APRS on 2M - Tonight

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F

FJ40_owner

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Aug 16, 2005
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Location
El Dorado County CA
For those on the fence and considering purchasing a radio that is APRS capable you may want to track me this evening.

We are going on a snow run from Placerville, to Pollock Pines and Iron Mountain Road, also known as Mormon Immagrant to HWY 88. There is suposed to be two feet of snow and the road is not plowed.

I will transmit APRS packets on 144.390 every 5 minutes from 1830 hours until we return home...I will xmit at 50 watts. 99% of the world will not hear my raw packets. We hope to hit Mt. Diable when we get up high. Our elevation should run from 4000-8000 depending on snow conditions.

Check us out at

Findu.com, scroll down to the following URL or click on the link below.

http://www.wulfden.org/APRSQuery.shtml

My call is N6KML
Another person is KG6KSD or Kg6PUt or KG6PUT.

I'll also be on 146.805 -600, PL123

Drop by and say high.

73, de N6KML.
 
I forgot how useful APRS can be. I fired up my old Kantronics KPC-3 TNC after I saw you post. I hope your trip was good. Can you tell me about your setup and how the MIC-E works

73's Mark K7VQU
Picture 1.webp
 
Well the snow was marginal, there was lots of ice and we did lots of crabbing. I do not use the mic e function much when wheeling as I am busy driving. I figure anyone that can hear my APRS can call me on my primary channel. I used to do packet but lost interest when email becamw available.

JB
 
Good APRS tracking this eve - seems to have been a dipipeter picking you up most of the way.

Check out Login - Google Maps APRS vs findu.com - I find the interface and mapping a lot better.
 
I have no idea what you boys are talking about. Education please.
 
pappy said:
I have no idea what you boys are talking about. Education please.
Click to expand...

Hi Pappy,

Happy to share.

Amateur radio has a optional system called Automatic Position Reporting System, or APRS, that allows a amateur radio station to report it's location using GPS coordinates, and receive location reports from other amatuer radio stations. More can be learned about APRS on the following site --> APRS

Cheers,
Cal
 
Pappy,

New Mexico has one of the most comprehensive APRS digipeater coverage areas of anywhere in the world.

APRS -- The Upper Rio FM Society

Check out the NM digipeater coverage on this USA map.
North America (Large View) APRS Digipeaters

While the density is no more than other states, you will notice those are all on mountain peaks which means the digipeaters can pick up a low-power APRS beacon virtually anywhere in the state.

-B-
 
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Thanks BeO. Maybe we can talk at the next meeting. I grasped the gist of the links, but they clearly were talking to folks that already were educated. I sort of get the what, but no clue on the how.


Beowulf said:
Pappy,

New Mexico has one of the most comprehensive coverage areas of anywhere in the world.

APRS -- The Upper Rio FM Society

Check out the NM digipeater coverage on this USA map.
North America (Large View) APRS Digipeaters

While the density is no more than other states, you will notice those are all on mountain peaks which means the digipeaters can pick up your low-power APRS beacon virtually anywhere in the state.

-B-
Click to expand...
 
I will reveal my limited knowledge and probably make a fool of myself but here goes...

APRS is a system operating in the 2M band that enables (among other things) the tracking of vehicles. To do this, the amateur operator needs a GPS device and a radio that can transmit the packets on the designated APRS frequency. These packets are encoded data so this isn't a voice (aka phone) communication using 2M. Some 2M radios have APRS as a built-in function. Check out the tiny-track and micro-track devices for other ways to get into APRS. (Byonics -)

Once your transmitting system is working, the encoded data packets are transmitted periodically while you are travelling or hiking or ballooning or sailing or whenever you want to be tracked. The APRS digipeater system picks up and retransmits these signals to an internet based system of servers that collect and display the data. (See the Google link in post #4 above)

The HAM guys will point out my misunderstandings and I welcome them to clarify or simplify the above information.

I have a Micro-track device but I have been unable to get it working yet. (Winter project.)

-B-
 
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I know you are thinking about asking this question so I will answer it before you ask. I do not believe there is a good APRS digipeater system in Baja which is your favorite place to explore. In Baja, you will probably be out of range of most 2M/70cm amateur stations but it might be something worth looking in to. There is always HF. :D

Have you selected a web-based study plan? The HamTestOnline (IIRC) recommended by CruiserDrew and others is supposed to be excellent.
-B-
 
B -

A darned good summary explanation.

>> The APRS digipeater system picks up and retransmits these signals to an internet based system of servers that collect and display the data.

I would say it this way...

The APRS digipeater system (repeaters capable of receiving digital data packets) picks up and retransmits these signals to a so-called "Internet gateway" [aka iGate] (any base station connected to the Internet that can receive the packets... which could be the digipeater itself). From there, the signals are sent over the Internet to the system of servers that collect and display the data.

Cheers, R -
 
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Beowulf said:
I know you are thinking about asking this question so I will answer it before you ask. I do not believe there is a good APRS digipeater system in Baja which is your favorite place to explore. In Baja, you will probably be out of range of most 2M/70cm amateur stations but it might be something worth looking in to. There is always HF. :D

Have you selected a web-based study plan? The HamTestOnline (IIRC) recommended by CruiserDrew and others is supposed to be excellent.
-B-
Click to expand...

Yep, reading my mind. It would be cool to have my route tracked live. I saw reference to a satellites. Possible?

Still looking at the books. Done with one, on to the Q&As. Maybe 12 Jan.
 
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