[OZAPRS] Smart beaconing

[Mike Townsend]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andrew McDade" <vk5ex.andrew at gmail.com>
To: "VK / ZL APRS Users" <ozaprs at aprs.net.au>
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 9:40 PM
Subject: Re: [OZAPRS] News from Queensland


> If you run corner pegging ( or shoud I say default Smart beaconing
settings) 
> on 2 or 3 mobiles just driving around suburban roads you can clog a
local 
> network in no time.

As does a fixed rate of 30 sec sitting in a carpark all day, a mobile
beaconing every 30 seconds or even 15 seconds, and to a lesser extent
mobiles with fixed rates stuck in traffic generating RF traffic when they
might be only moving 100m or so every minute. This and other network
unfriendly beaconing being noted over the last two years which can be
attributed to using a fixed rate. How about a  VK4*** visiting VK2 earlier
in the year mobile with a digipeater active or home stations using WIDE1-1
or the hopefully soon defunct RELAY in their beacon path. 

>Smart beaconing is great for closed special event 
> networks, not ideal for use on the national APRS 2m frequency or on the 
> international 30m HFaprs frequency either for that matter.

> 
> You are correct in a sense that the example settings provided do
essentially 
> disable most or the smartbeaconing algo's.

Thats why I ignored them. 

> The examples  provded essentially 
> provide a VHF mobile rate of one beacon every 2 minutes and a stationary
VHF 
> beacon rate of  one beacon every 30 miuntes with corner pegging almost
non 
> existant ( ie. 180 degrees) . . We believe that these are very network 
> freindly settings for use on the national VHF aprs frequency.

Network friendly settings they are but if they are not realistic then why
even consider using them.

> 
> Simillarly on 30m  HF aprs .. a maximum mobile beacon rate of once every
10 
> minutes. and a  stationary beacon rate of 25 mintutes. Again very
network 
> friendly settings, given we are sharing this frequency with the entire
world 
> !.

Agree!!

> 
> Im sure that the settings could be tweaked some more so as to gain
better 
> functionallity. 

Yes they can. I use smart beaconing and believe from my observations I
generate no more traffic on average than a station using a fixed rate. It
all comes down to being aware of local conditions and the effect your own
settings have on the network and other users ability to access the
network. If you look at the online databases I'm sure you can find
examples over short periods of time where even I consider my beacon rate
is excessive using smart beaconing but is this any different than a fixed
rate mobile stuck in traffic maybe generating 5 packets having only moved
500m over 5 minutes while myself with smart beaconing would have only sent
one or maybe even none within the same time frame and with the same
traffic conditions.

>However, whatever the final settings are, we are trying to 
> limit the maximum beacon rate on 2m to once per 2 minute period and
maximum 
> beacon rate on HF to once per 10 minute ( sometimes 5 minute) period.

And don't forget its not just how you beacon but the path that is used
that probably has just as much effect on the network. I now alternate
between WIDE1-1 and WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1. Which meets my requirements around
Sydney. 

> 
> Regards .. Andrew..  VK5EX
> 

Regards from Mike, VK2INT.

> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Murray ZL1ARL" <nenos at eol.co.nz>
> To: "VK / ZL APRS Users" <ozaprs at aprs.net.au>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 6:16 PM
> Subject: Re: [OZAPRS] News from Queensland
> 
> 
>> Not what I would call a good example, anyone using those settings may
as 
>> well
>> turn smart beaconing off. Think about it!! 180 deg is the same as doing
a
>> "U" turn, 30 deg is more like it & the difference between slow speed,
3MPH
>> & fast 7MPH is good for a laugh, slow at 3 is OK but 60MPH would be
more
>> like it for the fast rate, & 1800 secs " half an hour " is also over
the
>> top 180 "3 mins " is more like it.
>> Yes you do need to be carefull when useing smart beaconing especially
when
>> giving that kind of advice to a new-commer ! After all the objective is
to
>> create corner pegging, as described in the original article from hamhud
>> if I am not mistaken.
>> 73 Murray ZL1ARL
>>
>>
>>
>>> Gday Peter & all,
>>>
>>> Be a bit carefull when globally recommending to turn SmartBeaconing
on.
>>> You
>>> might find that the default beacon rates of most SmartBeacon capable
>>> trackers are far too frequent.Particularly when there are any more
than
>>> several mobiles active in an area at once.  Generally you would need
to
>>> tailor the settings somewhat, so as to reduce the TX rates during
routine
>>> use. Here are some example settings 
>>> http://www.aprs.net.au/tt_settings.htm
>>> for the TT3, most of which are similar to the other SB capable
trackers
>>> available.( note that the paths in these examples havn't been changed
to
>>> the
>>> new paradigm ... Yet ! )
>>>
>>> Regards .. Andrew .. VK5EX
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> so if people wish to help to reduce the number of repeated packets
>>>> please
>>>> considering 1. changing your mobile path to WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1 (WIDE1-1,
>>>> WIDE2-2 if you are not getting to an IGate), 2. turning on
>>>> Smartbeaconing
>>>> if
>>>> your controller provides this functionality.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers all and 73,
>>>> Peter
>>>> VK4TGV
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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