[aprssig] Digipeater or cross band repeater?

[Herb Gerhardt]

For what its worth, here is what I do when I go into the backcountry for a
few days.

I have my program memory 5 on my D700 set for APRS on 144.39 transmitting
its position once every 20 minutes on the A side, the B side is shut off and
the display is not illuminated.  I also have it set as a digipeater which
will ONLY respond to UVC (suffix of my call sign).  That way when I am in
the backcountry and can not make it out on my TH-D7A directly into our NW
APRS System, I change my path from RELAY,WIDE2-2 to UVC,WIDE2-2.  So if I
can hit my truck from my location, my truck will digipeat me into the
network at a higher power level.

By setting the D700 to respond to UVC instead of RELAY, it will not cause
needless additional digipeating of other signals that it hears.  Keep in
mind that we do not want mobiles to normally act as digi's responding to all
traffic they hear.  By setting it up to only respond to UVC, I have it set
as my own private digi.

This set up works well for me.  So far with the radio set at medium power, I
have not had any starting problems of my diesel truck after 3 days of
sitting like that.  For longer trips or whenever the truck can not make it
into the network, I shut the radio down to make sure it does not drain my
dual batteries to the point where I won't be able to start my truck.
Another nuisance problem I have had at times is that since I keep the GPS
III+ in the truck running,  after a few days, the GPS occasionally will hang
up with a "Power down to re-initialize" message and then giving an erroneous
output.  I have seen my truck going over 100 mph at altitudes in excess of
40,000 ft.  The first time I notice that, I though someone stole my truck
but now I am used to it.

Herb, KB7UVC
NW APRS Group, West Sound Coordinator
Our WEB Site:  http://www.nwaprs.org

My NEW Email Address:  hgerhardt at wavecable.com


> -----Original Message-----
> From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org
> [mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]On Behalf Of Curt, WE7U
> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 10:48 AM
> To: w7ts at comcast.net; TAPR APRS Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] Digipeater or cross band repeater?
>
>
> On Wed, 15 Dec 2004, Ken Kinyon wrote:
>
> > If I leave my truck at a trail head and go hiking.  What would
> be the best
> > method to keep my position known?
> > As I see it I could set the mobile in the truck to digipeat my
> signal or I
> > could set it up as a cross band repeater and beacon to it on 440.  The
> > radios involved are a TM-D700 and a TH-D7G. Are there any pro's
> or con's to
> > either setup?
> > Thanks and Happy Holidays,
> > Ken W7TS
>
> Ask kb7uvc for details.  He digipeats the handheld through the truck
> and it works well for him.  I think he does it all on 144.39.  I
> think he's got quite a bit of experience under his belt now doing
> this.
>
> --
> Curt, WE7U.