ZL1AMW's UIView Resource

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RECOMMENDED SETTINGS FOR UI-VIEW IN NEW ZEALAND. 

This page attempts to set out some workable unproto path settings for your APRS operation.  These are effective for APRS, UI-View and any form of tracker device.

Note that details of the best operating frequencies are listed here on the "APRS in New Zealand" page. Feb 2004

There will always be a number of alternative settings, and often more than one will work well in an area, so please do experiment, and drop me a note if you have a suggested change from these.

The following is recommended for all stations other than those special cases listed below:

APRS,WIDE,WIDE6-6    - See note below about entering unproto paths into UI-View

- in the greater Waikato area, on 144.65Mhz (if near Hamilton, use 144.575 and WIDE,WIDE6-6):

APRS,OTO,WIDE,WIDE5-5

- in the Taupo area, on 144.65Mhz :

APRS,TPO,OTO,WIDE,WIDE4-4

- If you are operating a mobile station, or tracker, it is often useful to put RELAY in your path as follows:

APRS,RELAY,WIDE6-6

A mobile beacon is picked up by a nearby home APRS station, and retransmitted with a much stronger signal that your vehicle, this assisting coverage.  If you are in a very remote area, and/or working through a "traditional" packet digipeater, the RELAY is best left out, as it is unlikely your signal will be heard by a home station first, and the digieater will not pass it on unless the RELAY has been used first.  E.g. for Taupo, a mobile would be best to use:

APRS,TPO,OTO,WIDE,WIDE4-4 - 22 Feb 2004

Notes:

The extra WIDE is inserted before the WIDEn-n so it can provide a marker where your signals first enter the network - the first digipeater passing on the beacon will substitute its callsign for the WIDE.

A WIDE4-4 means your signal will be passed through up to four wide areas before expiring.  In many countries, high numbers are discouraged, as APRS networks are becoming very busy.  In New Zealand there is little congestion, and it is considered desirable to have your beacon carry as far as possible to encourage further APRS stations.  In fact it is unlikely your signal will pass more than 3 WIDE areas anyhow, so numbers greater than WIDE3-3 are optimistic, but will not cause any problems. - 22 Feb 2004

For more derails on this concept, see the notes from the APRS forum, June 2003.

- ENTERING YOUR UNPROTO PATH INTO UI-VIEW

The actual packet is set up to be sent to the address "APRS", via the following alias names, however when typing into the "Station Setup" screen on UI-View, you do not enter the word "VIA",  e.g. :

To send to a real Unproto address of:

 APRS via OTO,WIDE6-6

you should type:

APRS,OTO,WIDE6-6

Note that UI-View translates the APRS further, into a code that indicates the software version.  This happens within the programme, and is transparent to the user.

Updated: 17 Jun  2003