[OZAPRS] MICE usage

Fri Sep 26 07:02:18 EST 2014

All,
	My turn.....
	I too don't fully understand what MIC-E is (apart from it is a compression method) however in the
doco I've read, they recommend using it unless there is a specific reason not to. They don't mention
what a "specific reason" is though.
	Whilst on the subject, the documentation available is terrible. The term "documentation" is used
loosely here since the information I've found is more a collection of thoughts. Manufacturers of
commercial trackers have to shoulder most of the responsibility here as this is what most people
will use.
	I had a cackle when I read the comment "Hams doing what they want as individuals" as I whole
heartedly agree. The fact that people are still using the -15 SSID for HF is a case in point. Bob
took this out of the "RFC" years ago. Still, these are only guidelines anyway and I never used the
-15 SSID as I had VHF APRS running at the same time. Having two SSID's coming from the same vehicle
would have been very confusing for anyone tracking us.
	So, why do I use APRS?? It is what attracted me into Amateur Radio in the first place. My wife and
I travel a fair bit (not as much as I would like though!!) into remote areas of the country and APRS
allows family and friends to see where we are. I also use PSKMail (another culprit for terrible
documentation) for email and to post updates to trip blogs when out of mobile phone range.
	When back at the coal face, we only use one vehicle and APRS allows me to see where she is so I can
meet her as she arrives to pick me up.
	I've even had turn-by-turn guidance over the radio by another amateur when I was going to his place
(I missed a turn so he guided me in!!)
	It is also handy when visiting family and friends as they know when to put the kettle on ;-)
	I think the WIDE-N paradigm is a good compromise from an all knowing intelligent routed network.
What needs to be considered is the location of the digis.
	Given we as a community can't get the simple things right, imagine what would happen if some sort
of intelligent routing protocol were implemented into the APRS network?? It is exactly this that
keeps me employed in the IT trade.

Ian
VK1IAN


On 26/09/14 01:22, Peter Richens wrote:
> Hi
> 
> Part of the problem for someone like me.. as an example..
> I have not had anything to do with this in the past but want to find out
> more.. problem is there seems to be little in the way of good guides that
> don't conflict with someone else's version of the guide and I am still in
> the dark as to what to use this for apart from tracking my vehicle.. I have
> also loaded the app on my Android phone and while it's fun to play with I am
> still a little miffed as to what the real world application for this is.. 
> I have been a Licensed Amateur since around 1986 and had my full licence
> since 1988, have played with Packet Radio for years until I moved to
> Brisbane and life just got too hectic then the internet basically took over
> and sending packets at 1200baud just seemed so painful.. 
> 
> I want to get my teeth into something and this among options available
> seemed like a fun thing to play with but how far do I go with it and how do
> I actually progress..
> 
> I did read something about a system being used for disaster communications
> and seen to think this may have been it, something to do with knowing what
> resources are around.. if that is the case how do we use it for that.. 
> 
> I am quite certain that this is not puzzling for just me, the VK2 Guy that
> is beaconing.. well that could just have been me as I think mine is doing
> something similar, even though I thought it had been set to only beacon when
> moved.. actually on that it would be nice if it beaconed more regularly
> sometimes.. or maybe not!
> 
> Then comes HF or rather long distance travel such as my recent trip to Cape
> York, I am more than certain that there are not that many VHF stations up
> that way except for Cairns and maybe Cooktown.. 
> 
> Regards
> Peter Richens - VK4FSD
> River City 4WD Club - Past President 2010 - 2014
> Sent from my Thumping huge Laptop
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: OZAPRS [mailto:ozaprs-bounces at aprs.net.au] On Behalf Of Justin Albury
> Sent: Thursday, 25 September 2014 9:54 PM
> To: Australian APRS Users
> Subject: Re: [OZAPRS] MICE usage
> 
> So to remove a few of these issues we have done a new config and alignment
> of a replacement VK2RHR-1 digi as a "hot swap" .... this will be more of a
> fill digi rather than it current config.
> 
> As soon as I get a chance I will visit Highrange and do the swap.
> 
> Will keep you posted
> 
> VK2HJA
> 
> 
> Justin Albury
> J Albury Communications
> justin at jacomms.com
> 0417246791
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: OZAPRS [mailto:ozaprs-bounces at aprs.net.au] On Behalf Of Owen Duffy
> Sent: Thursday, 25 September 2014 6:01 PM
> To: Australian APRS Users
> Subject: Re: [OZAPRS] MICE usage
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Some thoughts on the issue:
> 
> I think the real issue here is the failure of source routing, whether you
> give it some grand name like "New N Pardigm" or not.
> 
> There are numerous examples that demonstrate that you cannot depend on hams,
> whether they operate end stations or 'infrastructure' (digis,
> iGates) to "do the right thing'.
> 
> Hams doing what they want as individuals were responsible for the demise of
> the old 'packet network' before its time, and the same problem occurs with
> APRS.
> 
> So, if you drive outside Sydney or Melbourne for your annual holidays, and
> you set your path for WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2, what is wrong with that?
> 
> Well the issue is that the optimal path is not a property of the mobile, but
> its location. In some places, a single hop is sufficient to have a high
> probability of iGate submission, in others, three hops might only moderate
> probability of iGate submission.
> 
> Then there are the  effects of band openings (most mornings and evenings in
> summer) where three hops may well get you from Sydney to Melbourne.
> 
> A possible solution is intelligent network infrastructure that controls
> packet routing, and limits the lifetime of packets. It could also be used to
> block misguided stations operating outside of reasonable parameters on the
> shared radio channel.
> 
> That means finding a flexible routing platform for digis, especially
> strategic digis that could be used to segment the network into local areas
> as congestion dictates. Such a platform needs to be highly interoperable,
> there is no room for a digi that does not decode some popular trackers (eg
> the incompatibility between OT3 and Foxtrack/TT1).
> 
> Sydney is a most interesting case study, it has essentially no 'local'
> digi and depends on three digis 40-60km out, and most packets that originate
> or enter the area are repeated by all three digis so increasing channel
> utilisation which in turn reduces the effectiveness of the network for
> position reporting of mobile stations.
> 
> A filtering dig in each of the three locations to block traffic flow from
> north to south, and south to north could be very effective in reducing
> channel utilisation whilst still support high rate of iGate submission.
> 
> The role of High Range and Mt Murray, both W2 digis located with 40km of
> each other deserve review as under the "New N Pardigm", almost all packets
> originating in Sydney and the Illawarra carried by one will be carried also
> by the other.
> 
> At the same time, coverage of half of the M7 is patchier than a lot of major
> highways outside of Sydney.
> 
> I think it is the infrastructure that deserves attention rather that trying
> to educate end users.
> 
> Over...
> 
> 73
> Owen
> 
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