Re: [Xastir] OpenTrac

2019-04-10 Thread Tom Russo
On Wed, Apr 10, 2019 at 10:16:24AM -0500, we recorded a bogon-computron 
collision of the  flavor, containing:
> Actually, APRS-IS COULD handle the data. There were some code implementers
> who did their best to make it incompatible with their versions of server
> code.
> 
> OpenTrak was a pretty natural follow-on to the original APRS concept, with
> a well-designed systematic approach to a bunch of things we've been dealing
> with on an ad hoc basis for decades...

Agreed.  It held a lot of promise.  Unfortunately that promise never got
realized, and Scott's own OpenTrac information site shows almost no
activity since 2004ish.  So hanging on to code in Xastir to support it
is a maintenance headache.

> On Mon, Apr 8, 2019 at 12:33 AM Curt Mills  wrote:
> 
> > The only trackers that implemented it were Argentdata trackers. APRS-IS
> > can't handle the packets but your average digipeaters can. I used to run a
> > dual-protocol tracker in my Jeep that would do both APRS and Opentrac
> > packets every posit and it worked well. I don't have that in my later
> > Argentdata trackers though.
> >
> > Unless Scott starts putting it into his trackers again it's unlikely anyone
> > will be using it. It's definitely a nice protocol though!
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 7, 2019 at 9:01 PM David Ranch  wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Hello Tom,
> > >
> > > Thanks for working on this.  To be honest, I've never even heard of
> > > OpenTrac protocol before and I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on
> > > APRS.  Guess not!   Anyway, as I've learned from the hobby, the APRS
> > > protocol is very capable but also buried in a huge amount of legacy
> > > "debt".  It's shift away from RELAY, it's multiple addendum and what not
> > > really make it difficult to implement a clean solution.  I don't know
> > > why OpenTrac didn't catch on but maybe embedded solutions can't support
> > > both protocols simultaneously on the same frequency?  Maybe there isn't
> > > enough real benefit over APRS to deploy it more widely?  It also doesn't
> > > help that TNC vendors like Kantronics, Timewave, etc. have essentially
> > > abandoned their firmware work.
> > >
> > > If something modern like say Direwolf added Opentrac support, would that
> > > help?  I see that YACC supports it already as well.
> > >
> > > --David
> > > KI6ZHD
> > >
> > >
> > > On 04/07/2019 02:01 PM, Tom Russo wrote:
> > > > So, I have been going through Xastir very slowly trying to clean up the
> > > many,
> > > > many warnings that are emitted by modern compilers.  GCC 8 is
> > especially
> > > noisy,
> > > > and warns about many things that are not in fact errors in Xastir, but
> > > it is
> > > > also finding a bunch of potential problems that need cleaning up.
> > > >
> > > > A bunch of these potential problems are showing up in the various
> > > functions
> > > > to handle OpenTrac protocol packets.  Some of these are potential
> > buffer
> > > > overruns, others are just noise.
> > > >
> > > > I discussed with Curt how to clean these up, and we could do one of two
> > > things:
> > > > - work hard to work out exactly how to fix things so the code
> > > actually works
> > > > OR
> > > > - just remove OpenTrac support, since it's basically dead
> > > >
> > > > The latter is probably the right thing to do, as there are probably
> > very
> > > few
> > > > people out there who even remember what OpenTrac was, and even fewer
> > who
> > > still
> > > > use it.  It was meant to be a more carefully designed protocol than
> > APRS
> > > > (which grew more-or-less organically, and randomly), but never really
> > > > caught on.  I do not believe there are any currently-available trackers
> > > or
> > > > software that supports transmitting it.
> > > >
> > > > So, is anyone at all using the OpenTrac decoding in Xastir, and would
> > > they
> > > > be upset if it were removed?
> > > >
> > >
> > > ___
> > > Xastir mailing list
> > > Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> > > http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Curt, WE7Uhttp://we7u.wetnet.net
> > http://www.sarguydigital.com
> > ___
> > Xastir mailing list
> > Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> > http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
> >
> 
> 
> -- 
> Gerry Creager
> NSSL/CIMMS
> 405.325.6371
> ++
> *The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.*
> *   Walt Disney*
> ___
> Xastir mailing list
> Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir

-- 
Tom RussoKM5VY
Tijeras, NM  

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Re: [Xastir] OpenTrac

2019-04-10 Thread Gerry Creager - NOAA Affiliate
Actually, APRS-IS COULD handle the data. There were some code implementers
who did their best to make it incompatible with their versions of server
code.

OpenTrak was a pretty natural follow-on to the original APRS concept, with
a well-designed systematic approach to a bunch of things we've been dealing
with on an ad hoc basis for decades...

gerry

On Mon, Apr 8, 2019 at 12:33 AM Curt Mills  wrote:

> The only trackers that implemented it were Argentdata trackers. APRS-IS
> can't handle the packets but your average digipeaters can. I used to run a
> dual-protocol tracker in my Jeep that would do both APRS and Opentrac
> packets every posit and it worked well. I don't have that in my later
> Argentdata trackers though.
>
> Unless Scott starts putting it into his trackers again it's unlikely anyone
> will be using it. It's definitely a nice protocol though!
>
>
> On Sun, Apr 7, 2019 at 9:01 PM David Ranch  wrote:
>
> >
> > Hello Tom,
> >
> > Thanks for working on this.  To be honest, I've never even heard of
> > OpenTrac protocol before and I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on
> > APRS.  Guess not!   Anyway, as I've learned from the hobby, the APRS
> > protocol is very capable but also buried in a huge amount of legacy
> > "debt".  It's shift away from RELAY, it's multiple addendum and what not
> > really make it difficult to implement a clean solution.  I don't know
> > why OpenTrac didn't catch on but maybe embedded solutions can't support
> > both protocols simultaneously on the same frequency?  Maybe there isn't
> > enough real benefit over APRS to deploy it more widely?  It also doesn't
> > help that TNC vendors like Kantronics, Timewave, etc. have essentially
> > abandoned their firmware work.
> >
> > If something modern like say Direwolf added Opentrac support, would that
> > help?  I see that YACC supports it already as well.
> >
> > --David
> > KI6ZHD
> >
> >
> > On 04/07/2019 02:01 PM, Tom Russo wrote:
> > > So, I have been going through Xastir very slowly trying to clean up the
> > many,
> > > many warnings that are emitted by modern compilers.  GCC 8 is
> especially
> > noisy,
> > > and warns about many things that are not in fact errors in Xastir, but
> > it is
> > > also finding a bunch of potential problems that need cleaning up.
> > >
> > > A bunch of these potential problems are showing up in the various
> > functions
> > > to handle OpenTrac protocol packets.  Some of these are potential
> buffer
> > > overruns, others are just noise.
> > >
> > > I discussed with Curt how to clean these up, and we could do one of two
> > things:
> > > - work hard to work out exactly how to fix things so the code
> > actually works
> > > OR
> > > - just remove OpenTrac support, since it's basically dead
> > >
> > > The latter is probably the right thing to do, as there are probably
> very
> > few
> > > people out there who even remember what OpenTrac was, and even fewer
> who
> > still
> > > use it.  It was meant to be a more carefully designed protocol than
> APRS
> > > (which grew more-or-less organically, and randomly), but never really
> > > caught on.  I do not believe there are any currently-available trackers
> > or
> > > software that supports transmitting it.
> > >
> > > So, is anyone at all using the OpenTrac decoding in Xastir, and would
> > they
> > > be upset if it were removed?
> > >
> >
> > ___
> > Xastir mailing list
> > Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> > http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
> >
>
>
> --
> Curt, WE7Uhttp://we7u.wetnet.net
> http://www.sarguydigital.com
> ___
> Xastir mailing list
> Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
>


-- 
Gerry Creager
NSSL/CIMMS
405.325.6371
++
*The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.*
*   Walt Disney*
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Re: [Xastir] OpenTrac

2019-04-10 Thread Gerry Creager - NOAA Affiliate
:-)
At the time, the index microcontroller WAS an 8-bit. 16-bit systems were
big and expensive!

gerry

On Wed, Apr 10, 2019 at 9:21 AM Jason KG4WSV  wrote:

> it should probably just be removed.
>
> kinda sad, i wanted to implement it once, but the only "documentation" i
> could ever find was the version of the OT code that Scott made available.
> An implementation for an 8 bit micro controller isn't exactly an ideal
> reference design.
>
> -j
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Apr 8, 2019 at 12:33 AM Curt Mills  wrote:
>
> > The only trackers that implemented it were Argentdata trackers. APRS-IS
> > can't handle the packets but your average digipeaters can. I used to run
> a
> > dual-protocol tracker in my Jeep that would do both APRS and Opentrac
> > packets every posit and it worked well. I don't have that in my later
> > Argentdata trackers though.
> >
> > Unless Scott starts putting it into his trackers again it's unlikely
> anyone
> > will be using it. It's definitely a nice protocol though!
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 7, 2019 at 9:01 PM David Ranch  wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Hello Tom,
> > >
> > > Thanks for working on this.  To be honest, I've never even heard of
> > > OpenTrac protocol before and I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable
> on
> > > APRS.  Guess not!   Anyway, as I've learned from the hobby, the APRS
> > > protocol is very capable but also buried in a huge amount of legacy
> > > "debt".  It's shift away from RELAY, it's multiple addendum and what
> not
> > > really make it difficult to implement a clean solution.  I don't know
> > > why OpenTrac didn't catch on but maybe embedded solutions can't support
> > > both protocols simultaneously on the same frequency?  Maybe there isn't
> > > enough real benefit over APRS to deploy it more widely?  It also
> doesn't
> > > help that TNC vendors like Kantronics, Timewave, etc. have essentially
> > > abandoned their firmware work.
> > >
> > > If something modern like say Direwolf added Opentrac support, would
> that
> > > help?  I see that YACC supports it already as well.
> > >
> > > --David
> > > KI6ZHD
> > >
> > >
> > > On 04/07/2019 02:01 PM, Tom Russo wrote:
> > > > So, I have been going through Xastir very slowly trying to clean up
> the
> > > many,
> > > > many warnings that are emitted by modern compilers.  GCC 8 is
> > especially
> > > noisy,
> > > > and warns about many things that are not in fact errors in Xastir,
> but
> > > it is
> > > > also finding a bunch of potential problems that need cleaning up.
> > > >
> > > > A bunch of these potential problems are showing up in the various
> > > functions
> > > > to handle OpenTrac protocol packets.  Some of these are potential
> > buffer
> > > > overruns, others are just noise.
> > > >
> > > > I discussed with Curt how to clean these up, and we could do one of
> two
> > > things:
> > > > - work hard to work out exactly how to fix things so the code
> > > actually works
> > > > OR
> > > > - just remove OpenTrac support, since it's basically dead
> > > >
> > > > The latter is probably the right thing to do, as there are probably
> > very
> > > few
> > > > people out there who even remember what OpenTrac was, and even fewer
> > who
> > > still
> > > > use it.  It was meant to be a more carefully designed protocol than
> > APRS
> > > > (which grew more-or-less organically, and randomly), but never really
> > > > caught on.  I do not believe there are any currently-available
> trackers
> > > or
> > > > software that supports transmitting it.
> > > >
> > > > So, is anyone at all using the OpenTrac decoding in Xastir, and would
> > > they
> > > > be upset if it were removed?
> > > >
> > >
> > > ___
> > > Xastir mailing list
> > > Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> > > http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Curt, WE7Uhttp://we7u.wetnet.net
> > http://www.sarguydigital.com
> > ___
> > Xastir mailing list
> > Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> > http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
> >
>
>
> --
> -Jason
> kg4wsv
> ___
> Xastir mailing list
> Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
>


-- 
Gerry Creager
NSSL/CIMMS
405.325.6371
++
*The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.*
*   Walt Disney*
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Re: [Xastir] OpenTrac

2019-04-10 Thread Tom Russo
On Wed, Apr 10, 2019 at 09:21:38AM -0500, we recorded a bogon-computron 
collision of the  flavor, containing:
> it should probably just be removed.

It was.  Commit 2ebfb27.

> kinda sad, i wanted to implement it once, but the only "documentation" i
> could ever find was the version of the OT code that Scott made available.
> An implementation for an 8 bit micro controller isn't exactly an ideal
> reference design.
> 
> -j
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Apr 8, 2019 at 12:33 AM Curt Mills  wrote:
> 
> > The only trackers that implemented it were Argentdata trackers. APRS-IS
> > can't handle the packets but your average digipeaters can. I used to run a
> > dual-protocol tracker in my Jeep that would do both APRS and Opentrac
> > packets every posit and it worked well. I don't have that in my later
> > Argentdata trackers though.
> >
> > Unless Scott starts putting it into his trackers again it's unlikely anyone
> > will be using it. It's definitely a nice protocol though!
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 7, 2019 at 9:01 PM David Ranch  wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Hello Tom,
> > >
> > > Thanks for working on this.  To be honest, I've never even heard of
> > > OpenTrac protocol before and I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on
> > > APRS.  Guess not!   Anyway, as I've learned from the hobby, the APRS
> > > protocol is very capable but also buried in a huge amount of legacy
> > > "debt".  It's shift away from RELAY, it's multiple addendum and what not
> > > really make it difficult to implement a clean solution.  I don't know
> > > why OpenTrac didn't catch on but maybe embedded solutions can't support
> > > both protocols simultaneously on the same frequency?  Maybe there isn't
> > > enough real benefit over APRS to deploy it more widely?  It also doesn't
> > > help that TNC vendors like Kantronics, Timewave, etc. have essentially
> > > abandoned their firmware work.
> > >
> > > If something modern like say Direwolf added Opentrac support, would that
> > > help?  I see that YACC supports it already as well.
> > >
> > > --David
> > > KI6ZHD
> > >
> > >
> > > On 04/07/2019 02:01 PM, Tom Russo wrote:
> > > > So, I have been going through Xastir very slowly trying to clean up the
> > > many,
> > > > many warnings that are emitted by modern compilers.  GCC 8 is
> > especially
> > > noisy,
> > > > and warns about many things that are not in fact errors in Xastir, but
> > > it is
> > > > also finding a bunch of potential problems that need cleaning up.
> > > >
> > > > A bunch of these potential problems are showing up in the various
> > > functions
> > > > to handle OpenTrac protocol packets.  Some of these are potential
> > buffer
> > > > overruns, others are just noise.
> > > >
> > > > I discussed with Curt how to clean these up, and we could do one of two
> > > things:
> > > > - work hard to work out exactly how to fix things so the code
> > > actually works
> > > > OR
> > > > - just remove OpenTrac support, since it's basically dead
> > > >
> > > > The latter is probably the right thing to do, as there are probably
> > very
> > > few
> > > > people out there who even remember what OpenTrac was, and even fewer
> > who
> > > still
> > > > use it.  It was meant to be a more carefully designed protocol than
> > APRS
> > > > (which grew more-or-less organically, and randomly), but never really
> > > > caught on.  I do not believe there are any currently-available trackers
> > > or
> > > > software that supports transmitting it.
> > > >
> > > > So, is anyone at all using the OpenTrac decoding in Xastir, and would
> > > they
> > > > be upset if it were removed?
> > > >
> > >
> > > ___
> > > Xastir mailing list
> > > Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> > > http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Curt, WE7Uhttp://we7u.wetnet.net
> > http://www.sarguydigital.com
> > ___
> > Xastir mailing list
> > Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> > http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
> >
> 
> 
> -- 
> -Jason
> kg4wsv
> ___
> Xastir mailing list
> Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir

-- 
Tom RussoKM5VY
Tijeras, NM  

 echo "prpv_a'rfg_cnf_har_cvcr" | sed -e 's/_/ /g' | tr [a-m][n-z] [n-z][a-m]

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Re: [Xastir] OpenTrac

2019-04-07 Thread Curt Mills
The only trackers that implemented it were Argentdata trackers. APRS-IS
can't handle the packets but your average digipeaters can. I used to run a
dual-protocol tracker in my Jeep that would do both APRS and Opentrac
packets every posit and it worked well. I don't have that in my later
Argentdata trackers though.

Unless Scott starts putting it into his trackers again it's unlikely anyone
will be using it. It's definitely a nice protocol though!


On Sun, Apr 7, 2019 at 9:01 PM David Ranch  wrote:

>
> Hello Tom,
>
> Thanks for working on this.  To be honest, I've never even heard of
> OpenTrac protocol before and I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on
> APRS.  Guess not!   Anyway, as I've learned from the hobby, the APRS
> protocol is very capable but also buried in a huge amount of legacy
> "debt".  It's shift away from RELAY, it's multiple addendum and what not
> really make it difficult to implement a clean solution.  I don't know
> why OpenTrac didn't catch on but maybe embedded solutions can't support
> both protocols simultaneously on the same frequency?  Maybe there isn't
> enough real benefit over APRS to deploy it more widely?  It also doesn't
> help that TNC vendors like Kantronics, Timewave, etc. have essentially
> abandoned their firmware work.
>
> If something modern like say Direwolf added Opentrac support, would that
> help?  I see that YACC supports it already as well.
>
> --David
> KI6ZHD
>
>
> On 04/07/2019 02:01 PM, Tom Russo wrote:
> > So, I have been going through Xastir very slowly trying to clean up the
> many,
> > many warnings that are emitted by modern compilers.  GCC 8 is especially
> noisy,
> > and warns about many things that are not in fact errors in Xastir, but
> it is
> > also finding a bunch of potential problems that need cleaning up.
> >
> > A bunch of these potential problems are showing up in the various
> functions
> > to handle OpenTrac protocol packets.  Some of these are potential buffer
> > overruns, others are just noise.
> >
> > I discussed with Curt how to clean these up, and we could do one of two
> things:
> > - work hard to work out exactly how to fix things so the code
> actually works
> > OR
> > - just remove OpenTrac support, since it's basically dead
> >
> > The latter is probably the right thing to do, as there are probably very
> few
> > people out there who even remember what OpenTrac was, and even fewer who
> still
> > use it.  It was meant to be a more carefully designed protocol than APRS
> > (which grew more-or-less organically, and randomly), but never really
> > caught on.  I do not believe there are any currently-available trackers
> or
> > software that supports transmitting it.
> >
> > So, is anyone at all using the OpenTrac decoding in Xastir, and would
> they
> > be upset if it were removed?
> >
>
> ___
> Xastir mailing list
> Xastir@lists.xastir.org
> http://xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
>


-- 
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Re: [Xastir] OpenTrac

2019-04-07 Thread David Ranch



Hello Tom,

Thanks for working on this.  To be honest, I've never even heard of 
OpenTrac protocol before and I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on 
APRS.  Guess not!   Anyway, as I've learned from the hobby, the APRS 
protocol is very capable but also buried in a huge amount of legacy 
"debt".  It's shift away from RELAY, it's multiple addendum and what not 
really make it difficult to implement a clean solution.  I don't know 
why OpenTrac didn't catch on but maybe embedded solutions can't support 
both protocols simultaneously on the same frequency?  Maybe there isn't 
enough real benefit over APRS to deploy it more widely?  It also doesn't 
help that TNC vendors like Kantronics, Timewave, etc. have essentially 
abandoned their firmware work.


If something modern like say Direwolf added Opentrac support, would that 
help?  I see that YACC supports it already as well.


--David
KI6ZHD


On 04/07/2019 02:01 PM, Tom Russo wrote:

So, I have been going through Xastir very slowly trying to clean up the many,
many warnings that are emitted by modern compilers.  GCC 8 is especially noisy,
and warns about many things that are not in fact errors in Xastir, but it is
also finding a bunch of potential problems that need cleaning up.

A bunch of these potential problems are showing up in the various functions
to handle OpenTrac protocol packets.  Some of these are potential buffer
overruns, others are just noise.

I discussed with Curt how to clean these up, and we could do one of two things:
- work hard to work out exactly how to fix things so the code actually works
OR
- just remove OpenTrac support, since it's basically dead

The latter is probably the right thing to do, as there are probably very few
people out there who even remember what OpenTrac was, and even fewer who still
use it.  It was meant to be a more carefully designed protocol than APRS
(which grew more-or-less organically, and randomly), but never really
caught on.  I do not believe there are any currently-available trackers or
software that supports transmitting it.

So, is anyone at all using the OpenTrac decoding in Xastir, and would they
be upset if it were removed?



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[Xastir] OpenTrac

2019-04-07 Thread Tom Russo
So, I have been going through Xastir very slowly trying to clean up the many,
many warnings that are emitted by modern compilers.  GCC 8 is especially noisy,
and warns about many things that are not in fact errors in Xastir, but it is
also finding a bunch of potential problems that need cleaning up.

A bunch of these potential problems are showing up in the various functions
to handle OpenTrac protocol packets.  Some of these are potential buffer
overruns, others are just noise.

I discussed with Curt how to clean these up, and we could do one of two things:
   - work hard to work out exactly how to fix things so the code actually works
   OR
   - just remove OpenTrac support, since it's basically dead

The latter is probably the right thing to do, as there are probably very few
people out there who even remember what OpenTrac was, and even fewer who still
use it.  It was meant to be a more carefully designed protocol than APRS
(which grew more-or-less organically, and randomly), but never really 
caught on.  I do not believe there are any currently-available trackers or
software that supports transmitting it.

So, is anyone at all using the OpenTrac decoding in Xastir, and would they
be upset if it were removed?

-- 
Tom RussoKM5VY
Tijeras, NM  

 echo "prpv_a'rfg_cnf_har_cvcr" | sed -e 's/_/ /g' | tr [a-m][n-z] [n-z][a-m]

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[Xastir] Opentrac

2010-12-06 Thread Dan Zubey
I was looking at the opentrac code in interface.c, I was wondering does
Xastir have any facility to actually transmit opentrac packets?

Thanks,

-Dan N7NMD

-- 
Dan Zubey

Openincident Technology
dzu...@openincident.com
http://openincident.com




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