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ZL3AI > APRDIG 04.06.04 08:38l 262 Lines 10098 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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From: ZL3AI@ZL3VML.#80.NZL.OC
To : APRDIG@WW
TAPR APRS Special Interest Group Digest for Wednesday, June 02, 2004.
1. The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
2. RE: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
3. RE: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
4. Re: Vehicle GPS options
5. Re: Vehicle GPS options
6. RE: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
7. Re: FW: Re: Distributing the NMEA string from a gps
8. Smallest tracker ?
9. RE: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
10. Re: Distributing the NMEA string from a gps
11. Re: Smallest tracker ?
12. Re: Re: Distributing the NMEA string from a gps
13. Re: FW: Re: Distributing the NMEA string from a gps
14. RE: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
15. Re: Garmin GPS 18pc
16. Distributing the NMEA string from a gps
17. TH-D7A/G not displaying my home APRS station beacons
18. Re: Distributing the NMEA string from a gps
19. Re: TH-D7A/G not displaying my home APRS station beacons
20. Re: TH-D7A/G not displaying my home APRS station beacons
21. Re: TH-D7A/G not displaying my home APRS station beacons
22. Tracker capabilities
23. Re: Distributing the NMEA string from a gps
24. Re: FW: Re: Distributing the NMEA string from a gps
25. Re: Delorme Earthmate GPS and KPC3+
26. W3ADO-11 AIR TRACKER UPDATE
27. Re: TH-D7A/G not displaying my home APRS station beacons
28. Re: RE: Installing Xastir with Cygwin any RPM versions?
29. Re: TH-D7A/G not displaying my home APRS station beacons
30. Re: Installing Xastir with Cygwin any RPM versions?
31. Mesh Networks
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Subject: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
From: "Dave Anderson" <dave@aprsfl.net>
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 00:20:02 -0400
X-Message-Number: 1
Hi everyone,
At Dayton this year, I showed a tracker that I had built for my partner,
Sean KG4YZZ for when he goes flying. It ended up being a popular "must see"
for APRS junkies by the end of the show.
After the amount of requests I had to see it, I took photos of it, and
decided to put up a page on my site about it. It's taken me a few weeks to
get it done, but it's online now.
http://www.aprsfl.net/weetrak
If you have questions about the design, let me know.
Seeya,
Dave
KG4YZY
www.aprsfl.net
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Subject: RE: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
From: "Scott Miller" <scott@3xf.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 21:34:34 -0700
X-Message-Number: 2
Pretty cool. Is the surface mount TT3 the same one used in the Pocket
Tracker?
I've got my own SMT tracker in the works. The first run of prototype boards
should be done and on their way by now. One thing I see in your design that
I hadn't thought of was the external LED connection. It's just got an
onboard SMT LED, and I suppose it'd be handy to have that signal available
in case you want a remote LED where it's visible.
The board's about 2/3 the size of the TinyTrak SMT version, and maybe half
the thickness since it doesn't have a DIP socket and IC. It's mostly
intended for integration in projects like this, where space is limited and
you don't need or want the DB9 connectors. My first application will
probably be a mic encoder module for a Motorola GP68 handheld. I've got a
speaker mic wired with RJ45 connectors, so I just need a carrier board
that'll have a dual RJ45, an RJ11 for the GPS, and a receptacle for the
OpenTracker board.
Scott
N1VG
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Subject: RE: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
From: "Dave Anderson" <dandersn@citicom.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 00:41:39 -0400
X-Message-Number: 3
>Pretty cool. Is the surface mount TT3 the same one used in the Pocket
>Tracker?
It's using a pre-release version of Byon's new SMT TT3 board.
>I've got my own SMT tracker in the works. The first run of
>prototype boards
>should be done and on their way by now. One thing I see in
Let me know when you get one done, Scott, i'd love to see one, and build a
package based on it <grin>.
>your design that
>I hadn't thought of was the external LED connection. It's just got an
>onboard SMT LED, and I suppose it'd be handy to have that
>signal available
>in case you want a remote LED where it's visible.
That was actually a after thought in the design. Sean was originally
wanting to be able to see what the GPS status was, primarily, but once
adding one LED, I decided to put them all on the face.
>The board's about 2/3 the size of the TinyTrak SMT version,
So about 1/3 smaller than the TinyTrak or the SMT TT?
>and maybe half
>the thickness since it doesn't have a DIP socket and IC. It's mostly
Oh, ok, the TT SMT version has no dips' anywhere. It's -really- small, and
has no DB's on it at all. We'll have pics of that project soon :)
>intended for integration in projects like this, where space
>is limited and
>you don't need or want the DB9 connectors. My first application will
>probably be a mic encoder module for a Motorola GP68
>handheld. I've got a
>speaker mic wired with RJ45 connectors, so I just need a carrier board
>that'll have a dual RJ45, an RJ11 for the GPS, and a
>receptacle for the
>OpenTracker board.
Very cool.
73 de Dave
KG4YZY
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Subject: Re: Vehicle GPS options
From: mp5a2@cox.net
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 22:08:31 -0700
X-Message-Number: 4
At 04:19 PM 6/1/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>I shy away from out mounted GPS units. The two I've tried, a Deluo and a
>borrowed garmin(dont know the model...a little black round one), GPS unit I
>have/had dies in the desert heat. Not a single one I've tried has survived
>the desert out here.
Jim,
I've been running the Garmin GPS 16 for two-plus years in the Phoenix heat.
No problems at all. It's a complete WAAS enabled unit that takes 9-18 volts
and outputs NEMA and 1PPS.
Cheers,
=-C
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Subject: Re: Vehicle GPS options
From: mp5a2@cox.net
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 22:08:48 -0700
X-Message-Number: 5
>At 02:36 PM 6/1/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>>The GPS 16A looks a lot more rugged
>>(http://www.garmin.com/products/gps16a/), but it's over $xxx. The GPS 16
>>might be a better option at $xxx.
>
>I've used the GPS 16. You don't want the 16A - no advantage to it in the
>APRS/SAR world - it's sole benefit (other than being white in color) is
>that it has a higher refresh rate on the output. The GPS 16 works great,
>is accurate and outputs at 1Hz.
>
>I've been waiting for the GPS 18 to hit the streets - looks like a nice
>update to the GPS 16 and it's smaller.
>
>=-Clarke
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Subject: RE: The KG4YZZ-8 wee-trak assembly ...
From: "Scott Miller" <scott@3xf.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 22:20:41 -0700
X-Message-Number: 6
>Let me know when you get one done, Scott, i'd love to see one, and build a
>package based on it <grin>.
If I didn't screw up the board layout, I should have some working examples
soon. The board is so small that I can get 20 of them on one panel. At the
board house's suggestion I went with a thinner laminate to avoid problems
with depanelizing such a small board - we'll see how that goes. Anyway,
I'll definitely have some by DCC.
>So about 1/3 smaller than the TinyTrak or the SMT TT?
I'm going by the SMT TT in the Pocket Tracker, but it's about the same width
as that one and 1/3 shorter. Early prototype:
http://n1vg.net/opentracker/images/ot-smt.jpg. The CAD layout is 1.5" by
0.75".
I'm thinking I might add a pad for a pull-up resistor that'd give the board
a 1-wire interface without external components. Not that there's a huge
demand for really tiny weather stations, but what the heck. That firmware
should be back on track as soon as I get the parts in to fix the weather
station I fried during testing...
>Oh, ok, the TT SMT version has no dips' anywhere. It's -really- small, and
>has no DB's on it at all. We'll have pics of that project soon :)
Ok, it's not the one I've seen then. How long has this been in development?
I've seen the one in the Pocket Tracker and the one pictured in the TinyTrak
group's file section, but they've both got DIP ICs. I guess this means
firmware upgrades are going to be a little difficult. I once suggested to
Byon an encrypted bootloader scheme, but unless he's changed chips I don't
think there's any self-programming capability, or code space to do that.
Since the OpenTracker's open source anyway, there's no need to protect the
firmware code and upgrading it is just a matter of clicking on the firmware
file you want to download. With a couple hundred more bytes of code, the
bootloader could have support for strong cryptography to protect object
code, or for a couple dozen bytes could at least have a scheme that'd
protect against casual attempts at cracking. I hope Byon's able to do
something like this in the future - he'd be able to protect his intellectual
property while still allowing easy upgrades. Of course, if the upgrade
sales are a significant part of his revenue, he's probably not going to be
interested in that anyway.
I, on the other hand, have no significant revenue stream to protect. =]
I'm happy to have made enough money to pay for my development costs, with
enough left over to pick up an old HP logic analyzer that's been a huge help
in debugging some of my new stuff. But honestly, I'd probably be working on
this stuff whether I was expecting to make money or not. I figure it's best
to provide as much utility and value to the community as I can, and hope
that karma brings in some hardware sales. =]
And please, no one take this as a suggestion that I think Byon should be
doing the same. He's got a great product, rock solid, well-documented, and
well-supported. I know very well how much work goes into a product like
this, and he's got every right to protect his intellectual property.
Ok, enough rambling for one night.
Scott
N1VG
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