[aprssig] a better beacon (APRX)

[Robert Bruninga]

> I read some info about making a beacon useful.  
> What is an ideal beacon?
> 
> Right now, I have our local wide coverage repeater 
> frequency and tone.  I have it set for 20 minutes.

The recommendation is every 10 minutes and the path should be
local-simplex-direct (no path).  Ten minutes is the standard
APRS refresh rate for LOCAL DIRECT information.  The expectation
is that when one turns on his radio (or enters an area) that he
will have received all LOCAL info in 10 minutes, and regional
info in 30.

Do not confuse this with home stations that default to a 30
minute rate and 2 hops.  Two hops generate more load at 30
minutes than these DIRECT INFO packets at 10 because of the
hops.  And no one wants to see these INFO packets beyond the RF
range where they can be used.  Thus the must ONLY BE TRANSMITTED
DIRECT from the digi.

It really irks me when a FREQ pops up on my radio, and I press
the TUNE (or QSY) button and find that I cannot hit the repeater
because it is some EGO Repeater Beacon from 150 miles away
flooding 6 states with its 2 hop beacon.  ARGH!

Bob, WB4APR