[aprssig] Universal APRS messaging

[Brian Webster]

Is there any way to use the same methods for verification that WinLink uses?
That would keep the training of the hams a bit simplified since it might end
up being the same process for both systems. Just a thought. While their
system is not rock solid perfect, it certainly is a reasonable one that does
not seem to be abused as of yet. I would also think that whatever method
gets put in place that a provision to open things up in the event of an
emergency would be a good idea.



Thank You,
Brian N2KGC


-----Original Message-----
From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org
[mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]On Behalf Of Steve Dimse
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2008 3:30 PM
To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
Subject: Re: [aprssig] Universal APRS messaging


On Oct 19, 2008, at 1:11 PM, Robert Bruninga wrote:
>
> Iphone    -

I've resubmitted my iPhone app with a bit of a different focus. Unless
it gets accepted it will not be distributed. It simply cannot be done
given the way Apple has the phone locked down unless they approve it.
If it does get approved then the future plans Apple has announced
would make it likely I will eventually support messaging. Apple has
announced a push API to be released soon which will allow an iPhone
application to register for messages to be pushed to individual
phones. Without that API, the iPhone user will have to check manually
for messages, you can do that now using the regular findU interface. I
have the ability to send messages already (same unreleased cgi I have
had for 8 years to send messages via a web interface), but I will
continue to hide it unless someone comes up with a secure system for
sterilizing messages.
>
> The goal is to be able to send and receive (small) amateur radio
> APRS text messages aywhere in the world by callsign alone.
> This is a big project, because it will be hard to provide the
> security concenrs we all share over th epotential for abuse...
> But we do need to be working on it!

The only way I can think this would work is to institute a quarantine
of messages, with a number of trusted people that can read and clear
for transmission pending messages. Such a system is not hard to
implement. I did it for the SuitSat reporting. When someone reported
to the suitsat page, it was placed in the database with a pending flag
set. A special page (actually the regular display page with a special
password) showed just the pending reports, each with buttons to clear
or reject the report. The page was set with a refresh of 30 seconds,
and several AMSAT people shared the duty with me. If the message was
rejected it was deleted from the database. If it was accepted the
pending flag was cleared and the report would now appear on the public
page.

For something like this where the messages would be less frequent, the
system would probably send an email to each referee when a message was
quarantined. That way you would not need to be checking the page
constantly.

I could not support any system that would put the licenses of the
Igate operators at stake. The design needs to take into account the
licensing requirements of every country that participates in APRS, not
just the US FCC rules. It would be wrong to create an additional
feature now that would require entire countries to leave the APRS IS
because of their government's rules about retransmission.

Steve K4HG



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