[aprssig] Pocket Packet / messagae ACKs

[Keith VE7GDH]

Steve K4HG wrote...

> I've never seen any client with the ability to turn off ACKs
> for messages that request them, there would be no reason to
> do so that I can imagine.

I thought it odd that the ACKs were just plain absent. It was
ACKs for my messages sent to VE7PGE-3 that I noticed weren't
coming back to me.

> Looking at the messages I see another, perhaps related issue
>
> http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/msg.cgi?call=VE7GDH-10
>
> Here is one of the messages, and one you sent to another station:
>
> VE7PGE-3 VE7GDH-10 12/16 09:27:29z Test from iPad using pocket packet
> VE7GDH-10 VE7ILM-10 12/16 11:21:31z I would suggest a one hop path of 
> WIDE2-1.{72
>
> See the difference? Pocket Packet sent its message without a
> message number (In the second the message number is 72).
> Sending messages without a message number makes it impossible
> to ACK the message. This is a legitimate option per the spec, it
> indicates that the sender does not wish an ACK. If there is a
> user-selectable option to turn off message numbers this is no big 
> deal.

I didn't notice the missing message numbers on the messages from
Pocket Packet, but as you mentioned, they are optional. I'll get
VE7PGE-3 to check and see if there is an option for message
numbers on outgoing messages.

> My guess though is the author of Pocket Packet is either unaware
> of, or chose to ignore, the ACK mechanism of APRS, which would
> explain why the program is not sending ACKs along with not
> requesting them.

I'm hoping that VE7PGE-3 will pursue it, but if he doesn't, I'll try
and get in touch with the author. Even of Pocket Packet doesn't use
message numbers for outgoing messages, I found it odd that it
wasn't sending ACKs for my messages.

73 es cul - Keith VE7GDH
--
"I may be lost, but I know exactly where I am!"