[aprssig] Group Tracker Build Projects ?

[DaveN]

Bruce,
Your system sounds very interesting. I have been looking for pictures of
portable trackers that I can post, or that I can link to, in an effort to
give people ideas and tips for construction.  Our SAR unit has used a
variety of tracker configurations but the loose wire and other problems
persist.

We really need a design for a portable tracker that is rugged, compact, and
will fit or attach to a searchers pack.

If you or others have pictures or web links, please send them if you can.

Thanks
Dave W7PDQ
www.dmapper.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bruce Gordon" <bgordon at ltronics.com>
To: "TAPR APRS Mailing List" <aprssig at lists.tapr.org>
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 8:48 AM
Subject: Re: [aprssig] Group Tracker Build Projects ?


> hi,
>
> Our ARES group built 10 successful portable trackers several years ago.
> Each used an Icom T2H 5 watt HT, a TinyTrack chip, a (now obsolete)
> Earthmate GPS and a 12V 2.3 AH gel battery packed in an 8.75 x 5.75 x 3
inch
> watertight plastic box (Bud PN1329)  A BNC jack on top holds a 1/4 wave
> whip.  The inside of the box is coated with nickel conductive paint except
> over the GPSantenna to provide the antenna ground.  Three large, doughnut
> ceramic magnets and a steel back plate mounted flush with the bottom hold
> the unit on any car top.  No external wires to tangle or trip over.  We
did
> get some discounts on the radios, GPS receivers, boxes and other parts
even
> at this quantity.
>
> We made a custom PC board to hold the TinyTrack CPU and associated parts,
a
> switching regulator for the GPS and some protective circuitry.  A recessed
> power switch, track and battery LEDs and a charging jack are brought to
the
> outside of the box.  The battery gives 10 to 12 hours of operation which
has
> been more than enough so far. Eight of the units are kept charged in a
rack
> in our comm van.  The tracker batteries have the same charging
> characteristics as the van main gel batteries so they take advantage of
the
> van's sophisticated charger.  We also modified some switching "wall warts"
> for recharging  elsewhere.  They have been used on a variety of vehicles
and
> some  helicopters and airplanes (inside).
>
> Bruce Gordon
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "William McKeehan" <mckeehan at mckeehan.homeip.net>
> To: <aprssig at lists.tapr.org>
> Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005 1:32 PM
> Subject: [aprssig] Group Tracker Build Projects ?
>
>
> > Does anyone know of any groups that have built several trackers for the
> group
> > to use during events? Not the property of any one individual, but the
> property
> > of the group?
> >
> > OR any individual that has built several trackers for deployment during
an
> event?
> >
> > I'm looking for recommendations on 1) configurations used; 2) bulk
> discounts
> > available and 3) any tips on such an effort.
> >
> > --
> > William McKeehan
> > KI4HDU
> > Internet: mckeehan at mckeehan.homeip.net
> > http://mckeehan.homeip.net
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > aprssig mailing list
> > aprssig at lists.tapr.org
> > https://lists.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> >
> >
>
>
>
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