[aprssig] Mobile Off-Air Display

[David Rush]

I'll second the recommendation of APRSdroid on an Android tablet. It'll 
work easily with online maps, but with a little more effort you can 
configure it to work with OpenStreetMap data downloaded to the device, 
so it works completely offline (without Internet connection).  It's what 
I use for balloon chases.

David, ky7dr

On 2015-08-10 12:11, 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.
> If you wanted to transmit, too, I'd recommend a more capable radio 
> than a HT, but it sounds like you're just trying to bring situational 
> awareness to more people. That being the case, the wattage of the 
> device is irrelevant. Depending on your peer group, it's not hard to 
> find people who have an older Android device gathering dust in their 
> home from the last upgrade cycle or two. That leaves your cost at 
> $4.99 for the app and whatever money you spend making cables. I'm 
> assuming finding HTs and mag mount antennas to borrow will also not be 
> a problem within your local club.
> This setup that I'm describing is the entry level APRS rig that we use 
> to get new amateurs in our club exposed to APRS. After they use it for 
> a few weeks, they tend to upgrade to something with more transmit 
> power. However, for your purposes, it may be ideal.
> Here's the "how-to" we wrote for our club. It has a wiring diagram for 
> Wouxun, Baofeng, and some Kenwood HTs.
> http://www.wcares.org/?page_id=2677
> Dallas Clements
> K7DCC
>
>
>     ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>     From: Charles Bland <root at blandranch.net <mailto:root at blandranch.net>>
>     To: aprssig at tapr.org <mailto:aprssig at tapr.org>
>     Cc:
>     Date: Sun, 9 Aug 2015 17:25:00 -0700
>     Subject: [aprssig] Mobile Off-Air Display
>     I'd like to get the latest opinion from this group about putting
>     together a simple mobile APRS display solution.
>
>     Our local club does a couple of bike events each year. We have an
>     ad-hoc network to support our trackers over the course area. I
>     have been turning my attention toward broader use of the info. For
>     example, our rest stops now have displays, and we run a Public
>     Info table so that we can make event participants aware of what we
>     do and how we do it.
>
>     I am now turning my attention to our radio operators in the sag
>     wagons. For insurance purposes, the bike club provides the cars
>     and drivers. The radio op rides shotgun, using a Go-Box that has
>     battery assist so that the cigarette lighter adapter isn't doing
>     the heavy TX lifting and can be shared for other uses.
>
>     I'd like to have simple, non-transmitting display setup so that
>     the operator can "look" around the course as he has need. I'm not
>     sure where to start looking for commercial solutions, if there are
>     any at all. I also have been wondering, given the abundance of
>     R-PI hardware, if a R-PI and display would be enough to run
>     something like YACC. A simple RX and antenna would be enough, and
>     the package could be small enough to occupy little of the precious
>     space in the vehicle and not pose a safety issue. Even nicer if it
>     could be on the dash.
>
>     So, what do you folks know? How would you approach such a requirement?
>
>     Chuck
>     NA6BR
>
>
>
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