New to APRS Questions?

[Squad10]

Keep in mind my experience is based on several releases back. I got tired of it and haven't tried later updates so these may not be an issue now.

The number one thing that chapped my hide is that I'd spend hours laying out a depiction for an event until I had it perfect. I work on my desktop where it's easier but I need to use it on my laptop in the field. Nine times out of ten it would either a) not be able to open the depiction even though it was the same version or b) not display anything other than a black blob where the maps were supposed to be.

The latter issue was supposedly due to not having everything downloaded/cached. I was told to zoom into all areas of the depiction zone so everything would be downloaded and saved with the depiction file. Well, I tried that until I was blue in the face and it never worked. The only way I could use it in the field is if I had a wireless broadband connection and could download maps on the fly (very slow). It's supposed to be usable offline.

I also didn't like that I couldn't modify the zone boundaries. More than once I'd get several things done only to realize I'd inadvertently left part of the required territory out and I'd have to start all over again. I couldn't just grab some resize handles and extend them.

I do have to admit that the APRS plug-in seemed to work fine. I guess there's one good thing I can say about it.

Again, I guess I was an early user and maybe these things have been resolved. And just so it's not thought to be user error, my buddy had a similar experience with nearly identical complaints. We're both in the IT field and have been for years so I trust my technical ability (especially since I'm a software developer myself).

I'll also say that they did try to help me. They just weren 't able to. You can always buy it and if it doesn't work out for you they'll refund your money within the set timeframe.

Thanks. It now makes sense to me. I read on the Depiction website a couple of weeks ago that the off-line fix was made. Depiction is based to grab data off of, and communicate via the internet. Major issue that was fixed.

 

[D00D]

(UI-View has been running here crash free for years!!)

Ahh, but you probably run Windows. ;-) In theory it's supposed to run on Linux under WINE but all it does is crash for me. When I installed to a Windows drive on my laptop it did run fine. But Windows is da debbil. :-D

Thanks. It now makes sense to me. I read on the Depiction website a couple of weeks ago that the off-line fix was made. Depiction is based to grab data off of, and communicate via the internet. Major issue that was fixed.

Cool. Maybe I need to download the latest update and re-evaluate. It really did offer a lot of promise. It'd be awesome if it's finally to a stage where it's able to deliver.

 

[ScanWI]

Nope... Thats right... 146-174 on those radios. There is NO Spectra or Maxtrac/Radius radio made that covers 136-174... There is splits within that range, depending on the radio, usually though a Spectra or Radius is 146-174 for the high split, and 136-162 for the low split, but the low split radios are nearly impossible to find.

Well I think I will just scrap the Moto idea since they won' t do the rear end programing. And the Freq issue. I'll just look for a cheap 2mtr.
Thanks

 

[kb0nly]

Yeah for what your going to spend on getting the Moto going you could just toss a cheap 2mtr on it and be done. Use that FT-2200 that you listed!

 

[kb0nly]

Ahh, but you probably run Windows. ;-) In theory it's supposed to run on Linux under WINE but all it does is crash for me. When I installed to a Windows drive on my laptop it did run fine. But Windows is da debbil. :-D


Cool. Maybe I need to download the latest update and re-evaluate. It really did offer a lot of promise. It'd be awesome if it's finally to a stage where it's able to deliver.

Ahh ok... A lot of the older 16 bit programs have trouble in that case.

Windows 7 is an angel then compared to previous versions, and i have had them all.... LOL

 

[ScanWI]

Yeah for what your going to spend on getting the Moto going you could just toss a cheap 2mtr on it and be done. Use that FT-2200 that you listed!

Well I found the Moto Radius for $20 so I couldn't pass it up.

 

[K4APR]

Probably a typo. Most Motorola VHF radios come from the factory 136-174.

Most VHF Maxtracs, GM300s, M120s and similar radios that have the 16 pin logic board ARE 146-174. You can hack RSS to get it down to 144.390, but the RX sens will be less than what you are hoping for. I have several Maxtracs that I took down to this range for APRS use. It worked well in my old city because the area was flooded with APRS and digipeaters, but now that I live in a more rural area, I need a better receiver and I have moved to an Alinco DR-135 with the internal ADS Tracker2 modem. I run that with my HamHUD:

However, I redesigned the HamHUD with an internal modem using the OpenTracker 1+ flashed with KISS firmware:

http://www.rpc-electronics.com/hamhud2p.php

As for a dedicated radio, any 2m FM mobile will work. I have used some of the crappiest $50 hamfest specials to brand new (personal favorite) Kenwood TM-271 mobiles with the packet port pigtail added for easy TNC interfacing.

 

[K4APR]

Well I think I will just scrap the Moto idea since they won' t do the rear end programing. And the Freq issue. I'll just look for a cheap 2mtr.
Thanks

Like I said in the previous post, the Kenwood TM-271 is a great APRS radio. They have a US and Euro version, the Euro version has a pigtail coming out of the back that is terminated with a 6 pin MiniDin connector. This connector is pinned with the industry standard packet port pinout. However, the US version does NOT come with this pigtail. Once I got the radio in my hands, I popped the top off and found that the pads for the pigtail are on the board and some scope probing showed they were active. I added a MiniDin female pigtail to the radio, and made sure it was pinned to the standard and now I have a TM-271 with the packet port for TNC interfacing. I now I own five of these radios and I have modded every one of them the same way. They work great with a strong 50W and receive is very good at ~0.18uV or better.

 

[Squad10]

Thanks for the RF band clarification Jason.

If kc0wkp decides to attempt to get the M120 programmed for the APRS frequency, Here are batlabs links for the 8 channel radio accessory connector http://www.batlabs.com/images/gmacc8.gif and the16 channel radio accessory connector http://www.batlabs.com/images/gmacc16.gif

The COR (Pin 8) on the 8 channel radio is fixed active low, so if the RF is set to CSQ it should work ok for APRS CSMA..

 

[D00D]

One of my friends runs a 271 and had I not found deals on some other radios I would've picked one up myself. I'm building a little APRS arsenal, though, so I may still get one.

 

[kb0nly]

How about a Garmin Nuvi 350 to display and send messages? A friend of mine mentioned that to me this morning, i might have to try and build that!

 

[K4APR]

How about a Garmin Nuvi 350 to display and send messages? A friend of mine mentioned that to me this morning, i might have to try and build that!

Ah! I forgot to bring this up. Yes, the Nuvi 350 and the Tracker2 is a marriage made in heaven. Just keep in mind that the 350 is the ONLY Nuvi model with the fully implemented FMI interface (proprietary Garmin protocol). In addition to the Nuvi 350 and the Tracker2, you will also need the basic FMI cable and add a DB9 to it, to connect to the Tracker2. The even better route is buy an Alinco DR-135 WITHOUT the internal TNC, put in the T2-135 modem instead and then connect the Nuvi 350 right to the back panel DB9 on the DR-135.

When the DR-135 does not have an internal TNC installed, the DB9 becomes a generic TNC interface port, but once an internal TNC is installed, that port becomes the serial interface to a GPS, computer, ect. Also, the DR-135 has the GPS port on the front panel, so the Tracker2 takes advantage of this and can be used in a dual port configuration.

I mentioned the HamHUD above, this is a full tracker, as well as mobile display for other's positions, you can do two-way messaging and even see weather data from weather stations on APRS. I married that up with my DR-135 and internal T2-135 and the setup is a dream to install and use. However, with the new HamHUD and the internal modem, the internal modem is no longer required with the radio. I have even connected up HTs to the new HamHUD to demonstrate the portable uses for the HamHUD.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that since the HamHUD decodes other's positions, it can send the $GPWPL strings back to a mapping GPS and map where others are located. I LOVE this feature and use it all of the time. My personal favorite GPS for this is the Garmin 176c, but I know others that use the 276c and other color chartplotting GPS units by Garmin that still have the standard serial NMEA interface.

As I said before. Since you are just getting into this aspect of the hobby, start small and see if you are really going to like it. Don;'t dump a bunch of cash and then find out it's not what you really thought it was. Start with the OpenTracker 1+ kit. For $32 as a kit, it's hard to pass up. Also, if the mapping option that I mentioned above interests you, the OT1+ is capable of DECODING packets and mapping positions on the GPS, so you can even play with that awesome feature for the same price. The TinyTrak III cannot decode packets. You have to move up to the TinyTrak 4 for that option. The Tracker2 is really the Cadillac of the APRS world, so it will do everything.

 

[K4APR]

Thanks for the RF band clarification Jason.

No problem!

The COR (Pin 8) on the 8 channel radio is fixed active low, so if the RF is set to CSQ it should work ok for APRS CSMA..

I honestly do not understand the emphasis being placed on having the COR line tied to the TNC. This is not needed since just about all of the devices support software carrier detect. The interface is very simple: Transmit Audio, Receieve Audio, Push To Talk and Ground. That is all that is needed to make them talk. In fact, if hardware CD was required, the trackers, whether ADS or Byonics would never work with an HT, unless modified.

Don't worry about the COR and just go with the simple interface. And yes, use the flat receive from an Moto mobile and that will give you unsquelched, unfiltered discriminator audio for a much better decode rate of packets.

 

[K4APR]

One of my friends runs a 271 and had I not found deals on some other radios I would've picked one up myself. I'm building a little APRS arsenal, though, so I may still get one.

I regularly buy the TM-271 from HRO for about $160 and some change. Not bad for a 50W radio and easily modded for packet use. Solid radio for the purpose.

 

[D00D]

How about a Garmin Nuvi 350 to display and send messages? A friend of mine mentioned that to me this morning, i might have to try and build that!

I know Jason already answered but I figured I'd add that this is what I have in the truck. I just haven't gotten around to trading my OT+ in for the Tracker2. Maybe towards the end of the year. I do agree with him that the OT+ is a great (and very inexpensive) way to get into APRS. I'm more a fan of the OT+ than I am the TinyTrak. As Jason alluded you get more feature/functionality for less money.

I regularly buy the TM-271 from HRO for about $160 and some change. Not bad for a 50W radio and easily modded for packet use. Solid radio for the purpose.

Really? I'll have to look into that. I do like the Alinco too, though. I really need to decide on a standard though. I'm ending up with too many different radios and keeping all the cables I'm making straight is driving me nuts.

 

[K4APR]

I really need to decide on a standard though. I'm ending up with too many different radios and keeping all the cables I'm making straight is driving me nuts.

Go with the TM-271, do the minidin mod and stick with the minidin standard. It's going to stick around from now on. Every major manufacturer has adopted it. I have radios from Yaesu, Icom and Kenwood, all with this packet port. This allows me to decrease the number of cables that I have to keep around. Even though I make them for all of my customers

 

[K4APR]

I'm more a fan of the OT+ than I am the TinyTrak. As Jason alluded you get more feature/functionality for less money.

I forgot to mention that the OT1+ can be flashed with KISS firmware and turn it into a full KISS modem for use with a computer and APRS software, such as UI-View, APRSIS or WinAPRS. I took advantage of this when I redesigned the HamHUD. Instead of looking for a way to create my own modem, I took the OT1+, stripped it down and went with all surface mount parts. This allowed me to embed it right on the main board and integrate the entire modem into the new design. After construction, I reflash the OT1+ microprocessor with the KISS firmware and now I have a rock solid internal modem. Lots of options!

 

[ScanWI]

Ft-2200

I went through the manual and found the diagram to do the simple TNC diagram for packet. I think I'll go with that one I'm trying to get by without spending a lot of money.