[aprssig] Re: Emergency comms

[Curt, WE7U]

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Dave Baxter wrote:

> Here's one for Scot and the OpenTracker project.  Can it survive a
> brownout reliably, or a short term dropout (less than that needed for a
> full reset) without locking up, or corrupting stored data that was
> waiting to be TX'd?  Not many (if any) of the "classic" TNC's can, that
> I do know, and as for most things PC based, well...  OK, OK, yes yes I
> know laptops have internal batteries, but what about the attached
> TNC/Radio?  And the also "Attached" software.  Ui-View goes into abject
> raptures if the TNC or D7 it's using, "burps"...

I know you said that was for Scott, but I know from personal
experience that my OpenTracker has not ever lost it's configs during
engine start (undervoltage), whereas my TinyTrak-II would lose its
configs every once in a while (happened at least three times).

I suspect that has to do with the processor itself and how it
performs during undervoltage.  The OpenTracker and the TinyTrak's
use different processors (different manufacturers even).

Sometimes the TT-II would fail to operate during part or all of my
commute but then the next commute it would be fine.  A friend of
mine had similar problems and suggested that it might have to do
with receiving the GPS stream at the wrong time on startup, and so
sounds like a firmware issue.  In that case, that particular problem
may be solved on later units.

In any case, the OpenTracker has proven more reliable in my
particular mobile setup.  With the APO switch by James Jefferson
added in there as well I don't have to touch power wiring or power
switches on my mobile setup at all which makes it even more
reliable.

--
Curt, WE7U.   APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
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