On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 11:16 AM, tbanks204 <[email protected]> wrote:
> I am using a Kantronics KP3Plus, for a home station and a digipeater, > With ID KC0WNY and just curious why I can't see this station on my > Nuvi 350, I see a lot of other stations. Thanks That's the tricky bit about APRS... the OT2 and Nuvi 350 combo like to decode APRS packets and show the location on screen. Not so much for plain old text packets. >I suspect something is wrong with my KP3+ Setup, but not > knowledgeable enough to know what it is. Which always makes me wonder why people feel they have to set up a digipeater when they don't even understand the basic concepts of APRS. People don't go out and start as a flying instructor before they even know how to get the engine to start on an aircraft, let alone learn how to fly it. Teddy, take a step back, and spend some time reading about what APRS is, what APRS packets are, how information is encoded in APRS packets, and then try putting a station on the air. After that, spend some time observing your local RF network. Learn where the stations are around you, and what type of infrastructure is in place. Once you become proficient at understanding the basics of APRS, and you feel that you have a location that will benefit the local APRS network with the addition of a digipeater, get in touch with a local APRS expert, and discuss the pros and cons of the addition of another digipeater. If the digipeater is deemed to enhance the local network, then by all means put that digipeater up. One of the biggest problems with APRS is when every Tom, Dick, and Harry decide that they need to put up a digipeater. If one digipeater is good, 60 must be better, right? Wrong... digipeaters with significantly overlapping coverage areas can actually degrade network performance. Poor network performance can prompt users to find a solution, usually though increased output power from their APRS rigs. This in turn adds to the problems, creating a downward spiral of congestion leading to a nearly useless network. The APRS network as a whole would be much healthier if everyone would "Look before they leap." James VE6SRV
