[Xastir] Gating APRS messages for local stations to RF

[Curt, WE7U]

On Wed, 9 Sep 2009, Julian Moss wrote:

> On 09/09/2009, Curt, WE7U <archer at eskimo.com> wrote:
>
>>> In .xastir/data I have created a file nws-stations.txt which contains
>>> one line that says G4ILO-7.
>>
>> You don't need to do that.
>
> I thought not, but before I added that line I could see that messages
> were being received by xastir but not sent to RF. After I added it, if
> I received the messages they were transmitted.

More than likely your Xastir hadn't heard the station on RF in the
last hour -or- had the station marked as being from INET instead of
RF.  In either case it wouldn't igate to RF because it didn't think
the station was there to receive it.  Until you forced it to of
course.  The nws-stations.txt file is intended to force various
bulletins and weather packets to go to RF.  It's not intended to be
used for igating messages/ACK's/NAK's to RF because it won't follow
the station as it moved from igate coverage to igate coverage,
therefore isn't "smart".


> Yes, I am connected to a UK feed, in an addition I am using a filter
> something like m/15 so I only receive data for stations in my local
> area. But the filter did not change and sometimes I received the
> messages and sometimes I didn't.

Do you have a range filter in there as well?  It's possible that the
igate had not received your location when you were running some
tests.  Try doing a manual transmit a couple of times before each
test, after you connect to the INET.  That way the conditions will
be the same each time (at least for that interface).

To make all conditions for the test proper, get the station on RF to
transmit a position or two before you do the messaging test as well.


>> Xastir will send messages/ack's/nak's to RF if the station has been
>> heard on local RF in the last hour.  If it hasn't, it won't send
>> them to RF.  I believe all igate software works in a similar manner.
>
> That's what I thought. However it doesn't appear to work like that.
> And I had exactly the same trouble (some messages not getting to me at
> all, messages for G4ILO-7 not being sent to RF unless I specifically
> added that call to a list) with UI-View32.
>
> Is there some other factor that could be causing this, such as the
> hop-count expiring? Perhaps I should try connecting to a different
> server than ahubswe.net.

Nope, hop-count doesn't matter.  Only the destination call in this
case.

Try running ONLY a range filter and doing manual transmits a couple
of times after you first connect to the INET to get the range filter
working right.  After that, make sure the station you're trying to
send to on RF has been heard on RF via your station before running
your messaging igate tests.  Station Info tells you where Xastir
last heard the station, RF or INET.  I'd have to look at the code to
see whether that's the same flag which is used for igating...  I
don't think so 'cuz Xastir does a check for "heard on RF in the last
hour".

There certainly could be some confusion in the Xastir code as to
whether the station is on RF or INET...  There may be some work to
do there to make that test reliable.

-- 
Curt, WE7U.                         <http://www.eskimo.com/~archer>
    APRS:  Where it's at!                    <http://www.xastir.org>
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