[amsat-bb] Re: Advertising Shuttle Retransmission Faclities on APRS

[Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF]

Thanks Bob.

You're correct, I have only ever used it or seen it used for vehicle tracking and whilst I was vaguely aware that it could send messages, 
believed that the messages were too short to be of any use.

So, on to equipment.
I've used an old handheld radio, tinytrack, laptop and GPS for vehicle tracking.
I  guess for base station/home use I can use any 2M FM radio, 1200BD TNC and PC with some, unknown to me software. Please advise on the software.

I've got an old spare GPS for mobile use but what current reasonably priced mobile radio (preferably dual band) would you suggest if I'm to buy 
a new one. I guess the ability to plug a laptop into the radio as well as the GPS would be a bonus for messaging.

Robert Bruninga wrote:
>> I guess your idea must have some merit 
>> but I've never seen/known anybody to drive 
>> around monitoring APRS beacons.
> 
> Interesting... but that is what APRS was designed to do.  To be
> an information exchange, distribution and display system for
> mobiles.
> 
> Unfortunately, I fear you have been missled into the incorrect
> view of APRS as a "vehicle tracking system" which has nothing to
> do with what it was designed for.  APRS was around since the
> 1980's and GPS was only folded in in the 90's when they became
> cheap enough.  But tracking GPS modiles is only a small side
> benefit of having full tactical situational awareness, Local
> Frequency recommendations,
> Satellite's-in-view/frequencys/doppler,  global messaging by
> callsign and global email text messaging from the front panel of
> your APRS radio.
> 
> Its because of the proliferation of tracking devices that has
> misslead most casual observers into only seeing maps of
> vehicles.  If that's all they see, they are not seeing the local
> info displays that the APRS radios present to the mobile
> operator.
> 
> Kenwood has been abismal in their full page ads, because they
> never show any of the local info displays!  They only show a
> dual band radio, mention APRS and GPS in the text, and leave the
> missinterpretation up to the 98% of  readers who have never
> experienced APRS...
> 
> Another local NET that should be advertised to mobiles is
> whenever an AMSAT net is in progress.  Just send out the beacon
> and do not be surprised if your fishing brings in some mobiles
> from other frequenceis checking into the net...
> 
> Please see the web page on these misconceptions:
> www.aprs.org/APRS-tactical.html
> 
> Bob, WB4APR
> 
>> Robert Bruninga wrote:
>>> Therefore, a TNC should be connected to
>>> the Retransmitter that activates an APRS 
>>> beacon on the local APRS channel whenever 
>>> it is keyed.  This APRS beacon will alert
>>> all mobiles on the front panel of their 
>>> APRS radios in range that the retransmission 
>>> is in progress.
>  
> 
> 


-- 
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Nigel A. Gunn. G8IFF   W8IFF (was KC8NHF)
1865 El Camino Drive, Xenia, OH 45385-1115, USA   937 825 5032
e-mail nigel at ngunn.net             www  http://www.ngunn.net
Member of  ARRL, GQRP #11396, QRPARCI #11644, SOC #548,  Flying Pig #385,
                   Dayton ARA #2128,  AMSAT-NA   LM-1691,  AMSAT-UK, MKARS,  ALC
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