[aprssig] transceiver for APRS?

[Curt, WE7U]

On Thu, 16 Nov 2006 kc9umr at freqradio.com wrote:

> If it's an APRS specific radio, how important is frequency agility?
> something that's computer configuarable (maybe the firmware defaults to
> 144.390 as a frequency, but you can re-configure it to default wherever
> you want) for standalone/tracker applications, and computer controllable
> for applications where you want that capability (home / "experimentation"
> applications).

Depends on what you want to do.  If it has no voice capability, then
one of the reasons for making it frequency agile goes out the door:
That of going to the local repeater based on info received on the
APRS channel.  One could still do this for packet/APRS uses though,
like switch to a local channel for traffic/weather reports, then
switch back for tracking.

One could also have it switch to satellite frequencies based on
predicted passes, tracking doppler if necessary, then switch back
to the normal APRS frequency.

Another use is for alternate APRS frequencies, but this would
normally not require real-time agility, only a jumper or programmed
setting.


> Having a Tiny Trak type TNC (or a 2 way TNC, but something that's simple
> to use and setup, don't need a LOT of features, really...) would be nice,
> so all you need to do is configure it, plug in a GPS and antenna, and go.

Opentracker "Tracker2" or a TinyTrak4.  I personally prefer
open-source stuff, so the Tracker2 is it.

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