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<p><font face="Arial">I have just posted an updated version of the
install image for the VARAtrack stick PC setup to my web site.
Details of the VARAtrack APRS-over-VARA setup on the
inexpensive "stick" PC is here on my website:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"> <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://WA8LMF.net/VARA"><http://WA8LMF.net/VARA></a> </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Look for the VARAtrack link on this page. </font></p>
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<p><font face="Arial"><br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">I have incorporated several updates and fixes
to the VARAtrack installation:</font></p>
<ol>
<li><font face="Arial">I have discovered that the stick PCs do not
have a battery-backed real-time clock that maintains
timekeeping when the device is not powered. They are dependent
on "phoning home" to a time server on the Internet on each
boot, to set the current time. If you don't have an Internet
connection, such as in mobile tracker operation, you have to
set the time manually. <br>
<br>
I have added a useful tool, <b>BktTimeSync</b> by IZ2BKT to
the VARAtrack setup. This utility attempts to set the time
from an Internet time source. If it is unable to do so, it
automatically tries to set the clock from GPS instead. (In
mobile tracker service, one would have a GPS receiver
connected.) I have integrated BktTimeSync to use the same
serial port data splitter that is already providing GPS data
to both the APRS client program (UIview) and to a GPS status
monitor app (Visual GPS).<br>
<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">Among one of many useful features of UIview
is the ability to overlay US National Weather Service warning
zones on APRS maps in real time. These are transparent
polygons that are triggered by messages sent over the APRS
Internet Server system (a.k.a. the "APRS-IS"). The files
containing these overlays are stored locally on your
computer. The outlines, stored in .ZIP files, are updated by
the NWS twice a year in March and October. Details on how
these work is here on my website:<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://WA8LMF.net/aprs/get_nws_shapefiles.htm"><http://WA8LMF.net/aprs/get_nws_shapefiles.htm></a><br>
<br>
For the last two months, I have been trying to figure out why
the warnings stopped working after the March 2026 updates of
the NWS "shape files". It now turns out the NWS posted a
corrupted version of the county outlines shape files to their
web site. A revised version of the county-outline shape files
was posted a month later in April. I have now placed the
revised NWS shape files in the new VARAtrack image. <br>
<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">Several minor utilities I provide in the
VARAtrack setup have been updated. Some obsolete "junk"
settings in the UIview folder of the VARAtrack image have been
removed. A useful UIview "plug-in", <b>UI-HeightTrack</b>,
has been added. This add-on draws track lines for specified
mobiles as they move. Additionally, it can color-code the
track line based on altitude if the mobile is transmitting
this information in APRS beacons. This looks very impressive
for tracking balloon launches, or on road trips across the
western mountains. (As I do a couple of times each summer.)
UI-HeightTrack is accessed from the pull-down "File" menu
inside UIview.<br>
<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">The version of "WindowsPE" (Windows Preboot
Environment) used to make the flash drive bootable has been
updated to reflect some security certificate changes issued by
Microsoft in April.</font></li>
</ol>
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<p><font face="Arial">Go to:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"> <<b><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://WA8LMF.net/VARA/VARAtrack/index2.htm">http://WA8LMF.net/VARA/VARAtrack/index2.htm</a></b>></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">to download the updated image.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"><br>
</font></p>
<hr width="100%" size="2"><font face="Arial">Stephen H. Smith
wa8lmf (at) aol.com <br>
<br>
EchoLink: Node # 14400 [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]<br>
Home Page: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net">http://wa8lmf.net</a><br>
<br>
Live APRS Mapping on HF & VHF<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://WA8LMF.net/map"><http://WA8LMF.net/map></a><br>
<br>
"Studio B" Ham Shack on Wheels<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://WA8LMF.net/Aliner"><http://WA8LMF.net/Aliner></a><br>
<br>
-- APRS over VARA --<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://wa8lmf.net/VARA/APRSoverVARA"><http://wa8lmf.net/VARA/APRSoverVARA></a><br>
<br>
<b>HF APRS-over-VARA Frequencies<br>
40M 7.083.5 USB 30M 10.148.2 USB </b><br>
<br>
<br>
-<br>
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