[aprssig] barcodes, etc.

kc9umr at freqradio.com kc9umr at freqradio.com
Wed Feb 28 12:24:31 EST 2007


I like this idea.

> I would program the "modem" device to accept a special barcode ONCE and
> remember the text in NV ram until it was overwritten.  I'd have a book of
> barcodes (at least a cheat sheet) that had the lat/lon of each checkpoint
> in
> it.  You scan one of those "special" barcodes ONCE per event.  Now that
> modem device is programmed to be checkpoint xxxx.  Now any subsequent
> barcodes that are scanned have the lat long of checkpint xxxx appended to
> them.  Need to move the checkpoint equipment to a new location?  simply
> look
> up the new location's barcode in your cheat sheet, scan the new location
> and
> move the equipment.  Each time a runner passes a checkpoint and gets
> scanned
> a 3rd party aprs position is generated using that checkpoint's latlon.
> Now
> we can extend this to RFID too....
>
> Wes
>
>
> On 2/28/07, Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu> wrote:
>>
>> > 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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>> > > https://lists.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> >
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>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> In theory there is no difference between practice and theory.
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