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

Fri May 23 11:56:06 EST 2014

You're assuming the only purpose of APRS is to get into the APRS-IS
network. What about messaging, or the other people that might be *just* out
of hearing range of the other station. Depending on how the IGate are
configured they may re-broadcast the packet that you're putting onto the
APRS-IS network anyway, so a digi really adds no additional RF traffic,
while enhancing the other features of APRS.

If you're running the IGate in receive only, you also run the risk of
breaking messaging.

---
VK3XJM
0416039082
josh at zindello.com.au
http://www.zindello.com.au/

On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 11:53 AM, Jason Ball <jason at ball.net> wrote:

> Why run a digi and consume more of the bandwidth when an igate would
> suffice ?
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 11:46 AM, Joshua Mesilane <josh at zindello.com.au>wrote:
>
>> Rather than putting up another IGate, wouldn't it make more sense to run
>> a fill-in digi. Are you within hearing range of another IGate, if you are
>> you'd probably be better off running a Digi
>>
>>
>> ---
>> VK3XJM
>> 0416039082
>> josh at zindello.com.au
>> http://www.zindello.com.au/
>>
>>
>> On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 11:44 AM, Jason Ball <jason at ball.net> wrote:
>>
>>> There are a lot of holes left around Sydney with the loss of vk2us, lots
>>> of black spots as it's a reasonably hilly place.    I'm planning on
>>> recommissioning my igate once I put up another dual band antenna for it as
>>> I find I can catch quiet a few stations that are missed by the other gates
>>> aa I have a little more elevation to work with.
>>>
>>> Its been a while since I've checked but the 2m frequency wasn't all
>>> _that_ congested.   There is some activity that may result in a new CBD
>>> based digipeater, but I won't go in to details until this has progressed
>>> beyond the hopeful planning stage.
>>>
>>> I don't see the amount of aprs traffic in sydney posing any particular
>>> problem for the servers, its not _that_ busy. (or at least... it wasn't...)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 11:36 AM, <vk2ycj at bravo.net.au> wrote:
>>>
>>>> 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
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>> > OZAPRS mailing list
>>>> > OZAPRS at aprs.net.au
>>>> > http://lists.aprs.net.au/mailman/listinfo/ozaprs
>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>> > OZAPRS mailing list
>>>> > OZAPRS at aprs.net.au
>>>> > http://lists.aprs.net.au/mailman/listinfo/ozaprs
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> OZAPRS mailing list
>>>> OZAPRS at aprs.net.au
>>>> http://lists.aprs.net.au/mailman/listinfo/ozaprs
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> --
>>> Teach your kids Science, or somebody else will :/
>>>
>>> jason at ball.net
>>> vk2vjb at google.com <vk2flnx at google.com>
>>> callsign: vk2vjb
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> OZAPRS mailing list
>>> OZAPRS at aprs.net.au
>>> http://lists.aprs.net.au/mailman/listinfo/ozaprs
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
> --
> --
> Teach your kids Science, or somebody else will :/
>
> jason at ball.net
> vk2vjb at google.com <vk2flnx at google.com>
> callsign: vk2vjb
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aprs.net.au/pipermail/ozaprs/attachments/20140523/0d4d43fb/attachment-0001.html>