[VHFcontesting] Rules question (not anything to do with the usual problems)

[Nate Duehr]

Ray, 

I followed up the other day with a better description, hopefully you saw that, but here's more thoughts:

You changed your statement from "use that data" to "use".  They are two different statements.  A Rover beaconing on APRS but not looking up other Rovers or fixed station locations with it, is different than an Unlimited Rover using mobile data and/or other Internet/whatever spotting networks.

Rovers all may TRANSMIT APRS data, unless banned specifically for a category -- with the additional caveat that no Rover in a category where they're one-band-at-a-time, may transmit with two radios simultaneously on the same band.  

In other words, look up the rules for your category about simultaneous use of other bands and or one band and apply it just like you would if you had two SSB radios side-by-side.  

(e.g. Shut off your APRS tracker beacon whenever the rules for your category say you have to... let it beacon a few times when you stop, but then shut it down when operating, or when operating on the same band, depending on your category.  You'll want to do this anyway since it's going to desense the snot out of your other receivers on that band anyway.)

Only UNLIMITED Rovers or Multi-Op stations may USE that data to find other Rovers.  A non-UNLIMITED Rover may not use APRS data to FIND another Rover and point at them from a SPOTTING network ... but... they can use the data if they DIRECTLY COPIED THE TRANSMISSION from the other Rover.  

Clear as mud, or is that a better description?  

Should it be simpler... yes.  But it wasn't that long ago that APRS of any kind from a Rover was "self-spotting" and there wasn't an UNLIMITED Class that could USE the data.

It's not too hard to build a "truth table" or just a list of rules specific to APRS... just go through the rules from start to finish, with a notepad, and write down the rule numbers that apply to APRS and your category... then go back and read those, and you'll have it right for your category/class of station.

What type of Rover are you interested in operating?  

Nate WY0X

On Jan 30, 2010, at 1:49 PM, Ray J wrote:

> 
> the rule states that rovers may use APRS..
> 
> it lists no exceptions at all other than they TX call and location only.
> 
>  wouldn't  "Spotting" require a frequency location.? pretty useless 
> with out knowing what frequency u can find them on.. thats why it is 
> forbidden for them to tx anything else other than call and grid .. its 
> not really "Spotting"
> 
> it doesn't say anywhere that "unlimited" rovers are the only rover class 
> that can use APRS..
> 
> 
> w9Ray
> 
> Nate Duehr wrote:
>> On 1/28/2010 3:41 PM, Ray J wrote:
>>> Are rovers themselves considered multi-op stations under this rule?  There
>>> is a soapbox entry that discusses using APRS info to find rovers but I was
>>> under the impression that only the two multi-op categories could use that
>>> data.  However, when I thought about it, I realized that Rovers are allowed
>>> 2 operators and perhaps that is what is meant under the rule.  I would
>>> appreciate any input on this.  I may have to rethink my position on APRS.
>>> 
>>> 
>> Only Multi-Op fixed stations and UNLIMITED Rovers are supposed to be 
>> able to use "spotting networks".
>> 
>> Nate WY0X
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