[Xastir] Smart RELAY digipeating

[Tapio Sokura]

Curt, WE7U wrote:
> Question:  Is Xastir digipeating packets for which the "digipeated"
> bit associated with the RELAY callsign has already been set?  This
> is usually represented by a '*' following "RELAY" on a non-KISS TNC.
> If so, the code needs to be fixed to ignore those packets.

I haven't observed that happening. As you later in the message guessed, 
the WIDE digipeater also digipeats RELAY (and TRACE) packets, which I 
think is a quite sensible thing to do. The WIDE digipeater I have 
observed is running a KPC-3+ with 9.0 firmware, but that isn't relevant 
to this issue.

> I think we'd be getting into the realm of "things best handled by
> other software".  Digi_Ned would be the prime candidate here.

Certainly a special digipeater software would be closer to the 
traditional *nix ideology here. But I'm thinking of the great number of 
Joe Average hams that run Xastir or any other APRS client software and 
have RELAY digipeating enabled. Ideally in the present situation all 
stations in a crowded area should not have RELAY digipeating enabled, 
because it can generate a lot of extra traffic if many RELAY stations 
hear the original packet. If client software implemented a random delay 
before RELAY digipeating and checked whether someone else has already 
digipeated the frame, just about all stations could enable this sort of 
RELAY functionality without causing too much extra QRM. If this requires 
installing a special digipeater software, the required effort is 
probably more than an average user wants to go through.

Anyway this feature hardly is a "must", but it would be nice.

   Tapio