[aprssig] MIC-E and APRS

[Phillip B. Pacier]

Earl Needham wrote:

>         I get the feeling that, for this to happen, we'll have to go 
> from a point where APRS is a primary operation to a point where APRS 
> is simply an add-on that EVERYBODY does.  I mean, right now, most of 
> us who run APRS have dedicated 2-meter rigs for that, a TNC, GPS, 
> etc.  It's basically a second station in out house or vehicle.  At 
> some point, we may or may not move to a spot where the PRIMARY station 
> does it all.

I think the original plan for Mic-E was that 2-meter (or other) voice 
repeaters would be set to receive the APRS packet burst at the end of a 
voice transmission.  For example, you would key up and talk to your 
buddy, and when you unkey, the Mic-E device sends the packet burst.  I 
know the D7 can be set to do this.  It sounds like an annoying courtesy 
tone, but it works if the repeater is set to receive the burst.  From 
there, an interface could route the packet from the voice repeater to 
144.39 and/or to the internet.  If you can get past the annoying burst 
of noise, it is a very efficient way of beaconing.

73
Phil - AD6NH
http://www.aprsca.net