[ao16aprs] AO16/LO19/IO26 News!

[Bob Bruninga <bruninga@nadn.navy.mil>]

Two items from DCC:

1) I met with Jim White of the AO16 command team and he thinks he has
devised a way to add a generic DIGIPEATER alias to the 1200 baud pacsats.
And he thinks he can do it without a "full reload".

Thus we may be able to have 3 identical satellites, all on 145.90, and all
willing to digipeat packets addressed via "APRSAT".  Thus, our first
Amateur Radio mobile communications constellation may be possible!

2) *** Please think carefully about the following item from a LONG TERM
POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE *****  We have a GREAT OPPORTUNITY, but we MUST 
APPROACH IT CORRECTLY!  Please limit discussions as long as we can
to this SIG only...

2) New Kenwood radio can do front-panel APRS at 9600 baud.  Thus we have
potential for eventually having two-way mobile APRS via 9600 baud birds!

**** BUT PLEASE NOTE*****  THis is/will be a political MINEFIELD.

1) DIGIPEAT is NOT ON in any of the 9600 baud birds for GOOD REASON.

2) The 9600 baud birds ARE IN USE.  Digipeating will DEGRADE their
   performance to all other users.  The PACSAT protocol is very
   effecient.  User uplinks are scheduled, digipeating is NOT.
   A few APRS pings on the uplink are BAD NEWS to other users...

3) 99% of HAM radio still does not understand APRS or UI digipeating
   and will try "CONNECTIONS" which are even MORE WORSE.

4) Many areas of the world DEPEND on the 9600 baud pacsats for BBS
   traffic where the Internet is still very expensive or non existant.
   What we see here over the USA is totally different over Europe.
   Thus any change has worldwide impact...

Thus, we must approach this very cautiously.  Please refrain from pushing
the issue, but lets just see where we can sort of move the concept along.
Here are my suggestions...

*) Let me present the issues in my talk at the Amsat SYmposium next week
in San DIego on 8 Oct.  I can gage the response and get a better feel if
we have a snoball's chance and where to begin...

*) No postings on AMSAT-BB for a few days.. if we can avoid it.  I am
probably the biggest offender.  (I have a big mouth:-)

*) We HAVE AO16/LO19/IO26 *now*.  We must not dilute that effort.
   Even if we got access to a 9600  baud bird, we would appear
   greedy unless we can show we are using them!

*) The 1200 baud Traknet is still needed and will always have value for
   $2 trackers.  Most stations are usually just trckers anyway...
 
*) We must Take the position that we have NO INTENT on the existing 9600
   baud pacsats.  This capability will be targeted for many of the
   "9600 baud experiments" currently in work on many new satellites.

*) Lets keep working on the 1200 baud AO16/19/26 and prove our skills
   and dedication to this application...

etc...

de WB4APR, Bob



---
You are currently subscribed to ao16aprs as: lyris.ao16aprs@tapr.org
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-ao16aprs-833L@lists.tapr.org