[aprssig] Some obscure APRS client questions

[Keith VE7GDH]

Bob W9RXR wrote...

> Keith, maybe you missed my message earlier this evening where I said 
> that I had an Excel spreadsheet that helps me make the conversion.

I do recall the message, but didn't notice that it was you that said it until
you mentioned it. You said...

> I do have an Excel spreadsheet that automates some of the tedium (such
> as converting lat/lon to UI-View's format), but getting to the point of 
> having a .POS file that I can open in UI-View or APRSIS/32 is still
> a multi-step process.

So it's a multi-step process. If you have the positions already in a GPX
file, why not use it? The method I described (UI-InfoKiosk) would be
more useful for someone starting from scratch with a map in front of them.

> I've been using the ITN Converter program... I output the waypoints
> as a .CSV file that I read into Excel. The spreadsheet is set up to
> convert the lat/lon for each point to UI-View format...

When I was a ground pounder, I was completely sold on UTM grid.
When I started using APRS, I converted to DD MM.mm (and 4800 bps
for serial connections) but UTM is still great if you need to look at a
paper map and get the coordinates. If you use DD MM.mm in your
mapping program, would it save doing one of the conversion steps to
"convert it to UI-View format"?

> But this would all be unnecessary if the APRS client program read a 
> common GPS or map program data format such as .GPX.

Perhaps someone will create one that will do that for you. In the meantime,
a bit of extra work will really pay off, whether it's all done with a pencil
and paper, or a calculator, or re-tasking something like UI-InfoKiosk to
help out a bit, or using something like ITN Converter. It's all a matter of
deciding the best tool (that you have on hand) for the job.

73 es cul - Keith VE7GDH
--
"I may be lost, but I know exactly where I am!"