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New Writeup on HF APRS Posted...

by WA8LMF:

Subject: [aprssig] New Writeup On HF APRS Posted To My Website

I have finally got around to doing the guide/essay/set-of-notes on HF APRS operation that I have intended to to do for some time.

It is posted on my website at:

http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/HF_APRS_Notes.htm

144.350 and 144.390 APRS Update

BALDI
The BALDI digipeater has a new TNC, the old Kantronics KPC3 was replaced recently with a Argent Data Open Tracker 2 making for a better digipeater that could be more easily remotely controlled, and also has direct support for a weather station (see next item). Last weekend the transmission line to the top of the 80 foot tower was upgraded to a run of hard line. This will greatly increase the usable range of BALDI on 144.390.

Weather Station
BALDI is now sporting a weather station. A Peet Brothers 2100 is now fully functional at Baldi providing for weather observations from a location where there are no other weather stations nearby. Fully knowledgeable that BALDI is a really severe location in the winter, the remote sensing devices are heated (optional). This is a dream of mine fully realized after the 17 years I've been at Baldi, we've finally got around to making it happen.

VBALDI
We've traded out the 2 element folded dipole that was installed last fall with a 8 element folded dipole commercial grade antenna. Testing has proved this was the right decision. Doing so solidified our connection to VHEBO in the mountains SW of Portland, 160 miles away. We're now often Igated directly by the Internet connection at VHEBO.

CRYSTL/XTAL
In early July we added a Kenwood D-710 at the top of the Crystal Mountain Ski Area on the east side of the Mount Rainier National Park at 6,800 feet. This "double sided digi" as its been nick named has truly been working amazingly well. Its operating on 144.350 @9600 baud on the internal Kenwood TNC, and a Argent Data Open Tracker 2 TNC on the external data port. With both the high elevation and Mount Rainier right across the valley this site is working fantastically! Mountain bounce has really been our friend for this site's great coverage! Heard direct in Idaho, Salem and Victoria/Vancouver, Canada, and many places in between. This site has really filled in a lot of the dead zones between Greenwater and around the mountain towards Packwood and Cayuse and Chinook Passes into Yakima. Both sides are, of course, working on the same radio and antenna, that tells us that our foot print for 144.350 and 9600 baud is equally covered. CRYSTL is on 144.350 running 9600 baud, XTAL is on 144.390 and 1200 baud.

PACK
Bob, K7MXE is the most recent addition to the 144.350 9600 baud network with his addition of a Kenwood D-700 in the Pac-Forest. This is a solar powered site, and does very well throughout Puget Sound (very near the W7PFR-1 144.390 location near Eatonville) and around the south side of Mount Rainier.

SHRINR
This location on the east side of Mount Rainier was a 144.390 only project for us, it too is a solar powered only site. It's located at a very remote site and access is very limited once there. It worked for a while but unfortunately failed for an unknown reason. It is a seasonal digipeater anyway and will be revived next spring. With BALDI, XTAL, SHRINR and KJ7XE-11 there is (err, was, until SHRINR failed) literally complete coverage all the way around Mount Rainier on 144.390 with a 5 watt radio. Snow will take care of this sites primary coverage area soon enough anyway.


VHEBO
The VHEBO is supported by the same folks that run the HEBOWX digipeater above Lincoln City, Oregon. VHEBO is working very well for the folks in the Eugene/Salem area up to the southern end of Portland and along the Oregon coast from Astoria down through Seaside, Cannon Beach and much of the coastal highway and mountains towards Yachts.

Igates
There are a number of Igates located throughout Puget Sound, in addition to VHEBO, that works very reliably.

California
We've recently been granted permission from the coordinators in California to begin testing at a site in California. More on this later, but for now I'll say that it is in Northern California and will have coverage through the major population areas.

Enjoy!
N7FSP, K7EK, KJ7XE

Summer Gathering Updates

The 2009 Summer Gathering is getting close.. Check out the schedule here

T2Oregon - new Tier 2 APRS server

Hello Everyone --

I would like to announce a new T2 APRS server, T2OREGON. It is located at a small data center in Corvallis, OR, and is also serving as the NH6Z-10 IGate that some of you may have noticed lurking around lately. I've been involved in APRS for a few years now, although I wouldn't consider myself an expert by any means. If you find any issues that you would like me to clear up, please feel free to drop me an e-mail.

The server is available at aprs.nh6z.net:14501, or oregon.aprs2.net:14501; and on ipv6 at aprs.ipv6.nh6z.net:14501, or oregon.ipv6.aprs2.net:14501. In addition to the Washington, Montana, and Full NWAPRS ports, I have also added an Oregon and Portland Metro Area port on the server.

You can find out more about the hardware, software, and build process of the setup at www.nh6z.net and clicking on the APRS IGate link.

Again, please feel free to let me know of any problems, comments, questions, or suggestions.

73
--
Jeremy McDermond (NH6Z)

APRS Travel Season

The Travel seasons are upon us. Is your local APRS network ready to serve travelers? Is your network properly configured for new-N? See www.aprs.org/fix14439.html.

Is your network providing the local recommended FREQ object for travelers passing through? (see www.aprs.org/localinfo.html). Are you monitoring that voice repeater to help fellow travelers?

While traveling do you have Voice Alert enabled and the volume up? See www.aprs.org/VoiceAlert3.html

Is your local IRLP/Echolink node showing up on APRS in the simplex range where it can be used? See www.aprs.org/info/echo-irlp-win.txt

Are you configured to receive messages? Do you know how to send email from your mobile? See www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html

Does your Beacon contain your typical monitoring voice frequency?

Is your channel quiet more than half the time? It should be for best reliability. In fact, it should be quiet more than 2/3rds of the time. If not, your network is overloaded. See www.aprs.org/aloha.html. Spend 30 minutes monitoring your local channel looking at PATHS. Is everyone using an appropriate path and rate?

Get out your radio. Communicate. Let APRS help you get "connected"...

Bob, WB4APR

PNWVHF - a fellow Amateur Radio group worth supporting.

While I've been following the PNWVHF Email reflector for some time it wasn't until I attended their annual gathering in Moses Lake that I learned just what a good group it was. Lots of support for on the air operation and activities, new modes, modern technology and just plain socializing... PNWVHF is also very closely related to NWAPRS in the Amateur Frequencies used so it's to our mutual advantage that both organizations be strong and well supported. Best of all, the PNWVHF lifetime membership fee is even cheaper then the NWAPRS dues.. Only $10 one time - that's about the same as Starbucks for two. It even includes a nifty membership certificate and membership number. They just passed number 400 - wouldn't it be neat if NWAPRS could bring this up to 500?

Click here for the PNWVHF website.

In these days of diminishing Amateur Radio activity it's more important then ever to support our fellow groups and projects.. I hope others on the list will join me in backing both the regional
groups like NWAPRS and PNWVHS as well as local clubs. Even if there isn't time to participate fully, a few nickels and the call on the membership list can mean a lot.

73
Bill - WA7NWP

PS. I'm also happy to support the Capital Peak Repeater group due to their support of APRS and the 96UHF network..