Sunday, January 23, 2011

APRS Messenger v2.98

I've just uploaded APRS Messenger v2.98 to the webpage:

http://www.crosscountrywireless.net/aprs_messenger.htm

This version now has a remote control feature to allow the APRS over HF digimodes and VHF TNC transmit functions to be enabled or disabled by an APRS message.

In the initial set-up screen you can enter the callsign and SSID of the remote control station. You can also enter the remote control messages to stop and start the igate transmit function. The defaults are "Igate transmit ON" and "Igate transmit OFF" but these can be changed to any 18 character message.

Remote control messages can be set over VHF (if a TNC is used), APRS over HF digimodes or the APRS-IS. A confirmation message "Confirm igate transmit ON" or "Confirm igate transmit OFF" is sent out to the remote control station over the APRS-IS if connected. When transmit is disabled the program still functions as a receive only Igate.

On HF digimodes the sound card transmit is enabled or disabled. Using a VHF TNC the comm port RTS output is enabled or disabled to control the TNC.

This is useful in countries where closedown arrangements have to be made for unattended use or where APRS igate operators would like a remote control facility when away from home.

73,

Chris, G4HYG

--
Chris Moulding
Cross Country Wireless Ltd
Website: http://www.crosscountrywireless.net

https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig

New version of APRSISCE/32 released

A new version of APRSISCE/32 has been released in the APRSISCE Yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/APRSISCE/). Here's the major new features in this release. Please join the Yahoo group to download the full Release Notes if you're interested in more details. There's also a (woefully inadequate) Wiki available at http://aprsisce.wikidot.com/

Major New Features:

AltNets (aprs101.pdf chapter 4) are supported.

"Auto-Reply" is now supported for responding from an unattended station

Support beaconing compressed locations as well as ambiguous positions

EchoLink nodes can now be queried, filtered, and displayed as objects

Dead Reckonging shows stations moving based on their last position, heading, and speed

WinMo Only: Track and Display Cellular coverage changes

Support fledgling AVRS server contacts directly from station popup menu (See http://aprs.org/avrs.html)

Support NWS Alert (http://www.aprs-is.net/wx/) reception and MultiLine Object (http://www.aprs-is.net/WX/MultilineProtocol.aspx) drawing. Click the "Counties" or "Zones" links to find your 3 character NWS office ID.

Weather information is parsed and displayed (summary in labels, details in popup)

Now support Weather Object / Station beaconing with WxNow.txt-format data file input

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - Author of APRSISCE for Windows Mobile and Win32

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Installing UI-View and Precision Mapping on Win7 and Vista

I have extensively updated the "UIview Notes" and "Using Precision Mapping 8" pages on my website, to reflect a new and improved installer for the Precision Mapping Server 7 plug-in for Uiview.

The new installer packaging for PMap Server 7.07 now works directly in Windows 7 (either 32 or 64 bit versions) without the clumsy and involved install procedure previously required. The same Precision Mapping Server Ver 7.07 is installed, but the installer program itself now works on these two newer versions of Windows.


Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Home Page: http://wa8lmf.net

*** HF APRS over PSK63 ***
http://wa8lmf.net/APRS_PSK63/index.htm

"APRS 101" Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths

Saturday, November 6, 2010

All I want for Christmas.....

I have my two front teeth, so here's what I want:

Uniden HomePatrol 1 Scanner.....OK, couldn't wait, and got it. Love it. Got the GPS cable which will auto adjust scan area based on GPS location. Anxiously awaiting Uniden mobile mounting bracket.

Kenwood TH-D72..... OK, ordered it from HRO $499 and hoping it will arrive by Christmas. Fingers crossed.

Mobile Emergency APRS Digipeater.....With intent on putting everything in a Pelican case..... Kenwood D710 transceiver with Green Light Labs GPS-710 GPS receiver, KPC-3+ TNC. Would configure this for 9600bd APRS one side of radio 144.35, and 1200bd APRS other side of radio 144.39 using KPC-3+ as external TNC. Would support both 12kbd/9600kbd APRS for emergencies or site survey for future WIDEn-N digipeater location.

BeeLine 2M tracker @ 9600baud. This would be the redundant tracker for my balloon satellite capsule on 144.35, no path, and supplement the primary tracker, a BeeLine 2M tracker @1200baud on 144.39, the primary APRS frequency, for balloonsat tracking.

A job...starting in January. I'm booked till then.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

BALLOON LAUNCH SAT OCT 16 FROM RITZVILLE

The as-yet-unnamed Inland Empire Near Space Enthusiasts (IENSE) group has completed final preparations for the launch, tracking, and recovery of a high altitude balloon scheduled for launch Saturday morning from the Ritzville, WA area. Final launch preparations were discussed in a leadership meeting this past weekend.

Details follow:

Launch: Saturday, October 16, 0800-0830PDT, weather dependent (forecast is a go for launch)

Launch Site: Ritzville High School. Launch team on-site by 0730. Breakfast at Ritzville Perkins 0645PDT.

Flight profile: Wind predictions are to the East.


Projected LZ (landing zone) is 65-90 miles (LZ will be refined and identified on www.findu.com upon burst detection).

Projected altitude is 90k feet on a two hour flight.

Tracking callsign: Two APRS trackers: K7GPS-11 and KG5AO-8. (Tracking also available on www.aprs.fi)

Package: 1000g latex balloon with helium fill, 6' parachute for recovery after burst, capsule is 15"x12"x9" styrofoam container with two APRS trackers (KG5AO-8 and K7GPS-11), vertical SD color video camera with GPS overlay to record balloon expansion and burst), SD color video camera on diagonal alignment, and two SD Canon A470 cameras with CHDK-hack recording horizontal imagery every 10 seconds.

Tracker details: K7GPS-11 is a BigRedBee BeeLine 2M all-in-one APRS tracker. KG5AO-8 is a Yaesu Vertex 2M HT, Byonics TinyTrak3 controller, and Garmin E-Trex GPS. Both GPS devices are certified for flight above 60k ft.

Credit: Thanks to members of the Spokane Astronomical Society for their interest, support, and enthusiasm with this project.

PAO Note: KHQ has been contacted and may attend the launch activities.

Related links:


Regards, David K7GPS

Thursday, October 7, 2010

APRS Messenger v2.89 with many changes released

Date: Thu, Oct 7, 2010 at 3:26 AM
Subject: [cross_country_wireless] APRS Messenger v2.89 with many changes released


I've just uploaded v2.89 to the website and Files section.

This version has a lot of changes:

Separate transmit and receive sound cards can now be configured.

Sound card sample rates of 48000 Hz and 11025 Hz can now be selected.

Fast and slow CPU options can now be selected.

It has the latest version of the MMVARI sound card engine (first update in 5 years).

The program can with fast CPU selected run 24 simultaneous receivers receiving a selection of modes including PSK-63, PSK-250, QPSK-63, QPSK-125, QPSK-250, GMSK-63, GMSK-125 and GMSK-250. The CPU load is higher and it will only run on PC's faster than 500 MHz due to the amount of number crunching and text string munching that the program is doing.

With slow CPU selected the CPU load is similar to earlier versions with only PSK-63, PSK-250, GMSK-63 and GMSK-250 being received. The slow version will also send on any selected mode but will only receive on the centre frequency with slow AFC.

The check before transmitting routine has also been changed to stop transmitting over other signals.

The delay before an ACK is transmitted has also been extended by 300 microseconds as it was too fast for some transceivers.


73,

Chris, G4HYG