[aprssig] Android HUD Development

[Curt, WE7U]

On Sun, 5 Jun 2011, Rud Merriam wrote:

> I am thinking of working on an Android based APRS HUD. Originally it will be 
> for phones but later be put on tablets. I know there are a couple of other 
> Android APRS's. I think a focus on messaging HUD is a different approach. I 
> haven't myself seen any HUDs or displays on APRS capable radios so am asking 
> for advice and suggestions. My approach is to keep it simple and functional.
>
> I have looked at Bob's web page about messaging and HUD.
>
> My first thoughts are not to do a moving map display, at least not on the 
> cell phone version, since that is readily available with Google Maps and GPS 
> navigators. The question is whether having a map with nearby APRS units is 
> sufficiently important to include a map capability on a tablet version.

I would say YES it's important!

I have a 10.1" Android tablet with no cell-phone capability, but it has 802.11 B/G/N.  I'm running a hacked-up WRT54GS w/OpenWRT, AX.25 stack, and two DE-9 serial ports.  I could put something like that in the Jeep, hook a KISS TNC to it, and use the tablet as an APRS messaging/mapping display over 802.11 (thanks for the idea Bill).  I'd have to hack up my 2nd WRT54GS to do this 'cuz I want to keep that first router in the shack.

OpenStreetMaps in Shapefile format should work nicely.  We use that format in Xastir for offline maps, and it gives you the capability to create or use many other maps that are available in Shapefile format.  Libraries are freely available for this format and the map spec is published.

I saw a picture somebody posted with a tablet mounted in their dash.  Looked very nice.

-- 
Curt, WE7U.        http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
APRS Client Capabilities:  http://www.eskimo.com/~archer/aprs_capabilities.html