--- In [email protected], "Jon M. Hanson" <j...@...> wrote: > > Is something wrong with W0CDS' D-PRS gateway to the Internet? I > thought I heard a couple of position reports come out of my radio > acknowledged by W0CDS but they didn't appear to make it out to the > APRS network.
A simple explanation of the D-PRS IGate on the gateway: The D-PRS IGate monitors the repeater to gateway bit stream looking for the Icom "low speed serial" information. This information is carried in unprotected form via RF and the bit stream format is not altered going to the gateway. If Icom GPS information is seen AND it is in the proper format (see http://www.aprs-is.net/dprs.aspx) AND there are no bit errors, the D-PRS IGate will translate the received GPS information into an APRS packet and send it to APRS-IS. For the bit stream to be seen by the gateway, you must have the repeater in RPT1 and the gateway in RPT2. For normal operation, we recommend you have CQCQCQ in URCALL. For proper format to be gated to APRS-IS, review http://www.aprs- is.net/dprs.aspx and configure your radio accordingly. The gateway does not "acknowledge" transmissions (nor does the repeater). What the repeater (and gateway) does is tell you by different responses whether your RF header (contains both forward error correction and error detection) was received properly or not (basically, it is more detailed than that). There is no indication of bit errors in the "low speed data" portion of the transmission. Individual beacons (never beacon more often than every 5 minutes on a repeater and never beacon if you are active on voice) quite often will have at least one bit error which will invalidate the position report to the D-PRS IGate. If you are using an amplifier with a hand- held, you might also be chopping the RF header preventing your bit stream from making it to the gateway. Icom has their radios "continuously" send GPS information (GPS or GPS-A mode) when you are talking which greatly increases the chances that at least one report will get through error free. Hope this helps. 73, Pete Loveall AE5PL
