Recommended D-PRS beacon rates

[Dean AE7Q]

What are the D-PRS recommended beacon rates for fixed and mobile stations?

From reading the APRS info on the subject, it appears that the recommendations there, are for fixed station beaconing to be no more than once every 30 minutes, and for mobile, no more than once every couple of minutes.  Are these the recommendations for D-PRS as well, or does javAPRSSrvr adjust the rate (see below)?

APRS also apparently has something called SmartBeaconing, where the beaconing rate is adjusted by the sender's software to account for speed and direction changes.  D-Star radios obviously do not have this.

So, Pete [if you are reading this], are there any plans to implement something like SmartBeaconing in javAPRSSrvr (or is in already there)

[Pete AE5PL]

What are the D-PRS recommended beacon rates for fixed and mobile stations?

From reading the APRS info on the subject, it appears that the recommendations there, are for fixed station beaconing to be no more than once every 30 minutes, and for mobile, no more than once every couple of minutes.  Are these the recommendations for D-PRS as well, or does javAPRSSrvr adjust the rate (see below)?

APRS also apparently has something called SmartBeaconing, where the beaconing rate is adjusted by the sender's software to account for speed and direction changes.  D-Star radios obviously do not have this.

So, Pete [if you are reading this], are there any plans to implement something like SmartBeaconing in javAPRSSrvr (or is in already there)

First, remember what D-STAR DV is: Digital Voice.  It is not APRS and APRS things like "Smart Beaconing" do not apply (nor should they).  D-PRS is the translation of Icom GPS information to APRS format.  The Icom GPS information is transmitted every 2 seconds while you are transmitting.  Because of this, you should turn beaconing off if you are at all active talking on the repeater system.  If you are inactive, a maximum beacon rate of no faster than every 5 minutes is recommended while mobile/portable and no beaconing if fixed.  GPS is ancillary to the primary use of D-STAR Digital Voice and should not be considered a primary purpose on repeaters.

[Dean AE7Q]

... It is not APRS and APRS things like "Smart Beaconing" do not apply (nor should they).

I don't understand why, but then I'm new to both APRS & DPRS.  I understand that APRS started out with the "P" standing for "Position" and subsequently changing to "Packet", and although I've read a number of APRS documents, they seem to be short on examples of non-positioning use of APRS.  Anyway, that's not your job to explain it to me (although any links would be helpful).

... you should turn beaconing off if you are at all active talking on the repeater system.  ...

If I understand this correctly, it should really be "... if ANYONE is active talking on the repeater system." -- is that correct???  I mean, the idea is to not interfere with the primary purpose of most repeater systems (FM or DV), which is voice.

[Pete AE5PL]

I don't understand why, but then I'm new to both APRS & DPRS.  I understand that APRS started out with the "P" standing for "Position" and subsequently changing to "Packet", and although I've read a number of APRS documents, they seem to be short on examples of non-positioning use of APRS.  Anyway, that's not your job to explain it to me (although any links would be helpful).

APRS is a data protocol that is run on a dedicated packet channel where everyone makes extremely short data transmissions 1-2 seconds max) so interleaving of transmissions is possible.  D-STAR is a bit streaming protocol where the channel is taken for the entire transmission by one station.  Since these are voice transmissions, they may be in the order of minutes, not a couple of seconds.  Interleaving is not possible with D-STAR DV under normal use.  Icom uses some unused bits in the bit-stream to send GPS information in their D-STAR DV radios.  That is why it is an adjunct to the voice, not in place of the voice transmission.

If I understand this correctly, it should really be "... if ANYONE is active talking on the repeater system." -- is that correct???  I mean, the idea is to not interfere with the primary purpose of most repeater systems (FM or DV), which is voice.

This is always the case but a 5 minute beacon interval will normally not be interfering unless someone has linked their repeater to a reflector or another repeater (never beacon on a linked repeater; that beacon is seen by all who are connected to the other end of the link).  The radios will wait to transmit until the frequency is clear.  However, if you are active on the repeater, you are transmitting your position with every transmission so no beaconing is necessary or desired.

Hope this helps.

[Dean AE7Q]

APRS ... is run on a dedicated packet channel ...

Ah, yes;  I remember now (in the distant past) hearing that!

...  That is why it is an adjunct to the voice, not in place of the voice transmission.

Which brings up the issue of D-StarLet, d*chat, and DRATS.  What has become the accepted practice for the use of those data-only packages on repeaters?  I would guess that it requires the permission of the operators of the repeater(s) involved.

This is always the case but a 5 minute beacon interval will normally not be interfering ... The radios will wait to transmit until the frequency is clear.

Only if busy lockout is set (as I recall the early ID-800H radio firmware did not have that feature)!