[aprssig] APRS wish list

[Tyson S.]

--- Bob Burns K4RXR <k4rxr_ at rlburns.net> wrote:

> I am APRS novice. I say that because I have a basic understanding of 
> how APRS works and I can make it work in my own situation, but I 
> certainly don't know all there is to know. I can see some great 
> possibilities for APRS in the public service and weather spotting 
> work that got me into amateur radio in the first place. And I also 
> see APRS as a means to continue experimenting with new (to me)
> technology.
> 
> I have owned a Kenwood TM-D700 and a Garmin GPS II+ for about 3 years
> 
> now and have dabbled with APRS during that time. I currently have the
> 
> GPS connected directly to the D700 and I occasionally have a laptop 
> computer connected to the D700. I have experimented with various APRS
> 
> programs. Currently, I'm using APRSPoint, though I'm open to other 
> ideas. APRSPoint seems to work pretty well with the D700 using the 
> GPS data pass-through.
> 
> I am in the process of re-fitting my vehicle with various radios and 
> equipment. The best APRS solution, in terms of equipment and 
> software, has proven to be a difficult problem for me to solve, so I 
> come to the experts here for your advice.
> 
> Here's what I want to do:
> 
> 1. Send ARPS data with my vehicle's position using SmartBeaconing as 
> described by Arnerich and Bragg. Beaconing my position should be a 
> "hands off" operation from my point of view.

Can't help you there, the D700 should work fine as is.

> 2. Receive APRS data and display the locations and tracks of those 
> stations on a fairly accurate map, possibly on a PC.

UI-VIEW32 on a laptop with UI-Height track
 
> 3. Receive APRS weather bulletins and potentially display watch or 
> warning boxes on a map.

UI-VIEW32 on a laptop, download NWS shapefiles, activate the snowflake.

> 4. Have a "head's up" display of my position. If not "head's up", a 
> display that I can mount on the dashboard or console will suffice. 
> The screen on my GPS II+ that displays position, speed, and heading 
> is pretty good. Even the Kenwood D700 in "position" mode is adequate.

Wait for the Tracker2 to come out and use it for the TNC with your
mapping GPS unit on the dash. It will plot APRS stations on the screen.

> 5. Access to maps for locating topographic and geographic features 
> and access to trip routing functions. I have been a Delorme Street 
> Atlas and Topo USA user for a long time and usually go there first to

UI-VIEW32 feeding Dmapper and plotting stuff to Topo USA or Terrain
Navigator.

> study maps and do trip routing. A laptop computer mounted in a 
> position accessible from the driver's seat can be part of this 
> solution. Ideally, the mapping program would use the same GPS 
> receiver as the APRS solution.

Split the NMEA data to two separate com ports, virtual if need be, APRS
on one and Topo USA/Terrain Navigator on the other.

> 6. Whatever radio that I use for APRS will be dedicated to APRS and 
> not have to do dual duty as a voice radio. I would like to implement 
> Voice Alert using CTCSS 100 Hz as described in the APRS
> documentation.

Try for a 50 watt radio, 5 is a bit low for real reliability. The
DR-135 Alinco without the factory TNC is a cheap and very nice radio to
connect a TNC to, it can be done on the back through a factory 9 pin
connector. If you use the Tracker2 it should have the smart beaconing
you are looking for.

> So, what's the answer? What are the possible solutions to my problem?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Bob...
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> aprssig mailing list
> aprssig at lists.tapr.org
> https://lists.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com