clements@bbnccq (12/13/85)
From: Bob Clements <clements@bbnccq.ARPA> Dave, K2LYV, asked about connecting to stations with non-callsigns as their addresses, while using the WA8DED TNC-1 code. Well, there has been serious abuse of the address field in parts of the country. Stations signing "GOD" and "PIZZA" and other strange things have been seen. We are using a new mode which the FCC regulations just don't cover very well. Lots of what we do is simply illegal under the rules, like beaconing on frequencies that are not allowed for beacons, and beaconing for purposes other than what the rules say a beacon is. What we are doing is "broadcasting", and it's illegal. My point is that the FCC is consciously letting us experiment because experimenting is a good thing. They haven't dumped on us yet because we are mostly trying to do good things. I can't believe that using the address field of an AX.25 frame for something other than a callsign is a "good thing". It's the one common point which tells anyone who is responsible for the transmission, regardless of what else we may pack into the frame. Sure, maybe the "ATTICA" station is beaconing (broadcasting) with a real callsign. I don't know, since I am not in that area. But I would vote against this practice. Having said all that, and though I don't recommend doing it, I will reveal the following secret datum: If you put a zero in the byte at C025 hex in the V1.0 WA8DED code, it will NOT check for valid callsigns. But think about the issues involved before you do it, please. 73, Bob, K1BC
karn@petrus.UUCP (Phil R. Karn) (12/14/85)
I'm not particularly worried about the legality of this, because something that is technically "broadcasting" is okay if its purpose is to facilitate the process of two-way communication. For example, it'll be hard to do automatic routing some day if prohibitions on "broadcasting" are interpreted very strictly. As long as you ID in some standard fashion, I don't see any legal reason why you can't put non-callsigns in AX.25 address fields. Not to say that you SHOULD do this, however. I AM bothered by the tendency of the average packeteer to come up with quick and clever hacks that'll just come back to bite us later when we try to provide the same functions in a cleaner fashion. Phil
dave@rocksvax.FUN (Dave Sewhuk) (12/16/85)
/* rocksvax:net.ham-radio.packet / clements@bbnccq / 10:47 pm Dec 12, 1985 */
As the trustee of the ATTICA-0 repeater I want to comment on what was
decided by the western New York and Southern Ontario packeteers.
The FCC/DOC call of the digipeater will be included in a beacon message that
is of general nature. ATTICA says: "BARRA digipeater N2GH-1, use ATTICA-0 to
access". The rule we are using around here is to use the first 6 letters of
the location of the digipeater. The local repeaters around here are:
NIAGAR Niagara Falls, NY W2EUP-1
ATTICA Attica, NY N2GH-1
HALTON Halton, Ont (I forget who's call that is)
OSHAWA Oshawa, Ont ( "" )
We feel this is a more mnemonic system that conveys the location of the
repeater to the user. Call signs may be nice but who knows if the
W1ABC is a repeater between Syracuse and Buffalo, it would be easier
to try ROCHES to see if there is a digipeater in Rochester to bridge the
gap.
It is true that the FCC has been very understanding by 'not looking' but
I feel that the system we are adopting is not an abuse of the intent of
the rules. Until we get a better routing system developed to make these
long hauls, we should make it as easy as we can on ourselves.
Dave - N2GH
arpa: Sewhuk.HENR@Xerox.ARPA
uucp: {ihnp4,rochester,amd,sunybcs}!rocksvax!dave
ns: "Sewhuk:HENR801C:Xerox".ns@Xerox.ARPA
ham: ATTICA>N2GH