[aprssig] Mobile Off-Air Display

[Stephen H. Smith]

On 8/10/2015 1:11 PM, Dallas Clements via aprssig wrote:
> Chuck,
> Several options have been shared so far to help you with your bike race. I've
> used AvMap, WinBooks, Bluetooth TNCs, and soft TNCs. All have their merits, but
> if you're looking for something that will be less expensive to procure for
> multiple assistance vehicles and rest stops, I'd recommend simply hooking an
> Android tablet or phone via audio cable to a HT. The app APRSDroid has a
> connection protocol labeled "AFSK via Speaker/Mic" that will decode the
> received packets heard on the radio and overlay them on a map on the Android
> device's screen. The option to use an Offline Street Map is there and with the
> device's built in GPS, you know where you are in relation to the objects that
> you're receiving.
> Simple. Inexpensive.

There is a similar app for Apple i-Gadgets.  Despite it's name "Pocket Packet", 
it's a full-blown APRS app with a mic/speaker soft TNC, messaging and TCP/IP 
igating. capabilities. It's main deficiency is that it depends on Google Maps 
online for the mapping display.  there is (at least for now) no provision for 
off-line maps cached locally.

I am hoping that ultimately the author may integrate support for "Pocket 
Earth", another app which uses Open Street Maps in VECTOR form (i.e. fully 
zoomable and scalable).  You can download and store locally any part of the 
world.  The download dialog looks like a directory tree where you drill down by 
continent, then country, then state/province, major metro area etc.  I have ALL 
of the US and Canada at street level parked in about 1.7GB on my iPad and iPod 
Touch.

i-Gadgets with cellular data have an actual built-in full hardware GPS (i.e. 
not dependent on cellular assisted GPS) that both Pocket Packet and Pocket 
Earth can use.   iPads and iPod touch devices WITHOUT cellular do NOT have a 
built-in GPS.  For these, I use the Dual GPS150 external Bluetooth GPS.   This 
GPS is a very versatile device that can be switched between Apple's proprietary 
GPS format for i-Gadgets, and standard NMEA for Windows devices.

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Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
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