[aprssig] KPC-3+ Telemetry from Anywhere!

[Robert Bruninga]

This web page summarizes all the ANDE telemety trends since
launch.  

http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/andeTemps.html

Not only does this reveal neat things about ANDE, but more
importantly these plots show how simple it is for just about
ANYONE to throw this kind of data together (from ANY device) if
the data is transmitted anywhere in the world on APRS.  That web
page summary took me under 30 minutes to write.

Look at the web page SOURCE and you will see that these data
plots are simply CALLS to the global APRS data system at Steve
Dimse's K4HG's FINDU.COM data base.  This data base maintains
every APRS packet in the world ever transmitted (I forget how
far back it goes).

But if you have any application that is transmitting APRS
formatted telemety packets (any KPC-3+ TNC), anywhere in the
world, the data is not only available in real time, but also is
avaliable in PAST time too thanks to the FINDU.COM live
database.

This means you can throw together a KPC-3+ TNC, a radio, a power
source and some 0-5volt sensors, stick it anywhere in reach of
the global APRS system, and without lifing a finger, you can
monitor it (see above) from anywhere in the world and go back in
time to see anything you want.  Plug a GPS into it and you can
watch it move on APRS too.

This is why we made PCSAT1, PCSAT2, ANDE and RAFT as simply
flying KPC TNC's with downlink to the APRS linked ground
stations.  The telemetry then is a done deal because the global
infrastructure is already in place, the data base is in place,
and the plotting stuff is all in place.

As an example, this URL call to FINDU.COM will show the battery
voltage of my KPC-3+ digipeater over the last 10 days!

http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/tele2.cgi?call=WB4APR-1&last=240

To see the same plots from your KPC-3+ TNC, just put it on the
APRS frequency, simply change the CALL to your KPC-3+ and/or
change the "last=240" parameter to any time period you want, and
you can see your own telemetry, anywhere, anytime.  Of course
your KPC-3+ TNC has to have been beaconing telemetry (see the
TELEMETRY Beacon command).

Anyway, I don't think everyone is aware how simple this stuff
is.  SO I just thought I would share it.

Bob, WB4APR
US Naval Academy Satellite Lab