[ax25-layer2] Still lost

[James Ewen]

ax25 at pe1rdw.demon.nl wrote:

> If you can install a single VHF antenna you can also install a dual
> or triple band antenna thus creating the needed posibilety for a
> backbone link.

When you are given access to a commercial VHF antenna, it's pretty hard to say 
thank you, but change that out to a different antenna please!

>> This new concept will still
>> fail with digipeaters sitting where they can hear 300 users.
>>
> Not realy, for a 300 user lan you just need to upgrade the speed and
> eliminate the hidden node problem, that can be done with dama or
> digital repeater.

How are you going to upgrade the speed of a 1200 baud TNC? Don't tell me to 
change it to 9600 or 19.2K... it would no longer be a 1200 baud TNC then.

There is a finite amount of time available, and sooner or later the channel 
will be full. The only way to create more time is to decrease the user load by 
reducing the number of local users.

>> For sparsely populated areas, which usually also means no access to
>> high speed internet, this system will mean that packet radio will
>> disappear.
>
> very doubtfull as RF linking has proven to work in europe, internet
> linking has
> for a very long time been iligal here so we had no easy way out.

Great, send all the extra equipment and money you have laying around so we can 
build this rf linking network. We'll also need enough money to build the 
towers as well... Hey, who's paying for power?

Our local area network is currently 2 or 3 hops deep, and we would like to 
increase coverage along the major highways in the area. The network has about 
20 local users, and we see <200 packets per hour.

By restricting layer 2 to 2 hops, we will loose the areas that are 3 deep, and 
not be able to support the areas that we would like to expand coverage into. 
It is tough enough to be able to get digipeaters into the area, let alone try 
and set up a second link frequency to create a LAN with a single digipeater 
with zero local users.

I don't intend to speak for everyone, but in my local area, we build and 
operate networks on zero dollar budgets. Everything is donated, from equipment 
right down to mooching power from the commercial tower owners. While the 
optimal system as described previously is great, it most likely would not be 
feasible here. Not with the limitations we have.

If money and locations were no object, I'd toss all this slow speed stuff 
away, and look into building a HSMM network instead.

James
VE6SRV