[aprssig] Re: Radio Recommendation

[Robert Bruninga]

>>> KC7ZRU <kc7zru at arrl.net> 07/17/04 2:38 AM >>>
>> There is only once answer there, the Kenwood TH-D7.
>
>Man, if we ever wanted confirmation that Bob is advertising 
>for Kenwood, there it is....   I don't own a D7 ... and have 
>great success working pedestrian, motorcycle, and mobile APRS. 

I think we may need to clarify the term "working... APRS".

Unless one is lugging around a laptop, or handheld PC
and a TNC and a radio, then I would say that you are
not "working... APRS" unless you have either a Kenwood 
D7/D700 *or* a HAMHUD, RADIO and TNC. 

One may be *transmitting* APRS via any number of 
excellent transmit-only TRACKING devices, but I wouldnt
use the term "working...APRS" in the conventional use of 
the term in Ham Radio unless you are receiving and 
displaying as well as transmitting as a participant of the 
APRS net.

>One HamHUD-II (http://www.hamhud.net)and a Hamfest 
>HTX-242 (total cost 'bout $200)

I thought the the HAMHUD also required an external TNC?

>And I got the joy and pride of building it myself. Part of what 
>Amateur radio is about - or at least that's what I grew up expecting.

But some could argue that "working..." ham radio is in most
cases more than just transmitting... It is also listening, and
participating in the ever changing tactical situation.  Being a 
two-way participant is what I think is more of what  Amateur 
Radio is about...

>Yea - if you can accept a 'locked in' applicance for your 
>APRS usage - go for a TH-D7. 

Which is what 85% of ALL APRS mobiles that  RECEIVE
APRS while mobile are using...  The other 15% are running
around with laptops, TNC's, and handheld PC's and a lot
of wires and cables to glue it all together.  Many have found
the D7 and D700 to do it all, and so they dont need to
bother with all the other paraphenalia to spaghetti it together.

I think too many people fail to make the distinction between
just transmitting APRS (trackers, etc) and "working" APRS
but there is a big difference.   I am not saying anything
against trackers AT ALL.  They have a very important place in
APRS, but when people are making recommendations about
"APRS" to newcomers they should clearly make the distinction
between what it takes to just TRANSMIT a position, versus
what it takes to actually communicate (2 way) with APRS
and to SEE and participate in the tactical picture around them 
which is what APRS is all about..

In most cases while mobile, I dont care all that much if others
see me, but I do use APRS all the time while mobile to see
what others are doing...  To me, that is the joy of APRS.

>But to say "There is only once answer" to William's question, 
>especialy from the 'Father of APRS' really flat out bugs me. 

If I remember correctly, he asked about what HT or radio to 
buy for APRS.  To me, APRS means *receiving* it.  My 
answer was spoken using a common euphomism used to 
convey ones top recommendation.  I like the D7/D700, use 
them 2 hours a day as my -only- routine APRS while mobile
and my only access to APRS most of the time in my area.
I think my opinion should be as useful as anyone else's..

de Wb4APR, Bob