[aprssig] barcodes, etc.

[Robert Bruninga]

> in this case, i would be looking for something to the tune of
> 
> /*SEND K9FRT START 9 CAR 43*/
> 
> which would result in car 43 put into the "START 9" 
> (stage 9 start) column at the net control's (K9FRT) 
> computer. 

Maybe I am not understanding this, but I assume the only thing
on the CAR's bar code is the Car Number.

So it seems like you need pre-configured barcodes that would
represent all the "functions" you want to report affixed to the
scanner's clipboard at that station, so that first the scanner
scans one of thse function barcodes on his clipboard, and it
says "START 9" and then you scan the car as it goes by to get
the CAR 43.

Other functional bar codes for check point 9 might be ?
ARRIVED 9
WAITING 9
DISABLED 9
QUIT 9
NEEDS FUEL 9
OTHER 9

Is that what we are talking about?
Bob

> With any luck (and only minor modifications) the scanner 
> could be adapted
> to work off the same 12V DC power supply that the radio and
TNC would
> presumably be using.
> 
> > Serial barcode scanners are also widely available.  I got 
> mine on eBay for
> > half the price of the USB keyboard wedge type that I bought 
> for business
> > use.  Seems like no one wants serial scanners anymore.  I 
> think I paid
> > around $20, and it's a high-quality Symbol scanner with an 
> excellent scan
> > range and width, much better than the cheap LED-based
keyboard wedge
> > scanner.  The power brick is a little bulky, though.
> >
> > I modified the Tracker2 command processor so that it'll 
> accept commands
> > bracketed in /* ... */.  That way, you can delimit the text 
> string despite
> > the fact that it's not possible to encode a carriage return 
> in a barcode.
> > Yeah, the scanner can be programmed to send a carriage 
> return after each
> > barcode, but that limits your ability to do things with 
> multiple scans.
> > For
> > example, I could scan both a message and a destination
address from
> > separate
> > barcodes, like this:
> >
> > /*SEND N1VG-1
> > First runner arrived*/
> >
> > That much you can do with the T2 now.  I think some 
> scanners can also be
> > programmed with prefix and suffix text, so you could use a 
> dumb TNC and
> > save
> > yourself the overhead of the packet source, destination, 
> and path in the
> > barcode.
> >
> > Scott
> > N1VG
> >
> >> With that in mind, the least technical way to transfer bar
> >> code information via APRS would seem to be to first, encode
> >> it in a meaningful way on the label  When it comes time to
> >> scan it, (1) open an APRS message window, selecting the
> >> destination station, (2) place the cursor in the message
text
> >> field, (3) scan the bar code and (4) send the message.
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> 
> 
> 
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