Post on 28-Mar-2015
1APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
APRS Tracking Examples
Tony Campbell
W5ADC
2APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Just a Little About Me• Been licensed since 1978.
• Have been active in satellite communications.
• Became active with APRS over 2 years.
• Active SSID
– W5ADC-10 Home Weather Station
– W5ADC-14 Mobile
• You may also see
– W5ADC-15 Portable TM-D700A
– W5ADC-7 TH-D7A
– W5ADC-8 TinyTrak 3
3APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Stations• W5ADC-10
– UI-View32, Virtual Weather Station
– Oregon Scientific WM-918
– Alinco DR-1200 Radio, MFJ-1278
• W5ADC-14
– Kenwood TM-D700A
– Garmin GPS V
4APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Types of Hardware
• Purpose Built Radios
• TNC Based Systems
• Sound Card Based Systems
5APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Purpose Built Radios
• Purpose built radios are designed specifically to support ARPS functions in a single package. Just add a GPS receiver and go.
– Kenwood TM-D700A
– Kenwood TH-D7A
– Alinco DR-135T MKII with EJ-41U TNC
6APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Kenwood TM-D700A
• Coolest APRS radio on the market
• Dual band 114/440 MHz 50/35 Watts
• Decent 1200/9600 bps TNC
• Built-in Digipeater
• One screen text monitoring
• PC programmable
• Just add a GPS and go
7APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Kenwood TH-D7A(G)
• Nice HT with APRS features
• Dual band 114/440 MHz 5 Watts
• Basic TNC
• One screen text monitoring
• PC programmable
• Just add a GPS and go
8APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Alinco DR-135T/EJ-41U
• Basic 2 M Radio with optional TNC
• Allows direct input from GPS
• Requires PC to setup
• No APRS display on radio
• Basic 1200/9600 bps TNC
9APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Basic Interconnection DiagramPurpose Built Radios
GPS Radio
NEMA Data In/Out
10APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
TNC Based Systems
• Roughly divided into two categories – Beaconing Only and Transmit/Receive
• The major elements include:
– 2 M Radio (Just about anything will work)
– Terminal Node Controller (TNC) (Again just about anyone will work)
– Computer to set up system and possibly run APRS application.
– GPS Receiver if mobile
11APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Beaconing Only Systems
• This is one of the lowest cost and easiest ways to begin to experiment with APRS. This configuration provides you with a system that periodically transmits your position from a GPS receiver. It does not provide you with the ability to receive and decode packets.
– Byonics TinyTrak3
– Tigertronics TigerTrak TM-1
– TAPR PIC-Encoder
12APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Typical Characteristics of Beaconing Only Systems
• Low Cost
• Transmits only position information
• Some systems are available as kits
• Easy to setup, once you figure out how
• Simple hardware configuration
• Normally allows for stand alone operation
13APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Basic Interconnection DiagramBeaconing Systems
GPS Radio
NEMA Data
TNC
PTT
XMT
RCV
14APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Transmit/Receive Systems
• These are a step up from the basic Beaconing system.
• Setup is very dependent on the actual TNC used.
• A computer and application software may be required, depending on the software version in the TNC.
• Digipeating is possible with most TNC’s.
15APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Typical Characteristics of Transmit/Receive Systems
• A generic 2 M radio is required.
• TNC may support GPS receiver directly
– Kantronics KAM, KAM+ v8.2 -- KPC-3, KPC-3+, KPC-9612, KPC-9612+,v6.0 or higher
– Timewave AEA PK-96
– There may be others
16APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Basic Interconnection DiagramTransmit/Receive Systems
GPS Radio
NEMA Data In/Out
TNC
PTT
XMT
RCV
GPS
NEMA Data In/Out
Computer TNC
RS-232OR
A Weather Station could be used in
place of the GPS with most applications
17APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Sound Card Based Systems
• No TNC is required
• Uses PC sound card to transmit and receive signals from radio
• Simple interface circuitry (The same as PSK31)
• Requires a modest computer to operate
• Probably the hardest to get running and keep running
18APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Basic Interconnection DiagramSound Card Based Systems
GPS Radio
NEMA Data In/Out
Computer
PTT
XMT
RCV
A Weather Station could be used in
place of the GPS with most applications
19APRS is a registered trademark Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
Copyright © 2003 – Anthony Campbell W5ADCAll Rights Reserved
Reference Links
• http://www.alinco.com
• http://www.kenwood.net
• http://www.byonics.com
• http://www.tapr.org
• http://www.tigertronics.com
• http://www.kantronics.com
• http://www.timewave.com