RoarinRow
KN6JJS
Just got my Tech license about a week or so ago and have been learning a lot about different mobile Ham radios. Right after passing my test I picked up a TYT-TH-7800. It was ok, but it was not very user friendly as far as manual programming on the fly. During that short time I started reading up on cross band and aprs, as well as Echolink... in comes the Kenwood TM-V71A, bye bye TH-7800.
After watching several YouTube videos I was able to configure cross band between my V71A and my Baofeng BF-F8HP handheld. That was fun and the ham bug bit even harder lol.
Then I continued researching aprs. Since the TM-V71A doesn't have aprs built in, I found this TNC3 unit from Mobilinkd which works with my iPhone/iPad and sells cables that connect from the TNC3 to my TM-V71A and F8HP. On my iPad I installed the MobilinkdTNC and aprs.fi apps. I use the Mobillinkd app to configure the TNC3 via Bluetooth to communicate with my devices. Then the aprs.fi app to send beacons and view my location (wife thinks this is cool).
In the aprs.fi app I discovered messaging. So now, from the aprs.fi app I can send messages that will be sent out through my Kenwood or Baofeng devices, to the internet, to any cell phone via a text message. What! I was able to successfully send SMS message via the app using these instructions - Sending Messages – APRS/SMS Gateway
Also on the same website, you can create alias so other people won't see what phone number you are sending messages to (I should have done that first before sending SMS messages to myself and wife lol).
There are links in the post that might be of some help.
After watching several YouTube videos I was able to configure cross band between my V71A and my Baofeng BF-F8HP handheld. That was fun and the ham bug bit even harder lol.
Then I continued researching aprs. Since the TM-V71A doesn't have aprs built in, I found this TNC3 unit from Mobilinkd which works with my iPhone/iPad and sells cables that connect from the TNC3 to my TM-V71A and F8HP. On my iPad I installed the MobilinkdTNC and aprs.fi apps. I use the Mobillinkd app to configure the TNC3 via Bluetooth to communicate with my devices. Then the aprs.fi app to send beacons and view my location (wife thinks this is cool).
In the aprs.fi app I discovered messaging. So now, from the aprs.fi app I can send messages that will be sent out through my Kenwood or Baofeng devices, to the internet, to any cell phone via a text message. What! I was able to successfully send SMS message via the app using these instructions - Sending Messages – APRS/SMS Gateway
Also on the same website, you can create alias so other people won't see what phone number you are sending messages to (I should have done that first before sending SMS messages to myself and wife lol).
There are links in the post that might be of some help.