On Nov 7, 2007, at 7:54 PM, John Barrett wrote:
> Do you guys see a problem running the control link on 144.390 (APRS)
> or one of the 145.* packet freqs ?? As a packet mode link ?? I’m
> sure the 2.4g WiFi control link is fine, just want an opinion about
> running control capability piggy-back with the APRS and Winlink
> radios I’m going to have on board. All the packet, wifi, and
> repeater controllers are going to be hooked to a single computer…
> thought it would make a nice centralized way to manage the trailer
> remotely in all its features.
>
Since a VERY large number of people have receivers listening to 144.39
full-time, it doesn't lend itself much to being able to control things
discreetly or quietly. Same thing with the other packet frequencies,
if they're active in your area. And, pretty much everyone monitoring
any packet frequency has the ability to read your commands which
raises the possibility that someone could mess with your system you're
supposed to have "control" over. Many are logging all received
traffic into a PC hard disk, too.
Packet for control is not a good idea, if you ask me.
My preferences are in this order:
1. When I can get it, wireline control... phone line and DTMF... or
IP via commercial service to an on-site DTMF encoder or serial port on
the controller (yay to the controller manufacturers who have either
put this in or are starting to!).
2. When I can't have wireline control due to costs or whatever (no
phone lines), an obscure but legal/smart receiver on a control
frequency and DTMF.
Oh, and we learned the hard way that DTMF over a VoIP phone line...
sucks for programming controllers. It only takes a couple of missed
digits in a half-hour programming session to have key macros not
work. (LOL!) Don't use them at either end for programming! (Good
old POTS works the best still, of course!)
Additionally -- for another layer of things, the vast majority of
common "control functions" are done with pre-written macros in the
controllers. Putting the master DTMF password over the air in any
fashion is a last-resort type of thing.
--
Nate Duehr, WY0X
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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