APRS on the hills

Old Reflector
1

Just musing about APRS and trackers.

A tracker needs a GPS, some kind of data>packet gizmo and a radio. You can use radios like the Kenwood TH-D7 which just needs data from the GPS and you’re in busniess. Or you could go all 21st century and buy an ICOM DSTAR handy and GPS mike for about £800. (Lotsa wonga to talk to nobody!) Or you could wire a GPS to a small encoder and connect that to your handy. It all seems a bit Heath Robinson to me with wires running between stuff and anyway my GPS isn’t waterproof if you plug in a cable and it’s USB only and then you can’t clip on your belt either.

So the question is…

…if you could buy a package that was a complete APRS tracker and it had the following specification:

  • runs for at least 12hours on 4AA cells
  • has a self contained GPS (SiRFstarIII based)
  • plugs straight into a handy
  • socket for optional external mike
  • intelligent software that beacons according to ground speed.

how much would you pay for that £30, £50, £70, £100?

Andy
MM0FMF

2

In reply to MM0FMF:

Zilcho! Sorry, Andy, but I don’t see any point to it. A gizmo for the love of gizmos to my way of thinking.

73

Brian G8ADD

3

In reply to G8ADD:

That’s a perfectly valid answer Brian and useful input.

Andy
MM0FMF

4

In reply to MM0FMF:

£50 roughly.

5

In reply to MM0FMF:
Andy I’m a sucker for new technology - but as far as amateur radio goes it has to be minimal cost/free which is why I won’t be using D-Star :wink:

Roger G4OWG

ps I have been known to change my mind :slight_smile:

6

In reply to G4OWG:

Sorry, this would be connected to the mike/ptt input of an ordinary analog radio such as a handy or mobile rig and not a DSTAR set.

Andy
MM0FMF

7

In reply to MM0FMF:

What we want is something like this on 2m/70cms with APRS…

for about £50 and then I’ll buy two.

Steve GW7AAV

8

In reply to MM0FMF:
I only mentioned D-Star as an example of technology that costs and is not public domain. I would probably use what you are suggesting, Andy ,if it was reasonably priced and open source (say up to £50)

Roger G4OWG

9

I think I tend to agree with Brian. Just a gizmo for gizmos sake. I fail to see the point in the use of aprs.
All the same, an interesting subject.

Mike GW0DSP

10

In reply to MM0FMF:

From Argent Data Systems OT1+ $40 and GPS $60. I see no problem if you start to put these to one box and sell the boxes to hams. Presently I have no plans of commercial activity.

73, Jaakko OH7BF/F5VGL