From 5c90b419bff3a6e4d5eea25200e9a5263c82907c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Thomas Kuschel Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2026 04:23:07 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Add Bob WB4APR's SSID document --- docs/lora/SSIDs.txt | 107 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 107 insertions(+) create mode 100644 docs/lora/SSIDs.txt diff --git a/docs/lora/SSIDs.txt b/docs/lora/SSIDs.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4f4339f --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/lora/SSIDs.txt @@ -0,0 +1,107 @@ +APRS SSID Recommendations 6 Feb 2012 +--------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Updated 6 Feb 2012 to clarify the title of this document to be + SSID RECOMMENDATIONS not to imply any kind of + decoding "standard". That original NMEA + decodign standard is covered in the original spec +Updated 9 June 2010 for more flexibility using 1,2,3,4 and 15 +Revised 2 June 2004 to add -10, -11, 12 and -15 + +SSID's have seen two different uses in APRS. Initially as an ICON +indicator back in the early 1990's. But that is obsolete for over +a decade. Now SSID's are used as an informal way of indicating one +of several different typical APRS applications. + +Since many small displays for the handheld and mobile operator show +nearby APRS station callsigns that flash up on the screen, it is nice +to have some idea of what type of station or activity might be +involved simply from the callsign SSID without having to push +buttons, search lists, or look at maps to find out more about them. + +SSID RECOMMENDATIONS: It is very convenient to other mobile +operators or others looking at callsigns flashing by, to be able to +recognize some common applications at a glance. Here are the +recommendations for the 16 possible SSID's (the limit of 16 comes +from the 4 bits available in the AX.25 protocol. Note, The SSID of +zero is dropped by most display applications. So a callsign with no +SSID has an SSID of 0. + +-0 Your primary station usually fixed and message capable +-1 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc +-2 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc +-3 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc +-4 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc +-5 Other networks (Dstar, Iphones, Androids, Blackberry's etc) +-6 Special activity, Satellite ops, camping or 6 meters, etc +-7 walkie talkies, HT's or other human portable +-8 boats, sailboats, RV's or second main mobile +-9 Primary Mobile (usually message capable) +-10 internet, Igates, echolink, winlink, AVRS, APRN, etc +-11 balloons, aircraft, spacecraft, etc +-12 APRStt, DTMF, RFID, devices, one-way trackers*, etc +-13 Weather stations +-14 Truckers or generally full time drivers +-15 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc + +* One-way trackers should best use the -12 one-way SSID indicator +because the -9's usually mean a ham in full APRS communication +both message and voice. The -9's can be contacted by APRS message +or by Voice on his frequency included in his beacon, or on Voice +Alert if he is in simplex range. The -12's are just moving Icons +on the map and since they have no 2 way communication for ham radio +they are not generally of routine interest to other operators. + +OBJECTS or INTERNET: In addition, Objects or internet generated +stations can have any SSID, not just the original 16, since +Objects are not constrained by the AX.25 header and can have a +9 byte name. Here are some common OBJECT/Internet SSID's: + +-63 for PSK63 HF stations +-tt for APRS TouchTone users (DTMF) +-ID for RFID +-A through -Z for Dstar + +SSID BACKGROUND: Originally, in 1992, we had to use the SSID as +a way of indicating the type of station that transmitted a raw +NMEA-0183 GPS sting. But in the mid 1990's we began indicating +any of the nearly 200 APRS symbols by the setting of the AX.25 +TOCALL of "GPSxyz". The "xyz" characters define the symbol from +the standard APRS symbol table www.aprs.org/symbols.html. + +The GPSxyz concept worked so well, the original SSID associations +are no longer a required part of the spec. But the conventions +that evolved from those early SSID's are still encouraged as +noted above, for easy recognition of station type or activity by +when only the callsign is seen. + +The -1, -2, -3, -4 and -15 are kept generic so that anyone with +as many as 6 digipeaters, or 6 trackers or 6 weather stations or +6 vehicles can still have unique SSID's for each of his stations. +Beyond 6, people will just have to use any SSID that suits their +fancy. In some areas there might be 15 digipeaters all under +one guy's call! + +SSID USAGE: The SSID's also might give a hint as to how someone +is getting into APRS whether via satellite, a one-way tracker, a +mobile, an HT or even via DTMF or an RFID device or whether he is +doing something special. + +For example, if you are doing something special, change your +SSID to -6 to alert others to your excitement, or to make the +track-history begin and end on site, and not be tied to all +your other -9 travels. Or use -6 SSID for a packet sent +via the ISS or APRS satellite or for a 6 meter test so the +successful packet is preserved and not overwritten by the same +radio the next time you use it not via the ISS on the 144.39 +national channel. By using separate SSID's the WEB data bases +will keep statistics and data separate from when you are working +normally on other bands with other SSID's. + +So stick to the suggestions above for the obvious applications +where you can. Of course these are not rigid. If you have +more than 6 digipeaters, use any SSID you want. These are only +guidelines to hint at a station's possible application when all +you can see easily is the callsign on a screen or in a list.... + +de WB4APR, Bob \ No newline at end of file