APRS radio setup question.

[Bruce Miller]

Just giving you a hard time. Sounds like you're having fun.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Just giving you a hard time.

Yup.

Sounds like you're having fun.

I've tried to avoid mixing computers and radios, generally really, having all the trinkets like GPS. Never felt I needed it, really still not sure I do. But it's been interesting learning the hows & whys and have at least a little bit of a clue. I do see how the tactical/spatial nature of APRS would be quite useful.

 

[Mendocino]

Cool stuff Dave!

I heard a few brief pileups from the DXpedition, but summers are much more enjoyable working in the basement without the furnace constantly running (it's a menace both audibly and RF-wise). Plus having to go low key hidden wire has tremendously wrecked my effectiveness at home. :-(

But to the point, you can voice alert on your beacon. This is essentially a 100Hz tone/squelch that when your radio transmits a packet it will momentarily open the squelch of any radio set to listen for CTCSS-encoded signals. So it will stop muting and the operator hears the TX.

You know the sound, like you remember from years ago, the sounds of a modem connecting. When you hear this you can do one of a couple of things. QSS on 144.390 using phone with your call sign. This is just a notification, "AC0VH on 146.520" and that's it. The other station(s) will NOT reply on 144.390 but will QSY to the frequency you announced.

Alternatively, you can check your station list to see if anyone's last position report included something like "VA 146.520", "Voice Alert 146.520" or "Listening to 146.520". No one says anything on 144.390 but does CQ on the frequency listed in the position report. I have my radio beacon (on the secondary side) on every packet in the first optional data field post-pend the other side (main side) frequency the offset and tone. This happens regardless on every packet.

Most commutes I just ragchew and so I do not set the voice alert (e.g. 144.390 with DCS 023 set only on RX so that I never hear anything open the squelch) if I'm chatting, but potentially anyone who checks my packets will see what repeater I'm talking on at that time. Other times when the regular crew is not on or I don't feel like talking about the current subject, I dial up the memory location for APRS with the TX/RX CTCSS tone. I set my primary side to 146.520 most of the time when I do this and I've made a couple of contacts that way.

It would be a great way to let you know if there are other hams you would like to talk to in the area. For example, if more RS hams had APRS beacons running they could set their radio voice side to 146.460 and set a different (than the WB4APR suggested 100) tone on the beacon, say 103.5Hz, which would open the squelch only for any other RS ham within simplex range. If you hear a APRS packet, you then know to call out on 146.460. Think of it as APRS radar in a way.

I have made a few 'contacts' from the YL, but that's via the POTS when she notices I'm moving and near King Soopers. That may not be a selling point, though.

 

[Seldom Seen]

Smart beaconing? Periodic beaconing? Decay to on? Once you've got it all dialed in, do you actually talk to someone on the air? Like the HKØ dxpedition to Malpelo Island last month?

Missed HK∅, but I have managed to work 45/50 for WAS and 27/100 for DXCC on an attic dipole I put up last month. Does that count for anything?

ETA: another country, just got Russia

 

[Belghau]

I just pieced together a used Yeasu2500 and a byonics tinytrak3+ and gps...neat stuff.

I tested it out on the commute today and have a question about how to set the squelch/vol on the radio. it seemed to work fine but then I started messin' with buttons and came up with questions.

I assumed I'd set it up like I set up the car dvd players radio kinda like for voice to only hear a signal when it breaks squelch. But I understand aprs will wait for a break, and then transmit...but if it's squelched too high, and there's other traffic, then what?? does it bounce or get bumped? should I have it squelched to nothing or really low? there's no real guidance in the instructions that I've found.

*I've pestered Byon several times with other dumb questions and that guy is great! Go to www.byonics.com if you are interested in this APRS stuff.

FYI - with the wires for the Yaesu2500 I plug one into the speaker jack and one into the mic jack. since one goes in the speaker jack I can't hear it. So here are my other questions:

1. how should I set the vol and squelch?
2. why wouldn't I hit some digipeaters that are really close but then hit one down by parker (like 5-6x the distance to the nearest digipeater). too much traffic? I find that hard to beleive.

You must have got your APRS radio. I need one similar radio, so can you tell me a reliable source to purchase it.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

I pieced it together...

There are several ways to set up APRS in your rig.

1. buy an expensive radio that has it built in (Yeasu ft-350) - SWEET RADIO!
2. Go to Byonics.com and get one of there RTG (ready to go) systems: it's an all in one small package 10W transceiver, GPS puck, antenna and power hookup (Cig lighter or Powerpoles). I have this for my 40 and works great and is small...literally plug and play.
3. Piece together a setup using just about any 2m radio, a GPS unit and the TNC module to convert the GPS signal to packet info to send over RF.

I did #3 in my 60 because I wanted to always have a full power backup 2m radio. HTs are good, but I wanted the ability to have a 50w backup. I played the Ebay game and picked up a cheap Yeasu 2500, bought the proper cables from byonics.com and the 'package deal' with GPS puck and TNC thingie.

Here are some links:
Ready To GO package: http://www.byonics.com/mt-rtg

Tinytrak3 (hooks to actual radio): http://www.byonics.com/tinytrak/
(I got the pre-built unit with GPS to hook to my ft-2500 it's the $107 one)

Cables list:http://www.byonics.com/cables/Byonics Radio Power Cable Chart.pdf

I'd look for any inexpensive working 2m radio on eBay, QRZ.com or eham.net. I think a 2m radio under $100 is a good deal for this application. I got mine for like $89.

HTH...ask more questions as needed. APRS is pretty cool.

 

[daveIT]

So this is a separate radio from what you run for normal comms?

Anyone messed with this Android APRS app?
http://www.4x4ham.com/showthread.ph...-an-Android-phone-and-an-HT-that-supports-VOX

I have the app, but haven't built a cable & hooked it to radio yet...

 

[DaveInDenver]

I run a FTM-350, so I have the GPS and modem built-in to run on the background side. Some run a second radio for APRS, but I was having issues with it interfering with my main radio and needed some way to duplex them. It was easier just to sell both radios and replace them with one.

No help on the Android stuff, I run an old Nokia flip phone that doesn't seem to give a rat's rear what my ham radios are doing. I did interface an old Garmin Nuvi 350 to my radio. It displays received station positions as favorites and landmarks. Other stations pop up on the GPS map and I can use them as waypoint to navigate.

 

[jacdaw]

I watch people on my tablet at http://aprs.fi/

 

[CardinalFJ60]

yep. it sure is.

So this is a separate radio from what you run for normal comms?

Anyone messed with this Android APRS app?
http://www.4x4ham.com/showthread.ph...-an-Android-phone-and-an-HT-that-supports-VOX

I have the app, but haven't built a cable & hooked it to radio yet...

Yep...it's a separate radio. so in my 60 I have the ft-8900 for my 'cockpit' radio and the 2500 is mounted in the back with the APRS junk plugged into it. I have the mic stored as well, just in case my other radio craps out.

At one point those 350's were a smokin' deal. I wish I picked one up. I do, on occaision get interference (zzzt...zzzzt....zzzzt) but the reality is my Fridge is creating so much I don't notice any APRS noise anymore.

 

[daveIT]

Hmm...wonder which way is cheaper...seems like by the time you buy used radio, add APRS, GPS and Antenna plus wiring you might be up to the price of FTM350? Unless you had a bunch of used stuff laying around...

So the FTM runs APRS on one channel and then comms on other? I guess I'm asking if they run simultaneously.

The one thing I don't like about the FT-2900R is no remote display...I'd rather not have the whole radio out in the open where thieves can see it, so I was thinking of getting something w/ a remote head.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Using the FT-2900 for APRS is fine, you can tuck it away out of sight once configured and forget about it. There's no need to watch the radio on APRS, although remember to lock the controls so the frequency can't be changed.

Yes, the FTM-350 can run APRS in the background with regular use on the other side. When it needs to transmit an APRS packet it blanks the other side. If you are currently transmitting it will skip the packet and if you are receiving it goes quiet for a second or so. This is an improvement over the FT-8800/8900, which can listen to two bands at the same time but can only transmit on the selected side. So if the APRS tracker wants to TX, it will do it on the frequency you're using currently and not the secondary side.

It sorta depends on which radios you use, but if you are starting from zero going with a FTM-350 or TM-D710A might be competitive, particularly if you are looking at a FT-8800 or other fairly expensive radio already. If you have any old junk, probably cheaper to build your own. You can use one of those Chinese HTs for APRS, potentially a whole APRS set up might be $100 ~ $150. You'd also need to run two antennas, which can also be a pain.

BTW, the FTM-350 is discontinued, so existing stock is all that's available. Yaesu came out with the FTM-400, which is a 350 with digital modes added. Not sure the cost, but probably not cheap.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

my used setup...

My used setup was like $220? ish...less than $100 for the FT-2500, and then the already built package deal from byonics.com. (gps, antenna, TNC module, cable, )

 

[daveIT]

You can use one of those Chinese HTs for APRS, potentially a whole APRS set up might be $100 ~ $150. You'd also need to run two antennas, which can also be a pain.

BTW, the FTM-350 is discontinued, so existing stock is all that's available. Yaesu came out with the FTM-400, which is a 350 with digital modes added. Not sure the cost, but probably not cheap.

So you don't need much wattage for APRS? I have a Baofeng 3R (sitting unused) and 5R I carry around.

I've been looking at some digital mode stuff, so I might check out the 400...

 

[CardinalFJ60]

nope, don't need much power

I think I run my ft-2500 at low1 or low2 (5 or 10w)

 

[DaveInDenver]

I also usually run low power level, which is 5W on the FTM-350. I've never used high power for APRS on any radio.

 

[CO Hunter]

I went with the Kenwood TM-D710, what a nice radio. For those not familiar, it is similar to the FT-350 but has been around longer and has a big following. Not intending to start a debate, just offer a solid alternative that has not been mentioned. I made a custom cable, similar to what Dave described, and repurposed on old (mid 1990's) Eagle Explorer GPS unit which can output NEMA 0183.

For normal in town operations low power is fine as other have stated. However, as with any communication, the farther from a repeater the more power you may need. When in the San Rafael Swell a couple of weeks ago my tracking was amazingly good. I did run the power on about 20 watts.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8454314&postcount=92