[aprssig] APRN news from Dayton!

[Bob Bruninga]

>> But now at Dayton, ARGENT Data Systems... has introduced 
>> a tiny golf-ball sized SSTV camera (outputs Robot mode).

> Do you mean he has... encased the naked SSTV cam shown at:
> <http://wiki.argentdata.com/index.php/SSTVCAM>     ?

Sorry, no.  Just describing its size...

> Why do you want to use the absolutely awful Robot modes?
> ... the Argent device can be forced to default to the
> vastly-superior Scottie modes.

Ah, thanks...

> The problem is that there is no display of what the 
> camera is seeing, or any way to focus.

Good point.  But tiny TV displays are cheap everywhere.. such as you noted
in the Garmin NUVI and such as is available in the AVMAP and other GPS and
car navigation displays...

>> ...the way APRN works, is that you snap a picture, 
>> tune to the local APRN input frequency, then TX from 
>> your handheld, followed by your APRS radio's packet 
>> report which identifies who, what, when,where, why, etc

> Of which there are about 2 in the entire world.....

Which I hope will become a simple download for anyone to set up anywhere.
Another way to send in the pictures might be via IRLP, Echolink, D-star or
Wires...?  With the loss of the Kenwood VC-H1 camera there has been no
incentive for future APRN sites.  Now I hope we can get moving again...

> And Kenwood then bungled the product..

I agree there... Mostly in marketing it without showing ALL of its features!
But that is why I am excited to see this new micro hand-held SSTV camera....
>> and it was years ahead of the cellphone camera, now we're back!

> Back at about 1/50th(!) the resolution of cellphone 
> cameras.   One can achieve a VASTLY better live SSTV 
> system by using a $225 Asus or Acer netbook.  

Agreed.  But there is nothing like something the size of a golf ball in your
hand and plugged into your HT mic jack, compared to carrying around a PC and
only working when in range of WIFI.  I agree with you 100% that there are
other ways to do it, but still using laptops for in-the-field SSTV has not
caught on enough to keep APRN alive.  Mostly because (as you say) anyone can
do it with a cell phone.  But I am talking about for when cell phones don't
work.  That's when Ham radio needs alternatives.

> I am now playing around with combining... soundcard-based 
> APRS Messenger application with MP73-N narrow SSTV for an 
> APRN solution for 30M HF.

Wow, that would be fun.  Great to see those ideas.  But I'm very interested
in something with me in the car or out of the car in the field that I can
use during emergency comms.

> I have had mmSSTV (for analog SSTV) and EasyPal 
> (for digital SSTV) running simultaneously on the 
> sound system of a Dell 866 MHz Pentium III, along 
> with the AGWpe packet app for a complete entirely 
> software-based APRN dual-mode (analog + digital) 
> receive setup.

Wow, thanks for keeping us all informed of Ham Radio ways to send and
receive more pictures.  I admit I am not in tune with the latest.  Your
recommendations and ideas are great.

Bob, WB4APR




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---

--

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

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"APRS 101"  Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
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