GAARES-P2P NET RESULTS & MAPPING FOR SUN JAN 5, 2025 FROM YOUR NET MANAGER ND1J
A copy of this document in pdf format is attached to the posting on gaares.groups.io for your convenience and future reference.
Thanks to Murdock, W4JNR, for serving as the NCS today and for Ricky, NG4DX for serving as alternate NCS.
NET SUMMARY:
Overall, success rate with the check-in process was disappointing, as detailed below. Please review this entire document in preparation the next net. Mapping this week includes only stations that followed the instructions correctly. If you are not on the map, your check-in message had errors.
Private feedback available: If you would like to get feedback on what, if anything, was wrong with your message, just email me directly to [email protected] and I will be happy to provide you details for your message(s) in a private email.
OBJECTIVES OF THIS WEEK’S NET > for each participant to learn about:
- the sources of position location that Winlink Express uses and its priority
- how to have your message headers contain accurate location instead of one based on center of grid
- how to enter your actual Lat/Lon into Winlink Express’s GPS / Position Reports Window
- how to generate a basic Position Report from that window, including how to put check-in info in the comments section of that report
- how to change the addressee QTH to GAARES-P2P and format it as a P2P message
- how to recheck the message before sending to ensure the position is correctly entered
GOAL: To not use Grid Square position in any Winlink messaging so you are prepared for a real Emcomm event that needs accurate positions.
Unfortunately, I omitted a step in the Net Check-In Instructions that would accomplish the second objective above. The missing step was mentioned in the training section but not in the specific check-in instructions. It was also not as specific and clear as it should have been. The following bullet is an expanded and clarified version of what it should have said:
- CHECK BOX: “If no GPS position, use position report information as my current location.” Check this box. This ensures that the specified manual entry you have entered above in this section will be used for location both in messages headers and when using Winlink templates that contain location. Many, but not all, templates require position. Think of this check box as an on-off switch. If it is unchecked, Winlink Express will use center of Grid Square as the location source. If it is checked, Express will use the lat/lon you have specified in the GPS Position Report section.
As for the remaining objectives above, many participants had problems correctly generating the check-in message. Common errors included entering Lat or Lon incorrectly, not putting the correct info in the comments section of the report, and even not using the Position Report at all.
JAN 5th NET STATISTICS:
Callsigns checking in today: 31 (not including NCS W4JNR)
Check-in msgs – 80m: 20
Check-in msgs – 40m: 26
Total Check-in msgs: 46
Callsigns with correct messages: 19 of 31 (61%)
Msgs that had (Grid Square) in the header: 24 (52%)
Position Reports with errors in Lat (S), Lon (E) or missing lat/lon: 9 (20%)
ALL messages were correctly addressed to the tactical callsign GAARES-P2P
GAARES-P2P NET MAP LINK for 2025-01-05
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1dD7I9L1Z6ZLf0PMHrZXU9ITg36QtJ6E&usp=sharing
Due to poor instructions with regard to objective #2 above and poor results on the other objectives, a RE-DO is called for. The upcoming net on Jan 12 will repeat this topic, while it’s still fresh in everyone’s mind. Instructions will be expanded and clarified. We want 100% of the check-ins done correctly with no one using Grid Square as the location source in the message header. Remember, this is preparation for real Emcomm events.
FUN QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
What is the biggest disadvantage of P2P?
A. It is slower than transmissions to an RMS
B. It requires the receiving station to pass the message on to its intended destination
C. It requires a network of available stations to connect to
D. Vara HF is less reliable with P2P than with RMS
Answer A Incorrect: For a given bandwidth and propagation, there is no difference between P2P transmissions and RMS transmissions. Because P2P is typically accomplished at 500 Hz bandwidth, there are times when it is faster because there is far less likelihood of interference from other signals in the narrower area and the power is more concentrated in the narrower width and thus is effectively a stronger signal.
Answer B is correct. Explanation: The biggest disadvantage with P2P is that messages you send to a station must be passed on to the intended destination (unless that station is the final destination), unlike Winlink messages that go through an RMS or Telnet. This is the best answer.
Answer C Incorrect: P2P requires only one available station, not a network of available stations
Answer D Incorrect: There is no reliability difference with Vara HF in P2P vs RMS
QUIZ RESULTS:
Answers reported in check-in messages today are below. If you sent more than one check-in msg, we counted your answer only once. If you gave different answers, we took the answer in your final message.
A 1 (3%)
B 20 (69%)
C 6 (21%)
D 2 (7%)
No answer 2
Total callsigns – 31
73,
David – ND1J
GAARES P2P Net Manager