[aprssig] ATV integration idea

[Robert Bruninga]

> Anyone got an ATV transmitter with audio 
> they wouldn't mind letting me
> tinker with for a few weeks?

I have found the easiest way to get into ATV is to simply buy
one of those little spy-cameras.  For about $75  you get:

Tiny camera with built-in 2.4 GHz transmitter
9v battery clip
Receiver with video out
Power supplies for camera and receiver

In otherwords, everything you need for short ATV demonstrations.
We find that they are good for about 1/2 mile in the clear.  But
the receiver in front of an 18" dish and this gets you to about
4 miles.  Put a dish on both ends and that gets you to about 20
miles (if you can still see it line-of-sight. And these days,
these things also have audio too as you wanted for the APRS
position info.

Anyway, not only a great ATV investment, but also a great way to
experiment with microwaves and 2.4 GHz.  See some of our
experiments with these cameras and links:

http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/labsats.html

Best photos of the cameras and 18" dish are slide #13 in the
power point that is found on the first link on that page.

Bob, WB4APR