[Fourlanders] APRS with Rovers?
Jim Worsham
wa4kxy at bellsouth.net
Sun May 4 23:50:32 EDT 2008
Since we are stationary I wouldn't think we would have to beacon often.
Once an hour?
73
Jim, W4KXY
-----Original Message-----
From: fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Paul Yeager,
ABR(R), REALTOR(R)
Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 11:42 PM
To: rfacres at gmail.com; Fourlanders
Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] APRS with Rovers?
We are working on getting internet at the Eagle's Nest Mountain repeater
site (http://aprs.fi/?call=eglnst). Once we have done this, a 802.11 link
to Mile High should be easy. It might even be doable with the same antenna
we're using to get 802.11 up to the site.
However, this is not likely to be done in time for the June Contest, so it
would be good to have alternatives available.
If we have some sort of Internet connection available, we can use whatever
we want. If we're going to get APRS data via RF, I recommend using UI-View,
as it has a built in server function. This allows one computer that is
attached to the APRS radio/TNC to serve APRS data to all the computers we're
using.
I didn't find APRS+SA as easy to sue, so I haven't played with it that much.
I can bring a radio, TNC, yagi (so we can use minimum power) and feedline
for this, and if needed, also a laptop.
One of the great advantages I see to using APRS is that it will eliminate
guesswork regarding antenna pointing for stations we see on APRS. However,
to provide this same feature to other sations, we need to be *seen* on APRS,
and therefore need to transmit regularly. Surely we can devise a way to do
this without undue interference to our other 2M operations. Low power and a
yagi come to mind.
73 de W4SKI
Brian McCarthy <rfacres at gmail.com> wrote: I had started a couple of respones
to this thread more than a month back.
Then I got busy with the SVHFS conference...
Yes, there have been two times where we had reasonably reliable packet
spotting via a cellular data card. Yes, connectivity has been hit or miss.
It worked for us with my Sprint EVDO card in June 2007, but puked badly in
September 2007. I even had small log periodic beams borrowed from W4ZST.
This June I will be packing two cellular band specific beams ("800" and
"1900"). The other time it worked, we had a very slow connection, about 1/2
of dialup, via Jeff's Verizon (Red Cross provided) data card.
I looked at the possibility of satellite. Way too much money. Even a
"weekend rental" was more than $100 per day. I took a very close look during
the recent RV show the weekend before the conference at the Atlanta Motor
Speedway. How does $2000-4000 for just the hardware grab you? On the other
hand, that is exactly the technology that K8GP is using now, but their web
page calls it an Intelsat dish. Intelsat usage fees are more expensive than
Hughes/Dishway by a factor of nearly 10x the last time I looked. Check out:
http://www.k8gp.net/wp/v/contests/200709-SeptQP/
We shall see what we can do in June.
I have been working with APRS+SA today. It was way simple to setup and
loaded both radio and internet APRS data into Delorme Street Atlas maps with
minimal fuss. It has a couple of very simple check boxes that disable
transmitting APRS frames out either the radio or the internet connection.
Filters seem to be quite flexible. This last part is the most important as
the problem I see is trying to find the contest rovers amidst the sea of
other information flowing in constantly. I have an Alinco DR-1200 2m radio,
an AEA PK-88 and a 4-el CC 2m beam that I will pack for the APRS hardware.
Was anyone else planning anything for the W4NH APRS system? Do I need to
play with UIView or anything else in terms of software?
Let me know,
Brian
NX9O
On Mon, Mar 24, 2008 at 2:00 PM, Rogers, Ron wrote:
> The problem with depending upon a cellular telephone service to be an
> ISP on Soco Bald is the same problem we have just getting reliable
> cellular telephone coverage up there. It's hit and miss.
>
> We are already a lot higher in elevation than any of the cellular sites
> that all have "down tilt" patterns to their antennas. That's why our
> cell phone signal strengths up there are "hot spot" at best and rely
> purely on terrain reflection.
>
> The are companies that will rent you PCMCIA cellular ISP cards for a day
> or 2. But when you look at their service coverage maps for Soco Bald
> area (Verizon and AT&T) , we are not even in the picture.
>
> That's why I suggested looking into possible satellite ISP service just
> for grins. It would be ideal for us.
>
>
> Ron
> WW8RR
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Paul Yeager, ABR(R), REALTOR(R) [mailto:paul at mtnlist.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 1:42 PM
> To: wa4kxy at bellsouth.net; Rogers, Ron; 'Fourlanders'
> Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] APRS with Rovers?
>
>
> Of cellular carriers in the area, Verizon works best.
>
> I think last time we had internet on the mountain, Brian had a wireless
> (802.11) access point with a PCMCIA slot in his truck at the eastern end
> of the site. The PCMCIA slot contained a cellular wireless card, and I
> don't recall if the link from there to the rest of our network was wired
> or wireless.
>
>
> Jim Worsham wrote:
>
> Anyone with a cellular data card and an unlimited data plan want
> to loan us
> the card for the weekend? Paul, do you know what cellular
> carriers work
> well on that mountain top? I know that AT&T is kind of spotty.
> Anyone ever
> tried Verizon or one of the other wireless carriers while we
> have been there
> in the past?
>
> 73
> Jim, W4KXY
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Rogers,
> Ron
> Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:16 PM
> To: Fourlanders
> Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] APRS with Rovers?
>
> Agreed......the only capability W4NH needs is to be able to get
> to one of
> the web sites to monitor the locations of rovers using APRS and
> "beaconing"
> their coordinates.
>
> Ron
> WW8RR
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com on behalf of Jim
> Worsham
> Sent: Sat 3/22/2008 5:40 PM
> To: 'Paul Yeager, ABR(R), REALTOR(R)'; 'Fourlanders'
> Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] APRS with Rovers?
>
>
> Texting is not allowed. The rovers are allowed to beacon
> callsign and
> location only. I am not even sure we need to be able to
> transmit, just
> receive. As a matter of fact, if we can get internet access
> again there are
> websites we can go to that display the location of the rovers.
> No APRS
> required. I would like to see us work towards getting internet
> access on
> the mountain top. That would be more useful than APRS. We had it
> one year
> and it was very helpful on 6 to be able to look at spots, check
> propagation,
> etc. I am not sure I remember how we got it that one time. I
> believe
> someone had a laptop with a cellular data card.
>
> 73
> Jim, W4KXY
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Paul
> Yeager,
> ABR(R), REALTOR(R)
> Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 6:27 PM
> To: Fourlanders
> Subject: [Fourlanders] APRS with Rovers?
>
> A few months back, I recall some discussion of using APRS during
> the next
> contest for coordination with rovers. Is there still interest in
> this?
>
> It seems to me that there is value in this, even if just in the
> ability to
> rapidly determine the bearing to the rover. The possibility of
> exchanging
> text messages with rovers could also be useful.
>
> I have an APRS digi on Eagles Nest Mountain (EGLNST) that is
> about 6 miles
> from the contest site at about 5200 feet elevation. This should
> be workable
> from the contest site with very low power, minimizing the
> interference with
> other 2m operations. I am working to establish an alternate
> input frequency
> on my digi, which would make it even easier to work on low
> power.
>
> Also, I have been using UI-View32, which has a server function
> built in.
> This would allow computer connected to a TNC and radio to share
> access to
> that radio and TNC with other computers running the same
> software on our
> LAN.
>
> So.. my question is... are any of the rovers going to be dointg
> this... do
> we want to do this in June?
>
> 73 de W4SKI
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Fourlanders mailing list
> Fourlanders at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Fourlanders mailing list
> Fourlanders at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Fourlanders mailing list
> Fourlanders at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Fourlanders mailing list
> Fourlanders at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
>
>
>
>
>
> Paul Yeager, ABR(r), REALTOR(r)/Broker
> Accredited Buyer Representative
> Mountain Fever Real Estate
> 828 400 9442 (cell)
> 828 926 2545
> 888 926 2545
> 828 926 3860 (fax)
> paul at mtnlist.com
> www.mtnlist.com
>
> What is ABR(r)? Find out at http://www.rebac.org
> _______________________________________________
> Fourlanders mailing list
> Fourlanders at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
>
_______________________________________________
Fourlanders mailing list
Fourlanders at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
Paul Yeager, ABRR, REALTORR/Broker
Accredited Buyer Representative
Mountain Fever Real Estate
828 400 9442 (cell)
828 926 2545
888 926 2545
828 926 3860 (fax)
paul at mtnlist.com
www.mtnlist.com
What is ABRR? Find out at http://www.rebac.org
_______________________________________________
Fourlanders mailing list
Fourlanders at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders
More information about the Fourlanders
mailing list