[aprssig] APRS Voice Alert Explained, in short

[Steve Noskowicz]

Joe,

  You may want to emphasize, up front, that this is for mobiles (moving stations) not for fixed stations (though there may be a few exceptions )

I'd also recommend putting the full summary first, then the how-to detail.  Something like this:

-- 73, Steve, K9DCI



> Voice alert is essentially adding a 100hz CTCSS tone to the
> transmitted APRS packets on 144.39 (US), setting the radio to
> the same tone squelch and leaving the volume up on the data channel
> up.  This way you will hear packets from a nearby mobile alerting you to > his presence and a possible QSO, but remember, QSY first.


- - -   Then put the how to. 
> Just set the tone as if you needed it to both access the repeater and 
> receive in tone squelch mode (CT on the D700 and many other radios).
> When a packet is received with the 100hz tone, you'll hear
> it on the radio,
> and you should also see the call on whatever APRS display
> you are
> using.  The radio will still decode packets that don't
> have the 100hz
> tone, you just won't hear them.  This works with most
> rigs/tncs that
> don't rely on the speaker output to feed audio to the
> TNC.
> 
> The full details can be found:
> http://aprs.org/VoiceAlert3.html
> http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/VoiceAlert3.html
> 
> Even hams that don't use APRS can take advantage of
> voice alert, just
> listen to 144.39 with your tone squelch set to 100hz.  When
> an APRS
> mobile is in the area, you'll hear them, and you can
> give a general
> call for APRS voice alert stations.
> 
> Once contact is made on the voice alert channel, the
> conversation
> should be moved to another frequency to keep the channel
> clear for
> packets, and to keep the packets from crashing your QSO.
> 
> One thing that makes voice alert less useful is when the
> tone is
> transmitted with the packet, but nobody is listening
> (unattended,
> volume down, etc).  That is one disadvantage to the D710,
> it isn't as
> easy to turn off voice alert once you have it on, which
> leads to folks
> just turning down the volume.
> 
> I hope this helps spread the word regarding APRS voice
> alert.
> 
> Thanks & 73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R
> 
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