[Fourlanders] APRS with Rovers?

[Jim Worsham]

You are correct, single op stations can't use APRS.  Don't ask why, I don't
want to go into it again for the millionth time.  I will explain on the
mountain.  Note carefully the wording "Rovers using APRS transmit only their
call sign and position." and "Any multi-op station may access rover APRS
data directly or via the Internet."  It is my belief that a multi-op station
beaconing its location and call sign would be considered self spotting and
is not allowed.  That is why this was added to the rules to explicitly allow
rovers to use APRS to beacon their location and call sign.  I am going to
ask KX9X to confirm.

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: Monday, May 05, 2008 11:42 AM
To: rfacres at gmail.com; Fourlanders
Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] APRS with Rovers?

Okay.. I read the rules....

3.3.7. Rovers are permitted to use APRS. Rovers using APRS transmit only
their call sign and position. Any multi-op station may access rover APRS
data directly or via the Internet.

This appears to say that a single operator station can't use APRS!

There's more than one way to skin a cat.  What if my home station is
periodically beaconing an object called "W4NH", that shows our location at
Mile High?  This solves the problem of APRS transmissions from Mile High
interfering with our other operations on 2M.

For an example of such an object, check out the URL below.  Thsi will show
you an APRS object beaconed from my home station representing our local
hamfest.
http://aprs.fi/?call=hamfest-w


Brian McCarthy <rfacres at gmail.com> wrote: I thought rovers were the only
classification of station that was allowed to
beacon into APRS during the contest.

I expected that the W4NH use of APRS was only to watch for the rovers.
Receive only was my understanding. Beaconing would likely be counted as self
spotting.

Yes, it will be tough to hear data underneath the CQ'ing machine on 2m, but
we won't know until we try it. The hardware is easy and we might be
pleasantly surprised. The rovers are being allowed to use the mainstream
APRS channel complete with digi's. All we really need to hear is the nearest
mountaintop digi' at 6 miles away. With an optical or near optical path and
presuming the digi has a 4-6dbd antenna with 20-50w, it should be possible
to hear it quite well. If we mount a 4-el vertical beam pointed at the digi
and manage to shadow it from the main 2m array, I suspect we will hear more
or even most of the packets.

Brian
NX9O

On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 11:50 PM, Jim Worsham  wrote:

> 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
>
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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

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