>> Right now, my digi is using your "smart" BLT 
>> recommendations, and one of the lines is;
>> N8WCT-4>APN383,WIDE2-2,!3959.91NN08301.32W#
>>    PHG9580 W2, OH3/UI-Digi & I-Gate, Columbus, Ohio

This Freqeuncy Object goes in the Btext not any of the four
LTEXTS.  And now that you have shown your present beacon, I hope
you do not mind if I make a few more suggestions...  You might
consider these thoughts...

1) You are using an "N" overlay.  New-N digis are recommended to
be using "S" if they are fully configured for New-N.  Since you
are properly beaconing your digis's support functions (W2 and
OHn-N) then it does appear to be an "S" digi.

2)  From Columbus, (the center of the state) probably OH3-3 does
cover most of the state.  So there is really no additinoal QRM
if a user used OH4-4 or OH5-5 or even OH6-6.  In any of these
cases, the effect is the same.  The packet hits all digipeaters
in Ohio.  Which was the goal in using that path in the first
place.  So in that case, I usually recommend just putting "W2,
OHn-N, ..." instead of specifying a value for the OHn-N...

Though you are welcome to suggest OH3-3 if you like.  And also I
suggest spelling out the full SSn-N instead of just SSn, because
it avoids confusion (VAn-N versus VAn which might make some one
think it is a Van.)...  And also spelling it out fits the nice
10x10 display format that is displayed on all the APRS radios...

3) The beacon includes "UI-Digi", but then I don't understand
why it is using APN383?

4) Since the range of this packet should be less than a hundred
miles or so, I don't see the advantage of the extra bytes of
"Ohio" since Columbus is pretty well recognized in that area.
(A very minor nit-pic of course)

So you put the FFF.FFFxyz object in the BTEXT and set the BEACON
to every minute and set the PATH to NONE (direct, no VIA's)...

Bob, WB4APR

Just some ideas.
Bob