Mobile Satellite APRS - anyone done this? (N/A)

[wbarnhill]

I'm getting interested in ham radio again, and one of the things that has piqued my interest is utilizing APRS in my vehicle. I'm curious as to the requirements involved with doing satellite APRS work, and software involved in tracking those sats with APRS capability.

Anyone delved into this area?

 

[ScottM]

Technician license, a radio, GPS, free software. That is all I really know. I never have hooked it up but I know that many people are using it and having it track things including small planes.

 

[wbarnhill]

Technician license, a radio, GPS, free software. That is all I really know. I never have hooked it up but I know that many people are using it and having it track things including small planes.

Well yar, I've got most of that. I was just looking for someone with experience. No worries though, it'll be interesting working on it.

 

[JimSee]

Here's some general info on APRS on the AMSAT site. It has a little info about APRS sats.

http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/aprs.php

If you just want to do APRS, you most likely don't needs to go the satellite route. Was there a reason you wanted to do satellite vs. ground based digipeaters? It may be a fun experiment to try the satellites. However, most areas these days are covered by ground based digipeaters that eventually make it through an iGate and out on the internet.

I haven't tried satellite APRS, but the ground based setup is pretty easy. To transmit your location you need a transmitter on 144.39, a simple APRS encoder like the original OpenTracker and then a GPS that can output serial NMEA strings. This is pretty much my setup (Alinco DR1200, Opentracker 1 and Garmin GPS III+). The OpenTracker is programmed to send out a location burst every 3 minutes or so and it varies depending on speed and direction changes. You can configure this yourself.

To display other stations in your area while you are mobile, you need a display that can accept data from one of the new smart OpenTrackers (OpenTracker+ or OpenTracker2). Note: TinyTrackers have versions that are similar. The display can be a PC (with APRS software) or it can be a GPS that will accept the incoming data. The Garmin Nuvi GPS's that have the fleet capability can do this. Nuvi 350 is the most widely used version. This model is being closed out so you can get it for a reasonable price. Using a system like this, the other stations in your area will be displayed on the GPS map.

Here's the link to the opentracker site: http://www.argentdata.com/products/aprs.html

And the forums: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/opentracker/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tracker2/

Sorry I don't have any specific Satellite info, but hopefully the links will get you going.

Good Luck.

Jim/K7MK

 

[Ghery]

Alinco DR1200

Jim/K7MK

Now there's a blast from the past. I've got one, too. Backlighting gave up the ghost ages ago, but it still works. Worked MIR on packet with a J-Pole with that radio a number of years ago. Got the QSL cards to prove it.

Ghery, N6TPT

 

[wbarnhill]

Here's some general info on APRS on the AMSAT site. It has a little info about APRS sats.

http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/aprs.php

If you just want to do APRS, you most likely don't needs to go the satellite route. Was there a reason you wanted to do satellite vs. ground based digipeaters? It may be a fun experiment to try the satellites. However, most areas these days are covered by ground based digipeaters that eventually make it through an iGate and out on the internet.

I haven't tried satellite APRS, but the ground based setup is pretty easy. To transmit your location you need a transmitter on 144.39, a simple APRS encoder like the original OpenTracker and then a GPS that can output serial NMEA strings. This is pretty much my setup (Alinco DR1200, Opentracker 1 and Garmin GPS III+). The OpenTracker is programmed to send out a location burst every 3 minutes or so and it varies depending on speed and direction changes. You can configure this yourself.

To display other stations in your area while you are mobile, you need a display that can accept data from one of the new smart OpenTrackers (OpenTracker+ or OpenTracker2). Note: TinyTrackers have versions that are similar. The display can be a PC (with APRS software) or it can be a GPS that will accept the incoming data. The Garmin Nuvi GPS's that have the fleet capability can do this. Nuvi 350 is the most widely used version. This model is being closed out so you can get it for a reasonable price. Using a system like this, the other stations in your area will be displayed on the GPS map.

Here's the link to the opentracker site: http://www.argentdata.com/products/aprs.html

And the forums: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/opentracker/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tracker2/

Sorry I don't have any specific Satellite info, but hopefully the links will get you going.

Good Luck.

Jim/K7MK

I guess the main thing is I was concerned that my living out in the middle o nowhere would mean I wouldn't get coverage. I've got a nuvi 350 I can take off my girlfriend's hands since the maps are "outdated"... can't believe how much they want for an upgrade. Anyhow, I'll start looking around at a few things. Thanks for the links!

 

[ErikU]

It's been a while since I played with APRS, but it seemed to work pretty well. Since it is a store and forward type of network, the chances of getting coverage from the air in the middle of nowhere are pretty good.

 

[JimSee]

I did a findu.com zip code lookup for Greenville. Not sure where you live around there, but there are APRS stations being reported around there.

Here's the link: http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/map-near.cgi?zip=29601

Change that to your zip code and see what it lists for stations in the area. It will give you a few maps as well as the individual stations reported in that area.

Seems like there are a few iGates in the area: http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?AJ4RK http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?W4DJW

The way your path is setup on your APRS string, will determine how it gets repeated around before it makes it out on the internet.

If you have a 2 meter rig, just listen for the packet bursts on 144.39. If you can hear them then you probably can make it into the system to get repeated around.

Cool on the Nuvi. Search the open tracker forums for Nuvi and you should find a bunch of help on how to hook it up to the open tracker.

Jim

 

[wbarnhill]

I did a findu.com zip code lookup for Greenville. Not sure where you live around there, but there are APRS stations being reported around there.

Here's the link: http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/map-near.cgi?zip=29601

Change that to your zip code and see what it lists for stations in the area. It will give you a few maps as well as the individual stations reported in that area.

Seems like there are a few iGates in the area: http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?AJ4RK http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?W4DJW

The way your path is setup on your APRS string, will determine how it gets repeated around before it makes it out on the internet.

If you have a 2 meter rig, just listen for the packet bursts on 144.39. If you can hear them then you probably can make it into the system to get repeated around.

Cool on the Nuvi. Search the open tracker forums for Nuvi and you should find a bunch of help on how to hook it up to the open tracker.

Jim

I met up with the local ham club this afternoon at lunch. Apparently there are no digipeters in the area, but at 35W, you can usually hit Greenville.

Now I just need to get a mobile rig up and running again. May have to buy a Kenwood D710 with my tax refund. The remote screen would be nice since my MINI has little room to spare.