[OZAPRS] APRS SSID's please use recommend one listed below.

[Alan Wallace (ZL1AMW)]

I have been following this thread with mounting concern over the past few
days.

The APRS spec, in section 20 sets out three methods of designating what
icon is to be displayed for your beacon, and the SSID number is but one of
these.  The spec goes on to clearly state the preferred method is a text
character within the information field of the beacon, which corresponds to
one entry in a symbols table (which can provide up to seventy symbols).

The SSID method is appropriate for those running trackers or stations with
less “smarts” (eg the pacom picopacket that I run occasionally) that do
not have the ability to insert a text character in the information field.
For all others, the SSID method has been replaced by the information filed
method.

Some of us operate a number of APRS stations simultaneously, so we have to
use different SSID.  I run three home stations, one further fixed station
from my office occasionally during working hours, and one or two mobiles.
I also operate a separate packet station for BBS operation, which needs
another SSID (as this is on the same frequency) and on occasions test with
one or two more stations on-air.  I therefore often have 8 SSIDs on-air
simultaneously, so simply cannot try to fit this within the very
restrictive category list below.  All my APRS beacons are clearly
identified with the appropriate text character in the information field,
(so others will display appropriate icons) with the exception of the
“dumb” tracker, which is SSID -9, so correctly displays as a car.

In summary, I suggest that while it may be worthwhile keeping a list like
this on the wall for the very rare occasions that you may need to transmit
a beacon with a device that can send APRS location information, but cannot
sent a symbol character in the information field, let’s not suggest that
everyone needs to use these SSID numbers for their normal operations –
they are too restrictive.

I look forward to more comment on this topic,

Alan ZL1AMW



Alan Wallace ZL1AMW     Email: alan at wallace.net.nz
14 Acacia Cres         Phone +64 7 8438738
Hamilton
New Zealand.
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-----Original Message-----
From: ozaprs-bounces at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au
[mailto:ozaprs-bounces at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au] On Behalf Of Brian Beamish
Sent: Sunday, 19 September 2004 2:51 p.m.
To: OZAPRS
Subject: [OZAPRS] APRS SSID's please use recommend one listed below.

Since there are 20,000 APRS users on the air, the APRS maps and data can
get very cluttered.  Also, most operators have multiple stations on the
air, such as their HOME, CAR, BOAT, and HT.  It is very convenient to be
able to recognise these typical applications at a glance.
  Here are those common defaults:
-0 Home Station, Home Station running IGate.
-1 Digipeater, Home Station running a Relay Digi, Wx Digipeater
-2 Digipeater [#2 or] on 70CM
-3 Digipeater [#3]
-4 HF to VHF Gateway
-5 IGate (Not home station) -6 is for Operations via Satellite
-7 Kenwood D7 HH
-8 is for boats, sailboats and ships (maybe 802.11 in the future)
-9 is for Mobiles (Not HF see -15)
-10 is for operation via The internet only
-11 is for APRStouch-tone users  (and the occasional Balloons)
-12 Portable Units such as Laptops, Camp Sites etc.
-14 is for Truckers
-15 is for HF
Unfortunately I believe that many APRS operators are not on the OZAPRS
list or perhaps are not even aware of the above list if you know of such
operator please pass this list on to them.
Note that in the case of an SSID of -0 the SSID as in Packet is left off
with -0 not being used at all.
VK4BBS is correct whilst VK4BBS-0 is not.
Regards Brian VK4BBS

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