[Xastir] Change to RELAY digipeat function

Sat Apr 9 07:36:00 EDT 2005

It's not that hard...Bob has documented it pretty well. The one thing that 
is good is that there has been a robust discussion of what should be done 
and how to implement it on varioius platforms.

I'm doing a massive upgrade of debian, xastir, and installing the new 
digi-ned with the agwpe hooks today (with a LOT of help from Ryan, KB0JQO). 
When complete, we will have implemented the new paradigm, including 
maintaining RELAY support for a period of time, the WIDE1-1 alias for 
fill-in digi's, as well as the full WIDEn-n and Abusive Path Trapping 
schemes, for all the platforms in our coverage area.

Right now we have implemented this for:

UI-View32 smart digi's
UI-Digi (as much as one can until author updates firmware)
KPC3+ digis
Digi-ned (one in operation and one to go on line today)

WinAPRs is not being used in digi-service in our area, other than as 
fill-in. There is nearly 0 WinAPRS use in Iowa. UI-View32 dominates, but 
there are several Xastir sites as well. If things go well here today, I will 
be converting from UI-View32 based smart digi'ing to Digi-ned based today 
sometime.

So far, it has been very easy for two reasons:

1. We didn't start communicating with the user base until the dust had 
largely settled.
2. Two people did all the implementation/design work for the change.

We noticed between a 20 and 40 percent drop in traffic! (This is based on 
actual traffic counts taken by the minute/10-minute/ periods and then 
averaged over a period varying from 1 to 240 hours.) This process has been 
ongoing for over a month and the data is clear, so instead of speculating 
about how it "can't possibly work"...do the real work, make the changes, 
COMMUNICATE WITH THE USER BASE, and see for yourself. Of course to actually 
see what is taking place, one has to actually spend the time to monitor the 
channel, then collect and analyze the data. We (the hicks from the sticks) 
did it....anyone similarly motivated can do it and not have to deal in 
speculation and conjecture.

...and it is NOT the result of paths being wrong...we monitor the channel 
many hours per day and have corrected 98% of the users paths.

There are two real keys to the change...

1. The network MUST be monitored on a continual basis.
2. The users must be instructed, educated and given feedback.

In other words, the local network must be MANAGED...gee, what a concept!

We have superb cooperation among digi owners and end users. Perhaps it's 
because we don't jerk them around and we make any changes easy to understand 
by implementing changes "by the numbers", including instructions and help. 
Then again, perhaps it's because we are in Iowa, where people actually value 
cooperation over competition, and the good of the network over any one 
individual's ego.

Whatever the reason(s), the change is solidly in place on all the platforms 
and we have a significant reduction in channel clutter as a result.

Until new hardware and a brand new scheme to make use of the hardware come 
available, this is the best possible way to go. We did it and are pleased.

73,

...hasan, N0AN
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Friis" <wm5z at comcast.net>
To: "James Ewen" <jewen at shaw.ca>
Cc: <nwaprssig at nwaprs.org>; <xastir at xastir.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2005 2:11 AM
Subject: Re: [Xastir] Change to RELAY digipeat function

> Thanks to all that have been part of this discussion. I am listening to 
> all that is said because here in Las Cruces, NM there doesn't seem to be 
> very good coverage. I am thinking of seting up a digipeater here, and am 
> learning of the do's and don't's. See, some of us are willing to do it 
> right, if only we knew what was right.
>
> Steve/WM5Z
>
>
> James Ewen wrote:
>
>>> #2, but proceed with caution after comprehensive testing and
>>> re-testing, to make sure we're not fooling ourselves.
>>
>>
>> That's the hard part. To be able to do comprehensive testing, you really 
>> need to make wholesale changes to all of the parts... You can change 1 
>> digipeater, but it won't make a difference if the rest of the digipeaters 
>> still implement the old parameters. The digipeaters need to drop RELAY, 
>> and home stations need to change their RELAY into WIDE1-1 (only if they 
>> are in a useful area). The trackers (meaning all APRS stations, mobile 
>> (whether full blown or dumb), or home stations) need to use WIDE2-2 or 
>> less, and if absolutely necessary, WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1 to get a boost from 
>> the home stations.
>>
>> Everything needs to make the change to the new parameters to be able to 
>> make proper quantitative and qualitative analysis of the implications of 
>> said changes.
>>
>> James
>> VE6SRV
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Xastir at xastir.org
>> https://lists.xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
>>
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