MD-390 (UHF) GPS and APRS

[W4JKW]

Since the MD-390 has GPS, could it be used for APRS on DMR?

I'm normally on the CODIG repeater in Columbus, Ohio, and they have a couple APRS repeaters, but that is on VHF, and not DMR. I don't see anywhere on either the CODIG or DMR-MARC websites that addresses/discusses GPS data from radios.

 

[radiomankc]

Not sure about aprs but the reason you don't see too much in terms of gps on Dmr-Marc is that it requires a full time slot for the gps data

 

[k6cpo]

And the national APRS frequency is 144.390 MHz (VHF)

 

[W4JKW]

And the national APRS frequency is 144.390 MHz (VHF)

While that is true, there are several D-Star repeaters that take APRS and feed it into APRS's internet sources. For example, see: Central Ohio Digital Interconnect Group

 

[AK9R]

While that is true, there are several D-Star repeaters that take APRS and feed it into APRS's internet sources

I think you are talking about D-PRS.

D-PRS is a feature where by GPS data from GPS-equipped Icom D-Star radios is injected into the APRS-IS (Automatic Packet Reporting System-Internet Service). D-PRS is not a protocol but a conversion specification. D-PRS data is not transmitted over the national APRS frequency (144.390 in the U.S.). D-PRS is basically a specialized form of APRS I-gate that converts Icom's D-Star GPS data to a form that the APRS-IS will accept.

There are two downsides to any application that relies on a connection to the APRS-IS. First, you must have an Internet connection. Second, there's lots of information flying around on APRS-IS that is invisible to APRS RF users. I-gates typically gate APRS messages from APRS-IS to RF, but not much else. The full APRS-IS stream would choke the local APRS channel if everything was gated to RF.

But, this is a DMR thread. As post #2 states, you don't see GPS data on amateur radio DMR because it takes up a time slot.

 

[k6cpo]

While that is true, there are several D-Star repeaters that take APRS and feed it into APRS's internet sources. For example, see: Central Ohio Digital Interconnect Group

I don't do D-Star and for that reason, I've never researched it. I wasn't aware of that provision.