[aprssig] Mobile Success With APRS Messenger PSK-63 on 30 Meters

[Stephen H. Smith]

On 3/5/2010 5:03 AM, Chris Moulding wrote:
> I'm working on the GPS mobile tracker version of APRS Messenger over 
> the weekend. All being well it should be ready for your trip.
>
> Tx PTT will be on the existing com port and the GPS input will be any 
> other serial or USB port. GPS input will be 4800 bd NMEA looking for 
> the $GPRMC string.
>
> I'll post information on APRSSIG when it's ready.
>
> 73,
>
> Chris, G4HYG
>


1)     I am using a VOX-keyed soundcard interface so the PTT com port 
isn't an issue to me.  However, TXD is,  since some VOX devices are 
"slow on the draw". To guarantee that they are fully keyed before the 
data starts, it would be good to allow 50-100 milliseconds or so of tone 
before any data starts.

Details of my homebrew tone-keyed interface (which keys in 5 
milliseconds) are here on my website:

<http://wa8lmf.net/ham/tonekeyer.htm>

A good commercial alternative that is also tone-keyed, and needs no 
serial port control, is the TigerTronics SignaLink at:

<http://tigertronics.com>

The "USB" version of this device is actually an entire second card 
dedicated to ham purposes in a box at the end of a USB cable.  It 
"automagically" shows up as "Generic USB Sound Device" when plugged into 
a USB port on any  system running Win 2K or higher.  No driver installs 
required at all!


2)     I use the "XPort" com port splitter to share my GPS data with 
several programs at once.   If you maintain the COM1 through COM16 range 
of choices for the GPS input as well as for the current  TNC/PTT choice, 
there should be no problems.


3)     Would it be possible to cause all the radio button choices on the 
startup screen to be saved  into an .ini file?   It would be very 
convenient to have these settings be "sticky".  Especially now that one 
has to check the correct tone each time.  (And I, at least, have to 
choose a non-default sound card each time since my system has three of 
them, and will soon also be having to choose the GPS port each time ).

In the mobile environment, one is constant starting up and shutting 
down.  I use the UIview Scheduler to automatically start up several 
related programs each time I start UIview. However, currently I have to 
start Messenger separately and manually, since it's start-up requires 
operator interaction each time.


4)      Yet another tone freq request (!!).     I use a TigerTronics 
TigerTrak APRS tracker on classic FSK AX25 HF. The TigerTrak uses the 
oddball tone pair of 1100 and 1300 for 300 baud HF mode.   I would like 
to be able to beacon with both the Tigertrak on FSK, and APRS Messenger 
on PSK63 with the same setup.  This would require a tone frequency of 
1600 Hz for Messenger, if running on USB.

Do the 700 Hz and 1500 Hz tones have any special significance?  In 
Europe perhaps???  Could they be dropped in the interest of 
simplicity?    I would also think that labels to the right of whatever 
tones remain might be useful to minimize user confusion. Something like:


O   1300 Hz - Radio on  10.151.00 LSB for KAM

O   1600 Hz - Radio on  10.148.10 USB for TigerTrak

O   1800 Hz - Radio on  10.151.50 LSB for AGWpe Free

O   2100 Hz - Radio on  10.147.60 USB for KAM


I realize this assumes everyone is on 30 meters -- perhaps there could 
be a "Hide/Show HInts" check box.......


------------------------------------------------------------------------

--

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
EchoLink Node:      WA8LMF  or 14400    [Think bottom of the 2M band]
Skype:        WA8LMF
Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.net

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