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User Operational Guidelines

  1. Set your DIGIPEATER PATH to "WIDE2-2" for fixed or "WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1" mobile stations.
  2. Please do not exceed 1 location-beacon per 3 minutes. Controllers will automatically ignore more location-beacons in excess of every 2 minutes.
  3. Enable the "MIC-E" transmission format, this is a compressed beacon format and is more effecient.
  4. Limit your output power to 25 watts or less.

Digipeater Operational Guidelines

Already running a digipeater? Contact and we'll help convert your older controller to the newer APRS standards.

Requirements for APRS.RATS.NET member digipeaters:

  1. High-Gain antenna at a minimum of 100 feet above ground, or any location suitable for a local-coverage VHF repeater
  2. Radio with 25-30 watts output
  3. Any controller
    1. Commercially available Rules-based controllers
      1. USmartDigi digipeater daughterboard for the TNC-X TNC. This is the recommend controller for the APRS.RATS.NET network
    2. Linux-based component
      1. Linksys NSLU2 or WRT54G device modified for LINUX with DIGI_NED software
    3. PC-based system
      1. Any KISS-mode TNC connected to a PC running DIGI_NED(cygWIN Linux emulator required)
  4. Emergency Power (72 hours or more)

Controller Rules for APRS.RATS.NET nodes:

  1. BEACON RATE: 15 minutes (30 for fill-in or smaller coverage nodes)
  2. PATH: WIDE2-1 for major nodes, "direct" for fill-in nodes
  3. No single path may exceed 3 (ie: WIDE3-3) and no path count may exceed 5 (ie: WIDE2-2,WIDE3-3)
  4. Excessive Paths are re-written to WIDE2-2 - IN BETA TEST
  5. Coordinate Blocking of a defined NORTH/SOUTH/EAST/WEST boundary (Geo-Caching)<optional>
  6. Throttling of LAT/LON beacons with intervals of less than 120 seconds -- NOTE: Message Packets are exempted from throttling rule
  7. No WIDE/RELAY/TRACE allowed