Hi All,
I know this is generally a satellite specific list, but since a lot of you are APRS users, I am going to see if anyone can answer this question. I will try to keep it simple. Please email me if I don’t make sense.
I recently put up a digi on my property (KD8KSN-1). I am using a Kenwood TM-271 (25w – lowest power setting), Diamond F22A 6.7db ground plane on a 1112ft hill, and a Kantronics Packet Communicator 3 Plus TNC. From what I can tell, everything seems to be working fine from the RF side. Here is the issue:
On aprs.fi, when KD8KSN-1 is digipeated by station (eg) xx1xx, xx1xx shows up in KD8KSN-1’s “info bubble” as one of the stations who digi’d the most recent packet. (You can also view it by going into raw packets (http://aprs.fi/?c=raw&call=KD8KSN-1) and looking at what stations digi’d KD8KSN-1. Just in case you don’t know what this “info bubble” is I am referring to, follow this link http://aprs.fi/?call=a%2FKD8KSN-1 I am referring to the box in the middle of the screen with my digipeater’s status text, power/gain/HAAT/range.) Now, when I watch the TNC and the receive light comes on, then the transmit light comes on (which would indicate it is didgipeating a station), I monitor with the D7, and as soon as the TNC transmits, I receive a packet on the D7 with (eg) KB8TZE-9. I then immediately get on the computer, lookup KB8TZE-9 on aprs.fi, and according to his raw packets and “info bubble,” I am nowhere in the chain of digis that digipeated him. I have tried this with several different stations, and not once have a seen myself come up in anyone’s raw packets as a station that digipeated them. The *only* time I have seen KD8KSN-1 in the chain of digis that digipeated a station is when it has digipeated me (KD8KSN-7/-9).
Me and my other APRS friend speculated that it might be due to the fact that I live in the country and don’t live close to an internet gateway, but I am able to send myself email messages without issues, and I am also aware of at least three gateways that I am very frequently digipeated by.
I know this is probably not a huge issue. Having your call in someone’s raw packets or “info bubble” isn’t a big deal, but WHY its not working is what’s bugging me. Everyone else’s digi does this, so why isn’t mine?
Any help would definitely be appreciated. Please feel free to ask me any questions if I am not making sense. Just keep in mind that I am brand new to this, so please keep it in layman’s terms. ;-)
73!
Zack
KD8KSN
On Sat, 2011-02-05 at 10:30 -0500, Zachary Beougher wrote:
and “info bubble,” I am nowhere in the chain of digis that digipeated him. I have tried this with several different stations, and not once have a seen myself come up in anyone’s raw packets as a station that digipeated them.
You haven't digipeated them *on the way to the igate*...
Gordon MM0YEQ
Hi,
Thanks for the responses from a few of you regarding my APRS question. I did a little more studying this afternoon, and I found out that if I am the first digi in the "chain" to repeat someone's packet, my call appears in their bubble and raw packets - BUT - if I am number 1 or 2 along the path, my call does not make it to the internet. I would assume this is because when I am the first digi to digipeat someone, it *generally* has 2 more hops to go (hence a better chance to get on the internet), but if I am number 2 or 3 in the chain, it only has 1 hop left - max, therefore not a big chance to make it to a gateway - is this a correct assumption of what is going on?
Zack KD8KSN
-----Original Message----- From: Gordon JC Pearce Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 10:58 AM To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: APRS Digi Question
On Sat, 2011-02-05 at 10:30 -0500, Zachary Beougher wrote:
and “info bubble,” I am nowhere in the chain of digis that digipeated him. I have tried this with several different stations, and not once have a seen myself come up in anyone’s raw packets as a station that digipeated them.
You haven't digipeated them *on the way to the igate*...
Gordon MM0YEQ
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
On Sat, 2011-02-05 at 17:44 -0500, Zachary Beougher wrote:
Hi,
Thanks for the responses from a few of you regarding my APRS question. I did a little more studying this afternoon, and I found out that if I am the first digi in the "chain" to repeat someone's packet, my call appears in their bubble and raw packets - BUT - if I am number 1 or 2 along the path, my call does not make it to the internet. I would assume this is because when I am the first digi to digipeat someone, it *generally* has 2 more hops to go (hence a better chance to get on the internet), but if I am number 2 or 3 in the chain, it only has 1 hop left - max, therefore not a big chance to make it to a gateway - is this a correct assumption of what is going on?
Zack KD8KSN
I don't know for certain, but that does sound reasonable. I still haven't quite got my head around the way that digipeating works in APRS. It seems pretty messy...
Gordon MM0YEQ
if I am the first digi in the "chain" to repeat someone's packet, my call appears in their bubble and raw packets - BUT - if I am number 1 or 2 along the path, my call does not make it to the internet.
The internet takes only the FIRST copy of a packet. No matter how many times your station digipeats it, if it is not the first packet heard by an IGate, then you won't see your copies.
Hope that helps Bob, Wb4APR
I think I have a rough understanding of it now.... ;-) It sounds like the iGate is the issue.
Thanks for the help!
73,
Zack KD8KSN
-----Original Message----- From: Bob Bruninga Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 7:48 PM To: Gordon JC Pearce ; amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: APRS Digi Question
if I am the first digi in the "chain" to repeat someone's packet, my call appears in their bubble and raw packets - BUT - if I am number 1 or 2 along the path, my call does not make it to the internet.
The internet takes only the FIRST copy of a packet. No matter how many times your station digipeats it, if it is not the first packet heard by an IGate, then you won't see your copies.
Hope that helps Bob, Wb4APR
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (3)
-
Bob Bruninga -
Gordon JC Pearce -
Zachary Beougher