开云体育

ctrl + shift + ? for shortcuts
© 2025 开云体育
  1. W0SW
  2. Topics

Locked The Case for APRS

 

The case for APRS
?
For those who aren't acronym savvy, APRS is Automatic Packet Reporting System.

APRS was developed from the late 1980s forward by Bob Bruninga, call sign WB4APR(sk), a senior research engineer at the United?
?
States Naval Academy. He maintained the main APRS Web site until his death in 2022.?
?
APRS is one of the only applications using packet radio that has stood the test of time.
?
The APRS world network is still thriving, long after other packet radio went away, because it didn't compete with, but leveraged the?
Internet.

It uses mostly 2m FM 144.390 to gather the positions and the Internet to put them all in one place.
?
APRS is an unconnected mode, meaning that the packets aren't connected to any one station.
The packets are sent as information beacons without acks, eliminating the connection overhead.
The broadcast is either heard or it isn't, hopefully, if not, conditions will be better the next.

Here's why I'm telling you this.
?
In the 5 months since I became involved with the WILMAR packet node out at the HHS tower we've had exactly two users locally, WD0HXV?
and myself N0QBH.

We've had a total of 5 outside visitors that I am aware of.
K1LEO, WG0A, AJ0O, KF9CP and K0LAV.
?
Here's what I want to do.

I propose we add the APRS frequency (144.390 MHz) to the WILMAR node 2m radio and change the freq to it.
There are a couple of configuration changes to tell the node TNC it's to use the new UIFLOOD method of handling APRS digis.
The node can still function the same as now by switching the frequency back to 145.670 MHz if needed.
?
I think APRS is going to remain popular simply due to several new radios having it and the GPS built in. Too easy!
One thing is for certain, this asset will get used if we decide to do this.?

It should cover approx a 30 mile radius from the tower north of Willmar and the local APRS Internet feeds will hear it as well, so users will?
plot on the Internet map www.aprs.fi
?
What do YOU think?
?
73 Mike N0QBH
?
 

Even though I don't own a radio natively capable of doing APRS, I think this is a great idea.?
 

If it will be used and be useful, I agree with Mike, N0QBH and Ben, W0AYE.? We should change the HHS tower system to an APRS.? Since a VARA gateway is also imminent, I think it is a smart decision to maximize the amateur radio communications available to us and make the change.

Tony, WD0HXV
 

Great idea. It would fill a gap out here. And short messages can be sent via APRS as well.?

Dan

On Fri, Feb 2, 2024, 13:14 WD0HXV - Tony <alapatka@...> wrote:
If it will be used and be useful, I agree with Mike, N0QBH and Ben, W0AYE.? We should change the HHS tower system to an APRS.? Since a VARA gateway is also imminent, I think it is a smart decision to maximize the amateur radio communications available to us and make the change.

Tony, WD0HXV

 

Sorry for stupid questions, but if you do this, you’ll have to manually change the frequency back to 145.670 if you want to use? ?Won’t this leave a hole on the 145.670 coverage map again? ?
 

Hello Ace.

The only stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked :)
The short answer is yes. To enable it on the 145.670 network someone would have to change the frequency at the site.
If we have obligations to stay on that frequency with other agencies, we would have to talk to someone(s).
73
'QBH
 

I believe the Kenwood repeater can have up to 16 freqs in it, so just have to program ch 2 to 144.390 and manually switch it.

But who is actually using the 145.670. When Eric Westgard NY9D came and gave presentation, he bearly talked about it. And they were moving towards adding the 145.07 freq for winlink I believe he said.?

Dan

On Sun, Feb 4, 2024, 07:59 N0QBH Mike Berg <mikeberg@...> wrote:

Hello Ace.

The only stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked :)
The short answer is yes. To enable it on the 145.670 network someone would have to change the frequency at the site.
If we have obligations to stay on that frequency with other agencies, we would have to talk to someone(s).
73
'QBH
 

We aren’t obligated to keep it on, but talking to Eric (prior to the Winlink talk) he made it sound like it is still an emergency backup that they would like to have statewide. ? If someone has to manually switch something, it may not be much of a backup. ? I’m in favor of the APRS stuff. Just wondering if we should add a separate radio so we have both? ?I get no one is using 145.67, but it was designed as the true emergency backup. ?However if no one else is using it as a backup up, it’s not that good of a disaster plan. ?I just didn’t want to create a hole in someone else’s backup plans. ?

Ace?
 

Thanks for helping us think this thru, Ace.
I suppose it's possible to have a tone controlled output on the 440 repeater controller that could control the freq of the VHF packet radio, but that is above my pay grade.
I think in a bona fide emergency we would have the time to have someone visit the site and flip the switch.
The TNC remains connected to the same radio and will function as a packet node on either frequency.? APRS only borrows it's digipeater feature in unconnected mode (UI).
Thanks for your support, Ace and we appreciate your input and advice going forward.
Maybe the next step would be to talk to the other emergency services folks involved with packet and see what they have to say.

73
'QBH

?
 

It wouldn't take much to scratch together another radio and a Raspberry Pi for an APRS iGate and Digipeater and have a dedicated system that's separate from the 2m packet node. We would have to find another location for it though.
 

Hey Everyone!

Just an Opinion from an OLD Fart.... I have been sandbagging for a while,
and to tell you the truth, Figuring out solutions for these problems was a
lot easier 20-25 Years ago (Hi Hi).
I would probably put the APRS Box alongside of the 444.800 Repeater at
what ever tower site you have over there, and someone mention adding a PI
for an Gate, would be cool too.

As for 145.67, I would maybe try and relocate it to another site, closer in or in town,

If I remember my research right, The state ARES people want to designate 145.07 MHZ.
as a VARA/WinLink Frequency, it would not be hard to get (Depending on the Power Output),
to build a combiner of sorts, with a few by-pass cans. LINBPQ does All of this, including a CMS
system built in, a PBBS, and other goodies....
and in my opinion, we can do a better job engineering a system like that.
I know, it takes money... there are ways to do that too.

73 de RR


?-------------------------------
73 de Randy, WR0RR.
(Ex: KA0UYL and N0GMX)
 

Hello Randy, good to hear from you again.
Presently, the HHS tower has the 444.800 repeater and the 145.670 packet node in the same rack and combined into 1/2" hard line coax leaving the rack.
There are two separate co-linear antennas atop the tower one for VHF the other UHF.
The packet node is a Kantronics KPC-3+ that has the latest APRS modes built in, but not enabled.

I hadn't thought of moving the 145.670 node, but that could satisfy the need for it's existence if need be. Thanks :)

I went into this months ago with the idea of revitalizing packet radio locally.
Frankly, there's little interest.

When I seen what VARA could do, it became obvious orthogonal mode digital is the way forward and every time I use it I only become more convinced.
Because of it, the new Winlink gateway will be a asset that will get used.
The WILMAR node will continue to sit idle.
One of the things I've noticed in my digital travels around the MN network - almost all of the TNC clocks are months or even years off.
That tells me the TNCs haven't been touched by a sysop in a long time. Luckily, they are quite reliable.

73's
Mike N0QBH
 

I think Randy may have a idea there.? if we could use a Duplexer for 2 meter since they are 600 khz split like a repeater pair......hmmm


On Sun, Feb 4, 2024, 17:17 N0QBH Mike Berg <mikeberg@...> wrote:

Hello Randy, good to hear from you again.
Presently, the HHS tower has the 444.800 repeater and the 145.670 packet node in the same rack and combined into 1/2" hard line coax leaving the rack.
There are two separate co-linear antennas atop the tower one for VHF the other UHF.
The packet node is a Kantronics KPC-3+ that has the latest APRS modes built in, but not enabled.

I hadn't thought of moving the 145.670 node, but that could satisfy the need for it's existence if need be. Thanks :)

I went into this months ago with the idea of revitalizing packet radio locally.
Frankly, there's little interest.

When I seen what VARA could do, it became obvious orthogonal mode digital is the way forward and every time I use it I only become more convinced.
Because of it, the new Winlink gateway will be a asset that will get used.
The WILMAR node will continue to sit idle.
One of the things I've noticed in my digital travels around the MN network - almost all of the TNC clocks are months or even years off.
That tells me the TNCs haven't been touched by a sysop in a long time. Luckily, they are quite reliable.

73's
Mike N0QBH
 

Agreed, however, that's a lot of $$ to keep an unused packet node on frequency.?

1 - 14 of 14