[aprssig] ISS Tracking & Pass Information (OBJECTS)

[Lynn W. Deffenbaugh (Mr)]

On 10/14/2011 9:14 PM, Bob Bruninga wrote:
>
> In APRS, once received, and captured to the station list, OBJECTS were to be
> treated NO DIFFERENTLY than stations.  This was fundamental to APRS.  They
> were just two methods of sending the same POSITION information depending on
> whether the sender had to use a TNC to send it (MYCALL is the things name)
> or an  OBJECT Format so that the things name could be different from the
> MYCALL.

That may be true, but APRS-IS doesn't capture packets into a station 
list.  It is a pipe through which packets flow and I suspect it, like 
many routing networks, only looks at the outer wrapper of the packet 
(the source callsign) and doesn't treat most packet contents as anything 
special.  That's why APRS-IS filters have buddy/friend filters for 
source calls and object filters for objects.  I doubt that the APRS-IS 
designers ever actually thought of using APRS messaging with an object 
as the object would have to become a source callsign to issue acks and such.

> OBJECTS and STATIONS should be treated the same once received.

Yes, once received, but the question with the "free" posit for messaging 
is coming from the transport.

>> I suspect that the APRS-IS servers will not forward an object packet
>> behind a message packet..
> Then it is faulty code.

Then it is a different design than you might want in the current 
scenario.  How many objects do you know from your past APRS experience 
that have ever done messaging?  At least from the point of view of 
having a "presence" location like a satellite?

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - Author of APRSISCE for Windows Mobile and Win32

PS. Not necessarily resisting change, but trying to work within the 
infrastructure that is already in place to deliver new, creative 
functionality.  We're getting closer all the time, if you don't mind the 
discussion.