A Tribute to Roger and UI-View

From:  Phil Pacier - AD6NH

Date:  Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:42 am

Subject: [ui-view] A Tribute to Roger and UI-View

Many of you know about the UI-View APRS software product, and what a
positive impact it has made on the overall APRS community. In both the
internet and RF realms, UI-View is continuously hailed as a crowning
achievement in Windows APRS client software. The many extended
features that the program yields has been quite an asset not only to
the usefulness of the APRS, but to the administration of the various
networks on which UI-View is utilized. With the support for extended
mapping features, and the many add-ons available, it will be hard to
top this software package.

Some of you may or may not have heard the recent news regarding the
software's author, Roger Barker (G4IDE). Unfortunately, he is
suffering from inoperable cancer. Certainly, the programming has come
to a halt, but the UI-View community has rallied to find ways to
continue the legacy of UI-View, by working out ways to continue the
registration process and by helping other users who have questions
which can no longer be directed to Roger. We are all very concerned
about Roger's health, and pray for a miracle of recovery. No matter
what happens, one cannot argue the great contributions that Roger has
made to the amateur radio community.

We at the Tier 2 network took notice of these contributions over two
years ago, and decided to construct a level 2 network that catered to
UI-View users. All software types are able and encouraged to utilize
this network, but with the help of Pete Loveall (AE5PL) and Roger
Bille (SM5NRK), the javAPRSFilter protocol was launched as a way to
enable users to customize the data that they received from the APRS
servers. It was recognized by many that a full worldwide APRS feed was
not needed by the vast majority of APRS clients, nor is it necessary
for IGates to operate properly. Tier 2 launched the 14580 port
whereby clients can connect and set their own filter using the "Extra
log-on text" option in the APRS server setup menu in UI-View. Other
software authors are now implementing that feature, but UI-View
remains by far the most popular software used with this port.

We at Tier 2 would like to arrange a tribute to Roger, and send a
thanks for all of the wonderful work he has done. We decided that the
best way to accomplish this was to demonstrate the usefulness of his
product, utilizing the 14580 filter port and the Tier 2 servers that
were built with Roger's product in mind. Therefore, at 00:00Z on
September 1, 2004, the thirteen sysops will record the number of
UI-View clients connected to the 14580 ports of the thirteen servers,
and then Tier 2 will donate $1 per connection to Roger to be utilized
as he wishes. Currently, there are about 150 UI-View connections on
the thirteen Tier 2 servers to port 14580, but I'm sure we can easily
push this number well over 1,000! The servers have been tested and
prepared for the large number of connections for some time, and it
will require very little effort on your part to get your UI-View
software ready to participate.

There are three ways you can setup your UI-View software to connect to
Tier 2:

First: you can utilize another feature that Roger implemented in the
software, and that is "Download APRS Server List" in the "File" menu
on the main UI-View screen. Enter the following URL: server.kb7zva.com
and click download! This will put all of the Tier 2 servers in your
server list in the "APRS Server Setup" menu. Once you have downloaded
the list, simply check the boxes of the servers you would like to
utilize (you can select by region, or even to a traceroute to find
which server is closest via IP path) and you'll be set!

Second: You can enter the servers manually into your server list:
midwest.aprs2.net:14580
indiana.aprs2.net:14580
arizona.aprs2.net:14580
newengland.aprs2.net:14580
socal.aprs2.net:14580
france.aprs2.net:14580
uk.aprs2.net:14580
poland.aprs2.net:14580
ontario.aprs2.net:14580
northwest.aprs2.net:14580
argentina.aprs2.net:14580
germany.aprs2.net:14580
tennessee.aprs2.net:14580

Third: You may utilize a new Tier 2 URL that utilized DNS round-robin
to initiate connections. That URL is uiview.aprs2.net:14580. It will
select a server at random and connect you to the 14580 port.

If you have never used this port or the filter feature, you may want
to read this page http://206.97.61.103/ports.html or ask on one of the
sigs about setting up a useful filter for your area. Once the tribute
date has passed, you are more than welcome to remain connected to the
servers - they are here for your use!

It is our hope that his tribute will show but a little appreciation
for the thousands of hours that Roger has poured into UI-View, APRS,
and amateur radio as a whole. You have created a legacy in your
software, Roger, and we are all indebted well beyond the registration
fee for your efforts.

73!
Phil Pacier - AD6NH
Tier 2 Coordinator
http://www.aprs2.net

Reference: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ui-view/message/35866