[aprssig] Need some help with 30m igate

[Keith VE7GDH]

Mathew N2PYI wrote...

> I'm setting up my first 30 metre HF igate, and I could use some
> assistance from folks working 30 metre APRS now.

I've been playing around with 30M APRS using PSK-63 for the
last week or so. I haven't tried AX.25, but the PSK-63 seems to
be working very nicely. 

> If anyone can hear N2PYI-3 on 30 metres, please let me know.

http://aprs.fi/?c=raw&call=N2PYI-3

It appears that the only iGate you have made it to so far is your
own N2PYI-1, via TCPIP. You could in fact be making to another
iGate but you arae being gated by your own iGate first. Dupe
checking would throw out the others if you got there first.
 
> I heard WA8LMF-13's beacon when I was connected to the TNC with
> a terminal emulator, but now that I've got the TNC in KISS mode, and
> hooked to my digi/igate I'm not seeing any received packets.

I haven't been trying other modes, but I'm hearing WA8LMF-63 
pretty regularly, except when the rig was off doing something else
from last evening until this morning. There were some periods when
I was the only station hearing him with occasional exceptions, but
this was after he got further west on his road trip.

The tuning of the radio is probably quite critical.

I would agree with Bill's comment about daytime propagation.
I'm hearing stations in the daytime, but more of them and more
consistently at night. Stephen is the only mobile station that
I've heard. Fixed stations that I've heard are KB0EMB-63,
N7VVX-63, N9ZZK-63, NC5O-63, W7KJ-63, WB2LMV-63,
WB8SKP-63 and WA7NWP-63.

http://aprs.fi/?c=raw&call=WA8LMF-63&limit=100

I just heard WA8LMF-63 a few times as he was about to 
fall into the Pacific in Los Angeles.

> My setup is:
> - Kenwood TS-50 HF rig
> - Kantronics KAM+ (v8.2) in KISS mode
> - Linksys WRT54GL as digi/igate running aprx 2.04
> - Purpose-built 24' vertical copper pipe antenna with
> galvanized fence counterpoise.

I'm using an FT-857 / SignaLink USB and APRS Messenger.
UI-View has the "local server" enabled and Messenger is
connected to it. UI-View is running as an iGate. The antenna
is a 204' G5RV up about 50'.  The radio is on 10.1476 MHz.
For the KAM+ and 300A "baud" X.25 you could actually
use the same frequency and PSK-63 with the same radio.
See Stephen's notes on this.

www.wa8lmf.net/aprs/HF_APRS_Notes.htm
www.wa8lmf.net/aprs/SSB_Frequencies.htm
www.wa8lmf.net/APRS_PSK63/index.htm

> Thanks in advance for whatever help folks can provide, and
> feel free to reply directly to me to keep the list traffic down.

Probably better on-list so others can see the replies and contribute.

You mentioned that you were copying WA8LMF-13 when viewed
in a terminal program. Are you sure you have the settings in APRX
are correct to talk to the TNC? It wouldn't hurt to go back to the
terminal program just to confirm the settings. Is APRX putting the
KAM+ in KISS mode, or are you putting it in KISS mode ahead
of time?

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