Re: MIR transmits UNUSEFUL data !

[Ken McCaughey N3FZX <kenneth@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 19 Jun 1998, Bob Bruninga wrote:

> On Fri, 19 Jun 1998, Alain De Carolis wrote about the MIR BBS:
> 
> > Well i have counted 140 BUSY flags on 160 packets received! ... Meaning
> > that 87% of the data trasmitted by MIR in a entire pass is... UNUSEFUL.
> > ...  We must think about the new ISS. I believe that a too popular
> > amateur radio system is not a right choice. A less accessible one ...
> > would allow all the really interested hams to work the station easily,
> > and would cut off all the "just courious" ....
> 
> Another alternative is to make better use of the downlink so that everyone
> receives lots of data without everyone having to have an uplink.  The
> current MIR TNC can downlink five periodic beacons.  One could be the
> latest ONE-LINE keps for the MIR (instead of the current MESSAGE which you
> have to log on inorder to copy).  Another could be the latest STATUS fromt
> he crew.  Another could announce other things.  THis way everyone sees
> something and not everyone needs to connect to ask for messages....

I have seen lot of people connect to get the KEPS.  I think most HAMs
(certainly in the US) can get them via the packet PBBS network or the
Internet and should do so (make a little effort here) before attempting to
retreive it from MIR.

How about a beacon with a list of call signs who have mail waiting like
some PBBS's?  This would eliminate the need to connect just to see if you
got a reply to a message.

How about a robot mode similar to SAREX for the 'just to do it' people so
they can get their QSL card or demonstrate satellite communcations to
non-HAMS?

We are probably talking a custom ROM on the MIR TNC at this point.
 
> Software tracking programs could monitor the downlink and pick up a copy
> of the latest keps automatically.  MIR would only need to send the
> one-line keps ONCE every  5 minutes (0.3% of channel capacity) to assure
> that everyone gets a copy every now and then...  There is a NASA standard
> for sending one-line keps.  We should use it effeciently in this manner
> for example...
> 
> de WB4APR

Someone out there in software land (TM) want to try to write an
application that will monitor the downlink and automatically attempt a
connect only upon seeing the current user disconnect?  Maybe this could
keep people from continually sending connect requests.  It could also copy
the various beacons automatically (KEPS, crew status, mail waiting, etc.).
The idea being that *_IF_* you can get it widely accepted as the software
to use for MIR/ISS you could cut down the QRM.  This is probabaly pie in
the sky thinking though... ;^) 

Ken McCaughey - N3FZX          
e-mail: n3fzx@amsat.org