aprs on laptop (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Sep 17, 2003
Threads
64
Messages
4,427
Location
Sunnyvale, CA
Website
www.george4wd.taskled.com
I've been using APRS for a while with my own gps/tracker design. Anyhow, used it last trip to the snow so my wife could keep an 'eye' on us and see where we were etc.

So, figured it would be nice to be able to send more info than just position info and did some web searching for various products.

Found AGWPE which amongst many other things implements a sound card based modem. A few resistors and capacitors and the headphone output of the laptop is able to be fed straight into the HT or mobile rig packet input. My laptop doesn't have a serial port, but I could use my USB->RS232 dongle to get a serial port. Simple little circuit (transistor and a couple of resistors) and I had a PTT signal that could feed into the HT or mobile rig to key the transmitter.

Then I downloaded AGWTRACKER from the same website, free to evaluate (no operating restrictions) or $50 to register the software - I'm still playing with it, so haven't registered yet.

I already have a bluetooth GPS, so that provides GPS position info to the tracker software.

The end result is a mostly software based APRS tracker that runs on a laptop (windows). Very neat. You can also send messages via the tracker software and if you send to EMAIL, then you can send short email messages to anyone with email. That's another nice way to provide status info to someone that is 'back home' keeping an eye on you. Obviously via the APRS you also are transmitting position fixes, but being able to send a message is neat since you can provide some text based status on your progress.

I have a lot more to learn about the capabilities, but so far I'm impressed with how easy it was to get going - basically a couple of hours this afternoon including cobbling up the circuits (xmas tree style construction). Now that I know it works, I'll have to make up a neater cable/board hookup so allow the laptop to plug into my HT or mobile rig.

Here's the basic info on the cables/circuits etc ->

1. Interface: Radio to Computer

cheers,
george.
 
George,

Keep us updated! It's interesting to see what you have "brewing" in the lab!

Van
 
website that works
aprs.fi
 
Any updates on this project?

I've been considering adding APRS support to Overland Navigator so I can track everyone in our convoy. I was thinking about getting a bunch of tiny-trackers with my callsign and velcro one to each rig... though I need to look into the legality of doing that first. APRS seems ideal for keeping tabs on how spread apart the group is getting, which is especially nice in forested areas.
 
If someone sold a good off-road GPS/display unit that could work with a radio like the AvMap G5 and TM-D710 combo I'd order it tomorrow.

I like the idea of being able to track other APRS users in a group, and also the ability to see what simplex frequencies they are using.

But I have no idea how well the AvMap is for off-road navigation, which I why I have balked at buying the combo.

Dan
 
Overland Navigator is touchscreen friendly Windows software so you can run it on any hardware you want. For example, I run it on a 7" UMPC tablet which is very similar to the AvMap in form factor.

I have other things that I need to add into the software first, but I definately want to do an Overland Navigator APRS plugin at some point. It's too interesting to not do. :)
 
No updates - the system works great. I have a home brew tracker and that's handier since it is self contained and just plugs into the rig. But for sending email etc, the laptop with the AGWPE and AGWTRACKER is hard to beat.

I run oziexplorer CE on a PDA and the windows version on a laptop and have been for many years. Works great. I "think" there may be an APRS plug-in for the windows version, but never looked into it.

cheers,
george.
 
Consider UIview will work with an radio like Kenwood tm-d710a. Can display homemade maps as wells as a mapping software called pricision maps
Been using ths set up on my toughbook and the kenwood d700 for 7 years now works great. Will also allow you to share one gps input with other mapping software.

Dave
KG6GAL
1964 FJ40
Kenwood TM-d700
Yaesu FT100D
Adi 220 mhz
Moto Syntor X9000 VHF
Moto Syntor X9000 UHF
Moto spectra VHF
Uniden ranger 10 meter
Cherokee cb
Uniden bc996d scanner
Panisonic CF-29
"To many radios in one rig":mad:
 
Overland Navigator now has APRS display capabilities. For example, if you have a radio with a tracker (Kenwood D710a) or a separate TNC/Tracker (TinyTrak4) and Overland Navigator you can both beacon your location and display others locations on the Overland Navigator screen.

One wire between the Kenwood D710a and the netbook/UMPC, and one setting in the software. Super easy to setup.
 
Last edited:
The killler solution would be an iPad/iPhone app that would do APRS. This would be a lot simpler than carrying a laptop around.
 
If someone sold a good off-road GPS/display unit that could work with a radio like the AvMap G5 and TM-D710 combo I'd order it tomorrow.

I like the idea of being able to track other APRS users in a group, and also the ability to see what simplex frequencies they are using.

But I have no idea how well the AvMap is for off-road navigation, which I why I have balked at buying the combo.

Dan

I have that exact combo; it's expensive but it is true plug 'n play and does everything they say it will for APRS. As far as off-road, I took mine (mounted in my 40) to southern Utah last month (Abajo Mountains, Mule/Dark/Ruins Canyons, Beef Basin, Needles District Canyonlands) and was pretty surprised how many of the trails we were on showed up on the AvMap G5, but I haven't tried to load any topos yet. You can read maps from an SD card but I'm not sure what formats if any of topo maps it will load or read. I will say that I don't like the G5 as a road navigator as well as my Garmin GPS units, but I am still getting used to the quirks of the G5. I had no problem getting out with APRS position beacons except when down in the bottom of the canyons.

It is entertaining to be able to see all other APRS stations and mobiles on the G5 screen on road trips, and to read the text messages from other mobiles. I broadcast an automatic text message with a simplex frequency that the other side of the Kenwood is tuned to, and I had some 4WD folks in New Mexico see it and call me on the way through.
 
Overland Navigator connects to the HAM radio in the same easy, single wire fashion as the AvMap G5. The D710 thinks Overland Navigator is a GPS. It overlays the APRS info on top of USGS Topos or Satellite Imagery.

I put up a post explaining how it works in the Overland Navigator thread.

aprs1.png
 
Last edited:
I think I fixed the link now. It's in the "Anyone using Overland Navigator" thread on page 3. https://forum.ih8mud.com/electronic-toys/275855-anyone-using-overland-navigator-software-3.html

Overland Navigator behaves like a GPS. From what I've read in their literature, the Yaesu FTM-350R doesn't offer any means of connecting to an external GPS for the purpose of displaying APRS locations. I just spent some time with Google Search and I couldn't find anyone who has successfully integrated a GPS unit with this radio, so at this point I don't think it is possible.

Craig
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom