[aprssig] Perfect Building Block for Full-Function Mobile APRS, Igate or Smart Digi !

[Stephen H. Smith]

I just received an email flyer from NewEgg.com .  They are currently blowing 
out a Foxconn Netbook for $199 with free shipping.

This is a 10.1" display ultra-lightweight (2 lbs) mini-laptop with a 1.6 GHz 
processor, B/G/N WiFi, 1GB RAM, 160 GB hard disk and 100MB/s Ethernet.    The 
display has white LED (not fluorescent ) backlight for the 600 x 1024 pixel 
screen, so power consumption is really low.   This full PC is barely larger 
than an AVmap5 with twice as large a screen at one third the price.  With a 
cheap USB GPS puck and the APRS app of your choice, this would make a nice 
full-function mobile APRS display and messaging terminal.

It would also be an ideal mate for the USB port on the new TH-D72 Kenwood handheld.

This unit comes WITHOUT an OS (so you are not paying the Microsoft tax if you 
decide to load it with Linux instead).

Details here  -- warning very long link may break:

<http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119033&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL021511&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL021511-_-EMC-021511-Index-_-NotebookBareboneSystems-_-56119033-L06D 
<http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119033&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL021511&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL021511-_-EMC-021511-Index-_-NotebookBareboneSystems-_-56119033-L06D>>

I have successfully run UIview, APRSpoint, MapPoint, Precision Mapping 8.1, and 
Delorme TopoUSA 8 on the direct predecessor of this unit successfully.   I also 
also used it, connected to a TH-D7AG with a USB<-->serial dongle,as a temporary 
igate via it's built-in WiFi very successfully.

The chassis of this unit uses the typical laptop-style 19 VDC input from a 
mini-sized 30W brick. An oversized lighter-plug adapter with a 12-->19 VDC 
up-converter inside is available for mobile operations.    My earlier unit, 
branded as an Acer ZG5, drew a measured 1.5A at 12 VDC on the input side.

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Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
EchoLink Node:      WA8LMF  or 14400    [Think bottom of the 2M band]
Skype:        WA8LMF
Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.net

=====  Vista & Win7 Install Issues for UI-View and Precision Mapping =====
     http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/UIview_Notes.htm#VistaWin7

*** HF APRS over PSK63 ***
    http://wa8lmf.net/APRS_PSK63/index.htm

"APRS 101"  Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
   http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths