Recommended beacon and message UNPROTO path settings for APRS USERS in our area:

WARNING: Never use WIDE1-1 at the end of an UNPROTO path. For instance, WIDE2-2,WIDE1-1. That will cause you to hit every fill-in digi within a range of probably over 60 miles from you! NOT GOOD!)

FORMER PACKET OPERATORS: RELAY and WIDE are not used as aliases in APRS anymore. the new WIDEn-n works much better!

Home stations:
Recommended starting path is WIDE2-2.

Beacon timing for home stations should be no less than 30 minutes.

Messages should be routed to the intended station without digi's if possible, or via specific digi's to get to the target station. Also, the use of RFONLY will keep traffic out of Igates where not needed. If sending to a station direct, place RFONLY in the path. If using digi's, place RFONLY as the last item in the path.

The use of generic WIDEn-n (such as WIDE2-2) aliases can be used to determine the most appropriate digi's to use to communicate with other stations. Once the appropiate path is found, the path can be modified to reflect actual callsigns instead of the aliases.

Home fill-in digi's should only respond to WIDE1-1. Be sure there is actually a need for your digi. If you are very near a WIDE digi that responds to WIDE1-1, you probably need to leave your digi off.

Mobiles are encouraged to use WIDE1-1 as the first hop in their path to use the home fill-in digi's, with a complete path of WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2. (WIDE3-3 may substituted for the WIDE2-2 in isolated areas.

Beacon timing for mobiles can be as low as 3 minutes when actually moving. When standing still (aka PARKED) please change timing to no less than 15 minutes, to keep down unneeded traffic.

GATE: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use GATE in a VHF APRS station path, mobile or base - this will have really bad implications for the HF APRS network (perhaps even crippling the entire net). HF APRS operates at 300 baud and cannot handle the VHF 1200 traffic. HF stations can however be gated to the VHF network. GATE is used for HF stations to be able to send their traffic into the VHF network. GATE is not used to "hit" Igates. Igates act as digis, automaticly picking up station traffic.

Each station's path setting will be different. Remember, APRS is a digital, one-shot, simplex transmission. Not every transmission will get to it's intended destination, but with good path planning and implementation, transmisson success rates will increase, while still keeping network traffic to a minimum, enhancing the APRS system!

Messaging from an RF station to an Internet only station can be tough, but works much better if the RF station set his path to go to an Igate, either directly, or through digis. Internet only stations have no path choices.

NOTES: Many APRS software settings will have "APRS", as the first item in a UNPROTO path. If so, place your additional path data AFTER it.

OK so what do all these settings mean? Read on!

Path Setting Meaning and Placement
RELAY SHOULD NO LONGER BE USED!
WIDE SHOULD NO LONGER BE USED!
WIDEn-n Should only appear once as the First or Second entry in the path. [There is rarely any reason to use any setting larger than WIDE2-2!]
Do not use WIDE1-1 at the end of a setting!
TRACEn-n NOT USED IN USA!
GATE This means, “Gate this packet to HF.” Unless there is a reason to send your packets to an HF Gateway, this setting should not be used!
NOGATE - RF ONLY This means, “Do Not Send this Packet to the Internet.” Most IGATE software will recognize and honor this request if the operator has selected the option.
TCPIP, TCPXX, qXX All of these settings are added by gating software when it places a packet on the Internet. 
These terms should NOT appear in the RF Path.  Do Not Use!

Recommended Path Settings for different types of stations:
Type Of Station Recommended Path Setting
Fixed WIDE2-2      (Gives 2 hops)
Mobile WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2      (Gives essentially 3 hops, one through a fill in and two through wide area digis.)
Air Mobile WIDE2-1      (Gives one hop without going through fill in digis.)
Special Event WIDE1-1      (Hits fill in digis.)
Digipeaters See APRS specifactions according to TNC type!

Recommended Beacon Rates for different types of stations:
Type of Station Recommended Beacon Rate
Fixed No Less than 30 Minutes
Mobile No Less than 3 Minutes except in unusual situations. (REMEMBER TO SET TO 30 MINUTES OR MORE IF MOTIONSTOPS!)
Air Mobile No Less than 5 Minutes
Special Event Usually No Less Than 3 Minutes except under special circumstances
Digipeaters No less than 30 Minutes
Weather 10 or 15 Minutes [The National Weather Service collects information every 15 minutes]
[All recommendations taken from “APRS in North Texas,” by Pete Loveall, AE5PL.  ]