[aprssig] APRS legality

[Robert Bruninga]

Ben,

Apparently we disagree.  I contend that APRS is a network.  The
network is composed mostly of stations that are transmitting and
receiving local data to each other.  I just don't see any other
way to see it.

Similarly, transmissions from transmit only telemetry devices
are one-way, and there too, I cannot see it any other way.  Yet
the difference between the first case (2-way with transceivers)
and the latter case with transmitters only, is a really, really
big difference to you , me and the FCC.

I contend it is that distinction that the FCC was trying to
define in their distinction of one-way transmissions.

Bob


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ben Jackson [mailto:bbj at innismir.net] 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 6:35 PM
> To: bruninga at usna.edu; TAPR APRS Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] APRS legality
> 
> Robert Bruninga wrote:
> > <all the continuing paragraphs and endless repetition
snipped>
> > 
> >> Bob,... I'd say over the last 12 years I've  
> >> transmitted somewhere over 100,000 packets 
> >> on HF and VHF APRS. Aside from a tiny handful 
> >> of messages (probably less than 0.001%), 
> >> none were directed at "one or more specific 
> >> stations".  They were one-way transmission 
> >> to whoever happened to be listening, and for reception  
> >> into the APRS Internet System.
> > 
> > Fine, that was your intent.
> > 
> > Similarly, I have probably transmitted 100,000 or so packets
too
> > but the difference is that mine were all directed toward the
> > local APRS network and the specific partitipating stations.
> > None of mine (except the unattended remote telemetry
station)
> > were one-way transmissions. 
> 
> Bob:
> 
> I think what Steve is trying to say that unless someone 
> replied to each
> one of those 100000 or so packets, they are, be definition,
one way.
> 
> Your "drive time net" analogy does not work in your above 
> stated case as
> in a roundtable-type net, each station knows who are they
addressing.
> They may or may not be addressing the entire roundtable, but 
> "go 'round"
> each station addresses at least one other station, at very
least when
> they hand it off. Such a thing cannot be said for APRS.
> 
> Is APRS legal? FCC seems to think so. Does it really matter 
> why at this
> point?
> 
> -- 
> Ben Jackson - N1WBV - New Bedford, MA
> bbj <at> innismir.net - http://www.innismir.net/
>