[aprssig] barcodes, etc.

[Ray McKnight]

Well, I don't think getting these barcode scanners up and running on DOSAPRS
would be all too difficult, except maybe for the "me" generation appliance
op that never has configured DOS.

 

But here's another novel idea I've never heard suggested before.

The barcode scanners have a PCMCIA slot, as do a LOT of similar

Devices, as well as almost all fairly modern laptops.  If we had a

PC-Card based TNC it would be trivial to turn almost any of these

Devices into a full fledged APRS client.  All you'd need would be an

HT or other external radio, easily interfaced by a simple dongle.

 

Anyone out there considered a Type-II PC Card TNC?

There used to be a 1 and 4-port ISA TNC card, but it never really

Caught on because it was introduced just about the time PCI showed up.

 

Scott - any interest in packaging a TinkTrak into PC Card form factor?

 

-----Original Message-----
From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]
On Behalf Of Ken Cechura
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 17:21
To: 'TAPR APRS Mailing List'
Subject: [aprssig] barcodes, etc.

 

ok, heres a response to what ive gotten so far...

 

"I hesitate to enter a shameless plug for my eBay item, but..."   

 

Don't hesitate too much, but i'm not smart enough to make it work (well,
maybe i am, but i'm a little too busy right now)...  I'm looking for
something fairly simple that will work immediately with a TNC and radio or
D700.  I'm not overly concerned with a "you need a TNC2 or better" type
caveat, so long as it's not "you need a D700, period" - now i will say,
having a bunch of tracker type devices might not be a bad thing, the problem
is getting enough of them on a budget...

 

I AM looking for something that can show the data at a glance...  so i will
most likely need a custom GUI...

AT A GLANCE, I want to be able to tell:

"I have 4 competitors on stage 1 (checked in, not checked out)"

"I have 12 competitors in transit between stage 1 and stage 2"

"I have 7 competitors on stage 2"

"I have 20 competitors in transit to service from stage 2"

 

or 

 

"I lost 2 competitors in service (they're still there after a long time)"

I really don't need it to be REAL TIME, and the clocks that we use don't put
out data (that i know), so it's more of a crude tracking system.

the problem with "retries" might be an issue.  As far as "connected" mode,
we would need to be able to connect 6 - 8 stations to net control.... though
this might allow stations to connect through other stations within range,
and might eliminate the need for digipeaters, so long as we had 50W
radios..... right?

I was considering using a PIC or similar microcontroller to conver the
barcode scanner data (usually PS/2 type data) to a packet, adding stuff
(callsign, tactical call, etc.) and sending it....  the nice thing about
this would be that i could have a set of interfaces or trackers for the
entire event, give a crew (we worked stage 9 and 14, so i would have start 9
and finish 14 in my kit) both units, and swap them out per the stage i'm
working.

 

so many ideas... so little expertise in my head....


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