[aprssig] 30M APRS and digipeaters...

[Bill Vodall]

> >> Yes, I agree fully.  We never want digipeating on HF.
> >> It just adds QRM to everyone...
>
> > When was the last time you were on HF APRS Bob?
>
> I listen occasionally and you are right, I hardly hear anything...

It's good to hear that you're still checking it out.  I would get a
big kick out of seeing your packets directed (or digipeated :)  )
sometime.

>
> > Theory and old experience is one thing but real activity
> > on the air today is another.
>
> It depends on what we want.

Very true...

>  Remember a SILENT APRS channel is the MOST  RELIABLE.

It also has the least value...

>  And a busy channel has the least probability of being heard.

True...

There is, as you've long mentioned, a sweet spot -- generally around
18% usage...

> And  if this channel is for HF boaters,

The channel is for those licensed hams that use it...   It is of
course very cool to watch and communicate with folks in usual
situations - like boaters and truckers.

>  I would rather have a clear channel with
> a hope of being heard than a QRM channel where none of my packets are
> heard.

I would rather have hams doing HF RF than running a smart phone ap...
 Busy is use is good...

> If activity is low, lets figure out what we can do to add interest.  Just
> adding duplicate QRM just so the channel sounds busy is kinda counter
> producutive to reliability and throughput.

It's not duplicate nor QRM if you don't see it...

> But you are right to raise the issue.  REMEMBER, I am only talking about
> GENERIC digipeating.  UNIQUE station digipeating has always been OK and is
> part of the fun of making a contact.  If you HEAR another station
> perfectly,
> but cannot QSO a 3rd one, then by all means feel free to DIGIPEAT off the
> strong one.  Nothing wrong with that.

How do you know the 3rd one is there and available via the digi in the
middle if you don't see it via the digi...

>

I think you're looking at this from a IGate in every garage
standpoint...    Assuming there are no Igates and the goal is not
simply to show up on the web - but to see other users ON RF how does
that color your view?

> Its just GENERIC digipeating 24/7 is what I am convicned is bad practice.

I believe this is a good use of proportional pathing..    An automatic
one-hop generic beacon every hour and a non-hop offset by 30 minutes.
 That would "fill in the map."    Additional manual one or more hop
transmissions could be generated when a user was at the keyboard
playing APRS/Packet...

> Bob, WB4APR

Bill, WA7NWP