[OZAPRS] Are 4 x iGates in Sydney too many?

[vk2ycj at bravo.net.au]

Dave,

Can you explain something to me ?

I assume that in a heavily populated area there can be one or two iGates
for Internet connectivity and as many digipeaters as you can muster - to
help get better and better coverage to the whole area and the blackspots.

If all of this is done on 145.175 MHz then things can get congested pretty
quickly with heavy traffic - and packets will be lost.

Are there any working examples where people have put in dual frequency
digipeaters - where the primary frequency is 145.175 MHz and an extra 70cm
frequency is used as the dedicated link to the nearest iGate ?

Would such a system help with congestion and reduce the loss of packets ?

My APRS kit came from the Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club and is a little
beauty.  It uses a UV-5R handheld radio as the RF device which works
pretty well with a decent antenna on the roof of the car - but at only 2
watts output it just cannot compete with other stations running 30-50
watts so in busy times my signal doesn't get through and gets squashed.

Assuming the nearest digipeater hears my signal is there any guarantee
that the data gets through from that digipeater to the iGate ?  So do
digipeaters and iGates have a special relationship to get the data through
at any cost ?

And another question relating to Newcastle.   Our main digipeater is up on
the Sugarloaf Range and the nearest iGate is on a large building in Hunter
Street West - in the Newcastle CBD.  If I'm driving around Newcastle City
do my APRS packets have to go via the Sugarloaf digipeater and then to the
igate - or if I am close to the iGate will it accept my packets ?


Very interesting stuff, thanks, Jamie VK2YCJ



> Unfortuately there is no longer a digi in a good coverage area. ARNSW are
> consideringthe possibility  puting one a Dural, but not until the  current
> tower is replaced , which may be 12 - 18 months.
>
> It would be good to get one back on  the top of a CBD / North Sydney /
> Chatswood  building for coverage.
>
> Dave vk2jdh
> Date: Thu, 22 May 2014 21:47:13 +1000
> From: vk2him at gmail.com
> To: ozaprs at aprs.net.au
> Subject: [OZAPRS] Are 4 x iGates in Sydney too many?
>
>
>
> I've noticed we now have at least 4 x iGates
>  in Sydney, I would have thought that's too many and may be adding extra
>  loads on the sever as they all gate the same traffic?
>
> Ian vk2him
>
>
>
>
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