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ZL3AI > APRDIG 10.04.07 11:25l 246 Lines 10072 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 10026-ZL3AI
Read: GUEST
Subj: [APRSSIG] Vol 34 #6, 1/2
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Sent: 070410/1008Z @:ZL2BAU.#79.NZL.OC #:42281 [Waimate] $:10026-ZL3AI
From: ZL3AI@ZL2BAU.#79.NZL.OC
To : APRDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. xastir : xastir-development (Curt, WE7U)
2. APRS in gliders (Rikard Sohlberg)
3. Re: Deviation meters (Ray Wells)
4. Re: Deviation meters (Doug Younker)
5. Re: APRS WX question... (Chris Rose)
6. RE: Deviation meters ('Scott Miller')
7. RE: APRS WX question... ('Scott Miller')
8. Re: APRS WX question... (Chris Rose)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 10:48:42 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Curt, WE7U" <archer_at_eskimo.com>
Subject: [aprssig] xastir : xastir-development
Announcements <aprsnews_at_lists.tapr.org>
Project: XASTIR (xastir)
Package: xastir-development
Date : 2007-04-06 10:44
Project "XASTIR" ('xastir') has released the new version of package
'xastir-development'. You can download it from SourceForge.net by
following this link:
or browse Release Notes and ChangeLog by visiting this link:
Homepage: <http://www.xastir.org>
--
Curt, WE7U. APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
"Lotto: A tax on people who are bad at math." -- unknown
"Windows: Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates." -- WE7U
"The world DOES revolve around me: I picked the coordinate system!"
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 23:10:35 +0200
From: "Rikard Sohlberg" <rikard.sohlberg_at_home.se>
Subject: [aprssig] APRS in gliders
I now have a PocketTracker permanently mounted in my glider (sailplane).
This means I will be beaming my position, speed, course and, most important
in gliders, altitude, on every flight this summer. I spent the last week in
Norway in a wave soaring camp (www.wavecamp.no). Unfortunately, the weather
was not all that cooperative, but I got on flight up to an altitude of 3000
meters (or 10 000 ft as Americans prefer to call it... ;-). Also a little
unfortunate was that the local ham (whose call sign I forgot) was not
active this year, so I-gateing was a problem. We discovered that the range
from the PocketTracker with a 50 cm wire antenna was about 20 kilometers
(?? miles) to the TH-D7 down on ground (or actually the (frozen) lake) we
were flying from. Up to that, all packets decoded perfectly, after that,
some were heard but did not decode. The TH-D7 was just using the original
rubber antenna. But from 3000 meters, a few packets hit some I-gates some
70 kilometers to the south and my buddies back home in Sweden could see me.
I was also invited by the camp management to give a presentation on APRS!
This was very nice and gave me an opportunity to explain the magic of APRS
to an interested audience of some 20-25 highly motivated and technically
savvy pilots. One guy (a KLM 747-400 captain) asked me a few question after
the presentation and said his son was a ham. He would probably do some
experiments from his Club Libelle glider.
Also the capabilities of weather reporting are of great interest to the
glider community. As we are very dependant on the weather (our "engine"),
the ability to send and receive real-time weather information is also of
great interest. As this is an area that I have not explored myself, I did
not elaborate on that in m,y presentation.
After the presentation, it struck me that if I just had prepared myself a
little better, I could have demonstrated map tracking on the ice with my
laptop, UI-View and the TH-D7 as TNC. I just did not grasp that idea. It
would have worked, at least as long as the laptop battery!
Of course, I'm also interested in other experiences from flying APRS hams,
powered, or non-powered alike! My glider actually is a powered glider, a
so-called SSG, Self Sustaining Glider. A little two-stroke that can take me
home if the thermals lets me down(!).
Here is a picture of my glider (and SM0JWX in the cockpit!):
http://www.pilotmagazinet.se/search.asp?search=SE-UNA I use the
registration SEUNA as tactical call sign with my call sign in the status
message. We also fly SEUNF and SEUCS in my club.
OK, sorry for long mail, but I got inspired by Bob's mail on doing things!
73 to all
SM0JWX/Rikard
Stockholm/Sweden
(If you wish to contact me off-mail list, I use Rikard.sohlberg_at_home.se)
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 08:30:40 +1000
From: Ray Wells <vk2tv_at_exemail.com.au>
Subject: Re: [aprssig] Deviation meters
Ray McKnight wrote:
>YES! And you must find ways to disseminate that info
>To others, so travelers will know they exist.
>The one thing I *loved* about the USA repeater network
>Was the publication of a small, pocket-sized directory
>Every year you could carry in your car to quickly reference
>Repeater locations, sorted by state, town and frequency.
I wrote an article on packet still being alive for our national AR magazine
last year and that got published. I haven't tackled APRS yet because it's
still all too new to me. Whilst I understand the basics, there are users in
higher APRS density areas who are much better informed and skilled than me
to write about APRS here in Oz. However, I can, and will, publicise the
fact that the digi is up and running running, once it is.
There have been many attempts over the years to produce repeater guides for
travellers but they all seem to fall out of date too easily. Adding to our
problem here was the fact that until a few years ago the WIA (Wireless
Institute of Australia) was comprised of state divisions, with the word
division being so very appropriate. Each division thought their way of
doing things was the best so we ended up with a terrible mess for
interstate travellers. Even though we now have a truly national
organisation, some states weren't prepared to transfer their assets to the
national body and the problems of the first 90 years are being perpetuated
to some extent.
As an example, 145.175MHz was chosen as the national APRS frequency for 2m,
except for vk3 (and maybe others I don't know about). One can only hope
that in time all 2m APRS in VK will be on a common channel.
Ray vk2tv
>HEY - WHY ISN'T APRS INCLUDED???
>ARRL - DUH???
>
>BROADCAST APRS OBJECTS TO SHOW ASSETS!
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: aprssig-bounces_at_lists.tapr.org
[mailto:aprssig-bounces_at_lists.tapr.org]
>On Behalf Of Ray Wells
>Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 22:18
>To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [aprssig] Deviation meters
>
>Ray McKnight wrote:
>
>>>Like yourself, I have a service monitor, a Motorola R2400, but we're
>>>amongst a lucky minority.
>>>
>>>I think that an oscilloscope is the most useful tool one can have for
>>>making audio adjustments, and with software scopes available, such a
>>>tool is within the reach of most.
>>>
>>>Ray vk2tv
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>The sad reality is that 90% of US Hams are not accessing APRS
>>Via RF, but the Innerdnet. Yes, simple basic test equipment is
>>Useful for setting things like deviation. Most Hamfests *used*
>>To have test benches set up to do stuff like that.
>>
>>In the US, the vast majority of APRS Hams are No-Code Technician's,
>>And the use of o-scopes and service monitors is well beyond their
>>Level of skill. If they won't invest in a VHF radio/TNC, why bother
>>With test equipment?
>>
>>Sadly, 99.9% of Hams are more concerned with the number of minutes
>>In their cell phone plan, not their deviation on APRS. Find a way
>>To make their cell phone work better and they'll pay attention.
>>
>>This is why not a single solitary APRS message was sent from
>>Downtown New Orleans over the sole surviving Digi during the
>>Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. And that Digi was up at like
>>550ft!
>>
>>So as an Emergency Service, Amateur Radio might as well
>>Be a drum and smoke signals...
>>
>
>If I had not worked in the two-way radio repair industry for thirty
>years, the last thirteen for myself, I probably would not have test
>equipment. My eyes prevent me from doing commercial repairs anymore but
>I kept one service monitor plus the CRO and other assorted small items
>to allow me to repair and align my own amateur equipment.
>
>I have one user on VHF on my packet bbs, and that same user is also the
>only other APRS user in these parts. However, I'm not going to let that
>be a disincentive to me installing an APRS digi to cover part of the
>most significant highway in this country - that's country, not county!
>If the digi does nothing else it will be available for travellers
>passing through. I'm also going to put in a 30m HFgate because there's a
>shortage of those around VK.
>
>My hope is that by providing facilities, rather than joining the crumble
>of AR, it may promote a bit more activity. Amateurs can't use facilities
>if they don't exist. Futile? Maybe, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
>
>Ray vk2tv
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 00:42:36 -0500
From: Doug Younker <dougy_at_ruraltel.net>
Subject: Re: [aprssig] Deviation meters
I can't help you with the one you recall. Because of your post I finally
took the time to scan an article that appeared in the January 1990 issue
of "73". Titled Poor Man's Service Monitor. I would be willing to email
a zip file of the images as an email attachment to anyone who wants it
This also uses a scanner. Unfortunately unlike the tapr kit isn't self-
calibrating.
There is this from far circuits http://www.farcircuits.net/test1.htm
FM PACKET DEVIATION METER. $4.50. 73's May92. QRP EXPANDED LED READOUT
VOLTMETER. $9.00. 73's Mar92. PULSED CRYSTAL SOURCE. $4.50. 73's Feb92...
Doug, N0LKK
Kansas USA inc.
'Scott Miller' wrote:
>Since proper deviation is one of the most critical (and most neglected)
>settings for an APRS transmitter, I thought I'd look into the feasibility of
>coming up with a simple meter kit.
>
>So far I haven't found any existing, simple kits, but I seem to remember one
>that was based on a single LED. Anyone remember that one, or know where I
>can find it? If there's already something suitable out there, I don't want
>to have to reinvent it.
>
>Scott
>N1VG
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