APRS equipment for APRS2SOTA

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22

+1 to this question. I am looking at purchasing this radio for my SOTA activations. This will be a dream feature to have. BTW I am completly new to APRS.

Looking at the response below @EA2CW, the newer version should have a similar or better feature.

Blockquote Anytone 878 is perfectly able to send SMS to SOTA using D-APRS (I mean DMR SMS, using some DMR repeater at sight, better than analogic APRS on 144.800 simplex)

Looking forward to hear from the users.

73, M7TKL

23

You might want to have look at a repeater map and see if a suitable DMR repeater is available from the summit / your area. I have not spent too much time in investigating that.

For me personally the analog APRS on a 144.800 is less effort and ‘just works’.
The price of the AT-878UV II PLUS is lower compared to the obvious alternatives (FT2 / FT3 / FT5 (brand new and waterproof) ) so I see why it attractive.

24

D’you mean something like this?
http://radio.gautxori.com/dmrmap/indexm.html

I agree that in some zones, analogical APRS could be more solid than DMR one. Here at the Basque Country and surroundings this last is better.
Anyway, you can use both systems (APRS and D-APRS) with the older 878 model.
The new models with bluetooth give you the possibility of using mobile phones to key your messages faster using apps like APRSDROID which is able,apart from other features, to connect with APRS BT talkies.
This is also the case of the new & cheaper (only analog APRS) HG-UV98 BT talkie
Other DMR talkie capable of sending D-APRS txt messages is the Alinco DJ-MD5. Smaller and lighter than 878UV, but not analog APRS available.
73, Mikel

25

That sounds like the most attractive solution. Did you test it?

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26

Yes I do usually with the three models, depending on the zone and the weight I want to carry. Best results for pure APRS is the HG-UV98 (only analogic), the lighter solution, Alinco DJ-MD5 (which gives you a DMR simplex QSOs plus). The complete pack comes with the Anytone, which is also the heavier by far.

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27

I use a Yaesu FT-3D for spotting via APRS and it works fine. The only problem I’ve found was that sometimes the message wouldn’t transmit. This was mostly down to operator error. Make sure you’re on VFO B and the squelch level is up a bit. Sometimes there’s noise / signal picked up that turns on the HT led, preventing TX (I think)

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