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<font face="Arial">I have switched my UI-View Personal APRS Webserver
over to a new system based on the Via Computing EPIA-TC micro-ITX
motherboard. </font><font face="Verdana">This dedicated computer
system
simultaneously hosts an Echolink interface, a UI-View personal
APRS webserver/igate, and an APRN (SSTV-to-Internet) gateway. The
objective was a
dedicated box that contains both the computer system and the associated
radios
packaged so that the only external connections are antennas, Internet
and 12 VDC
power. <br>
<br>
</font><font face="Verdana">The heart of the system is the <a href="http://www.via.com.tw" target="_blank">VIA
Computing</a> EPIA <a href="http://www.viaembedded.com/product/epia_tc_spec.jsp?motherboardId=201" target="_blank">TC
micro-ITX motherboard</a>. This 8-inch-square motherboard is a full
X-86 computer with two real serial ports, 6 USB 2.0 ports, sound,
ethernet, hardware-accelerated XGA video, and one standard PCI
expansion slot. The board is supplied with VIA's own proprietary
"Nehemiah" CPU
(approximately equivalent to a 1GHz Pentium III Celeron) already
soldered in with
heatsink attached. The board has standard tooling (mounting screw
holes, ATX jack field, slot alignment, etc) to fit into any ATX-type
case. It will also fit in very small footprint dedicated cases,
including
special ruggedized ones for mobile use. <b><br>
<br>
</b>This board is one of a family of tiny motherboards from VIA
referred to as EPIA micro-ITX that are targeted at the embedded
controller and home entertainment markets. Other members have up to 4
( ! ) real serial ports and two ethernet ports built-in, or the ability
to boot & run from a built-in CF card reader.<br>
<b><br>
</b></font><font face="Verdana"><b>For ham applications, the attraction
of the TC version board is that it runs directly off 12 VDC with no
power supply needed!</b> (All the others require a standard ATX power
supply with a multi-pin Molex plug.) </font><font face="Verdana">The
TC is the perfect platform for ham systems such as IRLP & Echolink
nodes, repeater controllers, APRS digipeaters and igates, etc due to
it's standard X86 architecture, ability to run directly off battery
power systems and low power consumption (the board alone is less than
1.2A at 12 VDC). VIA provides drivers for the on-board hardware
(Ethernet, audio, video, USB 2.0, etc.) for Win98 through XP and Linux.
</font><br>
<font face="Verdana"><br>
I have built the mother board, hard drive, two TNCs, two transceivers
(1 VHF and 1 UHF), a receiver, two soundcard interfaces and various
other hardware into a single standard large ATX tower case. With the
CD-ROM drive disconnected to save power, this whole system draws only 4
amps at 12 VDC. <br>
<br>
Full details, pictures and links to tech data & vendors are here:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/EPIAserver/index.htm">http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/EPIAserver/index.htm</a> <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com <br>
<br>
Home Page: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.com">http://wa8lmf.com</a><br>
<br>
New APRS Symbol Chart <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/miscinfo/APRS_Symbol_Chart.pdf">http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/miscinfo/APRS_Symbol_Chart.pdf</a> <br>
<br>
New/Updated "Rev G" APRS <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/aprs">http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/aprs</a><br>
Symbols Set for UI-View, <br>
UIpoint and APRSplus:<br>
<br>
<br>
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<br>
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