[aprssig] Another HF VARA vs AX.25 APRS Road Test Coming 10 Feb 2024

[Stephen H Smith]

I will be conducting another comparison of VARA vs AX.25 for APRS on 60 meters 
on Saturday 10 Feb 2024. This will be on the drive up to Traverse City and 
back,  for the Traverse City "Cherryland ARC" Swap-N-Shop event.

As in previous tests, I will be transmitting APRS position reports alternately 
with classic 300 baud HF AX.25 packet and with VARA-HF.   Two copies of the 
UIview APRS program will be running, one for each mode, into the same 
soundcard, interface, Yaesu FT-891 transceiver, and same Quicksilver Radio 
60-meter Hamstick-type mobile whip.

The trip up will be at night - I have to depart Haslett, Michigan at about 3:30 
AM to arrive at the event in Traverse City by 7:00 AM to setup.  The return 
trip will start in the early afternoon. The propagation characteristics of 60 
meters are sharply different night and day. Nighttime tends toward long-haul 
(300-600 miles/ 480-1000 km) propagation, while daytime favors short-haul NVIS 
coverage (0-250 miles / 0-400 km) or so.

My home station, which is now running dual AX.25 and VARA mode igates  24/7  on 
both 30 and 60 meters will be receiving these tests and passing anything heard 
to the APRS Internet system.  To distinguish the AX.25 reports from the VARA 
reports,  the AX.25 transmissions will use WA8LMF-2, while the VARA beacons 
will use WA8LMF-3.   I.e:

<http://APRS.fi/WA8LMF-2> will show what is heard on AX.25 packet
<http://APRS.fi/WA8LMF-3> will show what is heard on VARA

Both modes will be sending APRS compressed-format posits.

My own APRS real-time tracking maps, generated by my own UI-Webservers, are 
visible at:

     <htttp://WA8LMF.net/map>

If anyone actually wants to get  up at the ungodly hour of 3:30 AM (local US 
EST) to monitor, or even try to send a beacon or APRS message to my mobile 
enroute, so much the better!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Skype:        WA8LMF
EchoLink:  Node #  14400  [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page: http://wa8lmf.net


*NEW*  WA8LMF Road Trip Tracker
<http://WA8LMF.net/RoadTrip>

"Studio B" Ham Shack on Wheels
<http://WA8LMF.net/Aliner>

-- APRS over VARA  --
<http://wa8lmf.net/APRSoverVARA.>

Flying Digipeater!
<http://WA8LMF.net/FlyingDigi>

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