History and Working of Wide1-1,WideN-1

Under the current "New Paradigm" standards, WIDE1-1 IS treated differently from higher orders of N-N

The whole WIDE1-1, WIDE2-1 construct was invented (it was my proposal years ago) to work around the "brain-dead" firmware limitations in Kantronics KPC3 TNCs. These TNCs are by far the most widely-used piece of hardware for stand-alone digis without a computer in the US. [It's hard to beat the simplicity and low power consumption (15mA at 12 VDC) of a KPC3+radio digi at a remote site.] The problem is that KPCs do dupe suppression on WIDEn-N paths but NOT on plain RELAY or plain WIDE.

On the other hand, many home users operating first-tier low-level digipeaters (that in the past responded to "RELAY") use old TNCs (such as PK-232s, TAPR TNC-2s, MFJ 1270s, etc) that do not have APRS-aware firmware in them. These older devices CAN NOT do n-N decremented SSIDs.

With rapid APRS growth in the early '2000s, the volume of unnecessary APRS traffic due to RELAY and plain WIDE not supporting dupe checking just exploded. A lot of discussion followed on how one could migrate to an exclusively WIDEn-N network (with effective dupe control) while still allowing non-N-N-aware home fill-in digis to remain part of the APRS infrastructure. At the same time, one wanted to prevent home digis from acting on anything but the very first hop of a path.

The solution was the two-part WIDE1-1,WIDE2-n path I proposed.

All home low-level digis set WIDE1-1 as a simple alias to be treated as an ordinary callsign of WIDE1 with an SSID of -1. When a "dumb" home digi hears WIDE1-1 as the first hop in a path, it digipeats it just like any other fixed callsign, marks it as used, and passes the second WIDE2-1 or WIDE2-2 part onward to the next tier of "real" N-N digis. (The home digis completely ignore WIDE2-anything or higher since only WIDE1-1 is set as an alias to digipeat on.)

True high-level WIDEn-N will respond to any value of WIDEn. If a high-level digi (that DOES have proper WIDEn-N support) happens to hear the initial transmission, it will process WIDE1-1 as a decremented n-N, mark it used up and hand the second half WIDE2-n to the next (high-level) digipeater(s).


The difference when monitored off the air after the first hop is that a home fill-in digipeat of the first hop would yield

WA8LMF to APRS via WIDE1-1*,WIDE2-1

while a first hop captured by a "real" decrementing WIDEn-N digi, would produce

WA8LMF to APRS via WIDE1-0*,WIDE2-1

or possibly

WA8LMF to APRS via *WIDE1*,WIDE2-1

if the monitoring TNC's firmware treats an SSID of "zero" as effectively no SSID at all for display purposes.


The low-level WIDE1-1 home digis far outnumber the WIDE2-n "true wides". Beaconing WIDE1-1 as the first hop from aircraft (that have a range of hundreds of miles/km line-of-site) can potentially trigger hundreds of home WIDE1-1 digis simultaneously, when then ALL retransmit to the nearest true WIDEn-N systems. If the first hop from an airborne station is a WIDE2-n only (which the home digis just ignore) a few "true wides" rather than hundreds of home stations will be triggered.

Yes, the whole scheme is a kludge to work around the limitations of 20-year-old "clunker" TNC hardware, but it does kinda' sorta' work.........

--

Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Home Page: http://wa8lmf.net

NEW! *** HF APRS over PSK63 ***
http://wa8lmf.net/APRS_PSK63/index.htm

Universal HF/VHF/UHF Antenna Mounting System
http://wa8lmf.net/mobile/UniversalAntMountSystem.htm

"APRS 101" Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths

Airborne APRS Suggestions

> Above altitude of 3000 feet one should use at most WIDE1-1, preferrably no via paths at all.

>> Bob should really write some new guidance on path definitions for flyers.

The recommendation has never changed in the last decade.

NEVER-EVER USED WIDE1-1 !!!! There is no DUPE suppression in APRS for WIDE1-1!.

For BALLOONS, the recommendation is to use a payload with variable paths and rates at altitude and on the ground * OR * if a less-smart payload is used, use WIDE2-2 and no more often than 1 minute. This is not as bad as it sounds. Every digi will ONLY DIGIPEAT IT ONCE (not twice or more) because the New-N paradigm eliminates dupes. And having a new "vehicle" appear in every digi area for a 3 hour mission special event, is no worse than another driver driving though the area.

If a DIGI is causing dupes, FIX THE DIGI! Update to the 2004 New-N Paradigm!!! See http://www.aprs.org/fix14439.html

For Aircraft, the PATH is WIDE2-1. There is no reason to need 2 hops on the ground. The plane should not be lost...

NEVER USE WIDE1-1 on any airborne mobile.

Bob, Wb4APR

2010 APRS Golden Packet Attempt

On 25 July please consider participating in this year's APRS Golden Packet Attempt along the Appalachian Trail (and Pacific Coast Trail). Please see www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html and also page 99 in July's QST. There is also an effort being made this year on the West Coast see www.aprs.org/pct-golden-packet.html.

All it takes is a mobile with a D700 or FTM-350 to drive up to the top of the mountain and park for 4 hours.

Many teams have formed, but the New England area has many gaps from New York to Maine:

• Sam's pt NY (not manned in 2009)
• Mt Greylock
• New Hempshire (innop in 2009)
• Mt Washington (2009 team all moved to texas)
• Middle Maine (not manned in 2009)
• Mt Katahdin (not manned in 2009)

We still have not formed solid teams from these southern sites:

• Huntsville AL
• Lookout Mountain TN
• Roan Mountain NC (maybe)
• Comer's rock VA (not operational in 2009)(near Wythville)
• Apple Orchard Mtn (near Roanake

It's a 4 or 5 hour event on Sunday Afternoon and a great way to escape the heat down below by getting up there on the mountain top. If you cannot participate, spread the word, and find an out-doors type that can. Most sites are DRIVE-UP sites, so just about anyone with a car and a D700 or FTM-350 can participate as a temporary digi site after proper set-up.

Think of it as APRS Field Day.

Bob, Wb4APR

https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig

APRS Channels - Kenwood D700's at EOC

At our local EOC (emergency Operations Center), they have two D700's and and additional four in GO-kits which we will be programming FOUR channels for APRS use on side A with these 4 names and settings:

1. APRS-107 <== Muted APRS witch CTCSS 107 (with calling)
2. APRS-VA <== Normal APRS with CTCSS 100 for voice alert
3. APRSmute <== Muted APRS with DCS xxx
4. APRS-raw <== APRS with no squelch for channel assessment

With the above 4 channels, there should never be any need to touch the volume control on the APRS radio side A. It should always have the volume up to normal volume to receive calls. The operator can select any degree of noise free operation with those 4 channels.

1. APRS-107 Normal setting is APRS 107 which is basically APRS with voice alert, but with the local PL tone for our club. This keeps the radio QUIET, but if someone really did want to get the attention of the crew at the EOC (no matter where they were listening, they could key up on APRS with PL 107 and call them.
2. APRS-VA For knowledgible operators, they can set normal Voice Alert if they want a proximity detector to know when other Voice Alert stations are in range. I would call this channel APRS-VA except that since we are adjacent to the State of Virginia, too many people will think it has something to do with that state instead of Voice Alert. SO in our case, I will label this channel as APRS-100.
3. APRSmute Using the APRS channel with a random DCS basically means the speaker squelch will NEVER Open. SO in effect, this is APRS MUTED operation without having to touch the volume control.
4. APRS-raw Choose this channel to quickly listen to the APRS channel for any kind of troubleshooting without having to go to TONE menues.

Again, the purpose of these 4 channels are to make sure that the APRS radio always powers up in the best configuration for immediate use.

1. Have a default for the radio to power up that is quiet
2. Make sure no one ever has to touch the SQUELCH or VOLUME settings.
3. But the APRS operator in the EOC can be reached if needed

THen we will have the following PM Program Memories:

• PM1 - APRS using the front panel. Band B on local UHF channel
• PM2 - APRS packet mode to PC client software. Band B on UHF
• PM3 - Voice Operation. Band A and Band B set for desired channels
• PM4 - Voice and BAND SCAN
• PM5 - Still thinking... About this one..?

Bob, WB4APR

Stolen Ham Gear Registry

NWHAM.COM - Ham Radio for the Pacific Northwest - is providing a registry for stolen Amateur Radio gear.

Thanks folks!

New Writeup on HF APRS Posted...

by WA8LMF:

Subject: [aprssig] New Writeup On HF APRS Posted To My Website

I have finally got around to doing the guide/essay/set-of-notes on HF APRS operation that I have intended to to do for some time.

It is posted on my website at:

http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/HF_APRS_Notes.htm

144.350 and 144.390 APRS Update

BALDI
The BALDI digipeater has a new TNC, the old Kantronics KPC3 was replaced recently with a Argent Data Open Tracker 2 making for a better digipeater that could be more easily remotely controlled, and also has direct support for a weather station (see next item). Last weekend the transmission line to the top of the 80 foot tower was upgraded to a run of hard line. This will greatly increase the usable range of BALDI on 144.390.

Weather Station
BALDI is now sporting a weather station. A Peet Brothers 2100 is now fully functional at Baldi providing for weather observations from a location where there are no other weather stations nearby. Fully knowledgeable that BALDI is a really severe location in the winter, the remote sensing devices are heated (optional). This is a dream of mine fully realized after the 17 years I've been at Baldi, we've finally got around to making it happen.

VBALDI
We've traded out the 2 element folded dipole that was installed last fall with a 8 element folded dipole commercial grade antenna. Testing has proved this was the right decision. Doing so solidified our connection to VHEBO in the mountains SW of Portland, 160 miles away. We're now often Igated directly by the Internet connection at VHEBO.

CRYSTL/XTAL
In early July we added a Kenwood D-710 at the top of the Crystal Mountain Ski Area on the east side of the Mount Rainier National Park at 6,800 feet. This "double sided digi" as its been nick named has truly been working amazingly well. Its operating on 144.350 @9600 baud on the internal Kenwood TNC, and a Argent Data Open Tracker 2 TNC on the external data port. With both the high elevation and Mount Rainier right across the valley this site is working fantastically! Mountain bounce has really been our friend for this site's great coverage! Heard direct in Idaho, Salem and Victoria/Vancouver, Canada, and many places in between. This site has really filled in a lot of the dead zones between Greenwater and around the mountain towards Packwood and Cayuse and Chinook Passes into Yakima. Both sides are, of course, working on the same radio and antenna, that tells us that our foot print for 144.350 and 9600 baud is equally covered. CRYSTL is on 144.350 running 9600 baud, XTAL is on 144.390 and 1200 baud.

PACK
Bob, K7MXE is the most recent addition to the 144.350 9600 baud network with his addition of a Kenwood D-700 in the Pac-Forest. This is a solar powered site, and does very well throughout Puget Sound (very near the W7PFR-1 144.390 location near Eatonville) and around the south side of Mount Rainier.

SHRINR
This location on the east side of Mount Rainier was a 144.390 only project for us, it too is a solar powered only site. It's located at a very remote site and access is very limited once there. It worked for a while but unfortunately failed for an unknown reason. It is a seasonal digipeater anyway and will be revived next spring. With BALDI, XTAL, SHRINR and KJ7XE-11 there is (err, was, until SHRINR failed) literally complete coverage all the way around Mount Rainier on 144.390 with a 5 watt radio. Snow will take care of this sites primary coverage area soon enough anyway.


VHEBO
The VHEBO is supported by the same folks that run the HEBOWX digipeater above Lincoln City, Oregon. VHEBO is working very well for the folks in the Eugene/Salem area up to the southern end of Portland and along the Oregon coast from Astoria down through Seaside, Cannon Beach and much of the coastal highway and mountains towards Yachts.

Igates
There are a number of Igates located throughout Puget Sound, in addition to VHEBO, that works very reliably.

California
We've recently been granted permission from the coordinators in California to begin testing at a site in California. More on this later, but for now I'll say that it is in Northern California and will have coverage through the major population areas.

Enjoy!
N7FSP, K7EK, KJ7XE