Packet Radio 2016

Data at 1200 baud?    That's plain and simple baud - not Mega bauds or Giga Bauds..   Crazy?  Maybe not.  Much of what we do when Video isn't involved can be handled with slow and simple systems.

If we do it right...

Here's a start of a fresh look at  putting 1980's data technology to real use.

1. No more than one digipeater.   
2. Use APRS for resource discovery.
3. Separate users and data backhaul.  Shared channels cause exponential degregation of performance.
4. Use full duplex digipeaters for wide area resources.
5. Use DAMA style resource management. 
6. Move away from fixed mode hardware TNC's.  Soundcard packet options are here and offer higher speeds and better data simply by changing the software.
7. much more...

Who's the backup?

It's easy to donate resource to ham projects.   What happens when you don't control those resources?  Who's the backup?   Who's the backup for the backup?

McHamming

How often do you eat at McDonalds?

Quick, easy, relatively inexpensive.   Why not eat there all the time?

Same can be said for Ham Radio over the Internet...   Quick, easy and inexpensive.  Who needs to bother with silly radios, antennas and all that stuff...


Or maybe it's just like cooking at home..   Better, healthier, learn more, more fun...   It's radio that makes what we do special.  When we bypass the radio - which is so easy to do these days - we lose all the opportunities that make make it so much more.

First Gigabit Link

Purchased a Netgear GS105Ev2, mostly for education about modern networking with VLANS - as described by AREDN.   Secondary was putting it to use right away on the new 'real-IP' home LAN.

GS105E or GS105Ev work.  Other similar models are not 'managed' and will not work.




Put the GS105Ev2 between connection to web switch in the computer nook and the upstairs home computer.  Noticed that both LED's were lit on the switch - left light is 100 MB, right light is 10 MB.  Both is 1000 MB or 1 GB.   Need to check that cable as it might not be CAT 5E or CAT 6.  Regardless it's showing as 1 GB and that's the first I've noticed a link like that even with all the various local network circuits.

It does have a nice web interface. The only trick is accessing it the first time (192.168.0.234?) in order to put it in DHCP mode so it can be accessed on the local LAN. Manually setting a system to the 192.168.0 net should allow access and that initial tweak. The web interface looks like a functional duplicate of the Windows management application.. So outside of the install issues and the byte counters that count bytes (instead of the much more practical petabytes) I'm still giving it a thumbs up.

AREDN - Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network documentation

• Device to Device linking
• Network Switch Configurations

Ken said:

Mine was already in DHCP mode and all I had to do was query the openwrt router for the assigned address. Pointed the browser at it and there it was.  Thumbs up here too.

Contest rules changing to allow use of 146.52

This is a really bad idea.... 


From The ARRL Letter for October 22, 2015‏:

The EC took note of the Programs & Services Committee (PSC) endorsement of a VHF and Above Revitalization Committee recommendation to end the prohibition to contest use of 146.52 MHz, the traditional 2 meter FM simplex "calling channel." Advance notification of the rule change has been communicated to the full Board, and the change will take effect in 2016, starting with the January VHF Contest.

• The simplex channel, 146.52, has always been a quiet watering hole for conversations during active contests.  That will be less possible if there are contests using the channel.
• It's good for hams at home and mobile to monitor the radio, usually 146.52, all the time.  A weekend of contest chaos blasting from a normally quiet radio will result in those radios being turned off - and probably not turned back on.
• The idea of Priority Tone 123.0 Hz use on 146.52 won't necessarily be affected by this.  Or even worse totally cluttered if somebody makes contest contacts with tone enabled.
• Summits on the Air (SOTA) activity is picking up and they make good use of 146.52.
• Contest folks NEED a calling channel on VHF two meters.  Some don't operate because they don't know where they should go.  That's easy to fix without cluttering 146.52 - use 146.55 for the contest calls.
• Contests need more activity.  Ham Radio needs more activity.   A different tweak to the operations would, in my opinion, get more folks on the air.  To Be Posted Soon...

ICOM IC-7100

Good reivew on the IC-7100 by M0ZZM

Learned:

• It does RTTY natively.   That's a big plus.  RTTY is one of the many Ham Radio modes I've never tried.  I did have a MARS provided 19" rack mount dual diversity tube decoder many many years ago.  I copied a few RTTY transmissions with it but never transmitted.  In the good old days it required adding small capacitors on the tuning VFO to pull the frequency.  Today it's just another program...
• AB4OJ 7100 notes

Portable Go Box

>> This is an nice post by VE6AB, the same author that had the article on
>> HF APRS in the last QST.
>>
>>   http://ve6ab.blogspot.ca/2015/10/scs-trackerdsp-tnc-for-hf-aprs_18.html
>>
>> My DSP TNC is on order.  Looking forward to exercising it on all band
>> with all modes once it arrives.

> Are you going to put it in your car, your boat or plane? What radio are you going to use?

The plan now is to build it into a portable communications Go box.
It'll have the good old ICOM IC-706Mk2, a small switching power
supply, manual tuner and basic netbook for controlling the radio and
talking to the TNC.

So the next time I'm visiting Montana or Seaside I should be able to
check in to the Traffic Net or Noon-Time-Net or voice, run Robust
Packet for tracking on 30 meters and access the local 9600/1200 packet
infrastructure on VHF/UHF.

It's a fun little project that may turn out to be very useful...

Emergency Channel 9 for Two Meters

CB has channel 9 that is supposedly monitored by folks for emergency traffic.

We have nothing similar for our Ham frequencies.

Scanners would allow picking a channel and watching it.

Many rigs have Priority channel checking even when another discussion is being followed.

My suggestion is to use the calling frequency of 146.52 as our emergency channel - but do it with a tone of 123.0 Hz.


Three memory channels.

• 146.52 with no tones for general operation
• 146.52 with 123.0 Hz tone receive (CTCSS) for quiet monitoring of priority traffic
• 146.53 with 123.0 Hz tone transmit only but receive with no tone.

The CTCSS would be used for monitoring.   CT on transmit for making a call.  May work better to leave the CT transmit memory in a different bank so it's not taking a spot during normal scanning.

It's a Priority plan, not necessarily Emergency.  Use it for Important traffic but don't over use it.

Use it as a calling channel - not working frequency - unless it's an Emergency.  If an Emergency - it takes precedence.

The MickeyD Effect

It tastes good.  It's handy.   It's a know quantity that you know what you get where ever you're at.  It's even economically reasonable.

And in the long term - it's not a good thing.  (I'd use stronger words but McD would probably not be amused.)

How's that apply to Ham Radio?   I suggest we have McD services and, in the long run, that's bad bad bad for the community.

Pacific Northwest VHF 2015 Convention

I wasn't sure I wanted to go.  Boy would staying home have been a mistake this time...  

Many details to fill in here but this gets it started.

• Designing antennas with EZNEC
• DXpedition to the Falkland Islands
• More VHF activity by Kermit x9xx
• We need a contest log on line.
• xxx
• to be carefully presented to Kermit - link to page on getting the ARRL to not support ham actives on the Internet when there are Ham radio alternatives.
• Lunch
• ARRL Meeting
• Is there an Amazon Smile account for the PNW Division Scholarship Award?
• Club meeting and awards
• Prizes - X Engineering 222 MHz 10 element Rover Beam
• Prizes - Icom All Band All Mode Radio

We Need Radios - Data Radios!

We Hams need more radios..    Not big fancy expensive shortwave radios.   Not cute little cheap walkie talkies.   We need data radios.   It's the data age yet for ham radio the good stuff was on the market twenty years ago.

Options

• UHF, VHF, 50 MHz, 144 MHz, 222 MHz or 440 MHz..   We need them all!   Various bands have different rules and characterists.   Given that, 440 MHz would be the best start.
• Variable programmable frequency operation please.  Crystals are so expensive and so slow to order.   Ideally frequency could be set by program operation but that's a Want and not a Need.
• Power - not a lot, not a little..   5 watts might be low.  Couldn't go wrong with 10 watts.
• Voice and Data.   Older radios had voice modes.  That's nice but not needed.
• Examples of the past
• Kantronics D4-10   10 watts on 440 MHz.   9600 or 19200 modulation. Add programmable frequency operation and a reasonable price - this would be a break through product.  Febo Notes
• Kantronics D2-2
• MFJ 9641  (220, 144, 440)
• Ritron embedded radio - http://www.ritron.com/pdf/dtxpl.pdf
• 1200 baud support, like voice, would be nice but it shouldn't distract from the primary goal of a good reasonable speed data radio.

Other Notes

• Can any of the existing radios with 6 pin DIN data jacks support speeds higher than 9600?   For example, will the Kenwood D700 or D710 support 19200?
• Alinco single band radios with 9600 data input/output - 
• Modems for higher speed radios:
• SCS DSP Tracker TNC - 19200 G3RUH - Farallon  (free shipping and same price at HRO)
• UZ7HO Soundcard - http://uz7.ho.ua/packetradio.htm

Wetnet Brunch 26-Sept-2015

Thanks Ken for the NC@40 and NO@45 temperature switches.  Handy gizmos that I didn't even know existed.

Wetnet Brunch Report 19-Sept-2015

Brunch is always great fun - even if they had no Banana Creme Pie this week.


WSJT-X now has an auto-qso mode.   What took them so long?

Good to see our wandering ski board friend on his seemingly annual visit.

MonWyDaHoTa - no, I haven't figured out what that means either.

Learned of the Gamma Research power supply.   Special feature is that it uses capacitor technology to supply the peak current needed for a 100 W SSB or CW transceiver - but runs with much lower rated full duty cycle construction. Pricey but a small size.

  http://www.gammaresearch.net/hps-1a.html

I shared that both of the Elecraft K3S stations at Summer Gathering were using the recommended PowerWRX 12V SS-30DV supply.  It has a small size and built in power pole connectors.   Should be a lot lighter in a Go Box than a 7 A or 12 A Astron.


I brought the Dash Cam I picked up a few months ago to try and get working.  Ren shared the well done Dash Cam reviews at Techmoan.   (No - I didn't get mine working.  It keeps power cycling like it's not getting enough current.  Time to RTFM.)

The "Periscope" streaming video AP was demo'd.


It's possible to Screen share (VNC) between Mac devices - but what about Airplay screen casting?  We experimented.  No definitive answer yet.
(Update de Jeremy:  You want to use Airplay to stream your screen to someone else’s monitor?  Try Airserver: http://www.airserver.com/Mac  I’ve used it a couple of times to use a Mac laptop instead of an AppleTV off of my iPad.)

For your notes - the magic code at Jimmy Jacks is :  J..J..sGu..1

Bob has a new 820T2 RTL SDR dongle running and is now a master of signal scoping.   He claims he can't decode the 9600 APRS UHF packets by sight but I'm not sure I believe him.

It does appear that SDR#, the main SDR dongle software, is indeed supported and hosted by the Airplay folks at their site.  Many have websites on how to get started but it's still confusing and not straight forward.

Onward!

73,
Bill, WA7NWP

Pacific Northwest Things Digital

Upcoming:

• September 26 - Wetnet Brunch at Jimmy Jacks
• September 26 - Washington State Convention, Spokane Valley, Washington
• October 10,11 - Pacific Northwest VHF Conference, Issaquah, Washington

On the air:

• Monday evening at 8 PM - Puget Sound Digital Hams net - Digital Radio Fun with FLDIGI and EasyPal and FLAMP and FreeDV  On the WW7SEA machine at 444.550, tone 141.3

Groups:

• Puget Sound Digital Hams
• NWAPRS - Northwest APRS group - discussion
• NW-MESH - Yahoo group - some notes on a NW-Mesh wiki
• WETNET (SEATCP) - all things fun and digital - discussion

Resources:

• FLdigi, FLmsga, FLAMP - http://www.w1hkj.com/download.html
• FreeDV
• FSQchat
• APRS-messenger
• Winlink2K

uHams 9/15/2015

It was fun!
Art visited.
WSPR
Dickies

Discusses Close out deal on Radio Shack 10' antenna masts.  Current prices is $9.97 - the .97 is key that this is a close out.   (NWP: at $10 these masts are a good deal.  Otherwise if I was working on an antenna project I'd instead use the 10' thick wall conduit from Home Depot.  A little more money but stronger.)

Ideas for Next Time:
* Cut and tune a full wave antenna and 1/4 wave matching section.  Compare it to a dipole.  On the lawn - with an AB switch for quick testing.

MicroHams 9/15/2015 and WSPR

The online WSPR database

Who I've heard?

Who's heard me?

The WSPR map:

The old format - which uses the URL so it's easy to bake in options.

Who I've heard - old

Who's heard me - old


Rig

Tricks -

- frequency - my rig is off by 50 HZ


To do:
  Install on laptop


heard before work:
1340 -24 -1.1   7.040009  1 WB5WPA EM13 37
1340 -26 -0.7   7.040099  1 KD6RF EM22 37
1344 -27  0.3   7.040041  1 KP4MD CM98 37
1344 -13 -1.2   7.040084  1 N3XKB DM65 27
1346  -1 -2.1   7.040063  1 K7OFT CN87 37
1346   0 -0.2   7.040130  0 KK7KZ DN30 33
1348 -24 -1.0   7.040014  1 WB5WPA EM13 37
1348 -14 -1.1   7.040098  0 KR6ZY CM95 23
1352 -24 -0.6   7.040107  1 KD6RF EM22 37
1354   1 -2.1   7.040068  0 K7OFT CN87 37
1356 -22 -1.4   7.040019  0 WB5WPA EM13 37
1356  -2 -0.7   7.040137  0 KK7KZ DN30 33
1402 -23 -1.1   7.040022  1 WB5WPA EM13 37
1404   0 -2.1   7.040073  0 K7OFT CN87 37
1406 -14 -1.2   7.040058  0 NU6K CM97 37
1406  -2 -1.4   7.040141  0 KK7KZ DN30 33
1408 -20 -1.3   7.040024  1 WB5WPA EM13 37
1408 -18 -1.3   7.040108  0 KR6ZY CM95 23
1412   2 -2.1   7.040076  0 K7OFT CN87 37
1414 -20 -1.1   7.040060  0 NU6K CM97 37
1414 -23 -1.2   7.040099  0 N3XKB DM65 27
1416 -26 -1.1   7.040026  0 WB5WPA EM13 37
1416  -2 -0.3   7.040143  0 KK7KZ DN30 33
1418 -17 -1.2   7.040007  0 VK6XT OF86 37
1420   2  0.0   7.040058  0 KP4MD CM98 37
1422 -15 -1.2   7.040063  0 NU6K CM97 37
1422   2 -2.3   7.040078  0 K7OFT CN87 37
1426 -26 -1.2   7.040027  1 WB5WPA EM13 37
1426  -4 -0.8   7.040146  0 KK7KZ DN30 33
1428 -17 -1.2   7.040112  0 KR6ZY CM95 23
1430 -20 -1.2   7.040065  0 NU6K CM97 37
1430   2 -2.3   7.040080  0 K7OFT CN87 37
1432  -2  0.2   7.040061  0 KP4MD CM98 37
1434 -16 -1.6   7.040104  0 N3XKB DM65 27
1434 -25 -1.7   7.040128  0 VK2EFM QF56 27
1436 -17 -1.7   7.040013  0 VK6XT OF86 37
1436 -25 -1.7   7.040031  1 WB5WPA EM13 37
1442 -11 -1.2   7.040069  0 NU6K CM97 37
1442   2 -2.3   7.040085  0 K7OFT CN87 37
1444 -22 -1.4   7.040107  0 N3XKB DM65 27
1448 -20 -1.5   7.040119  0 KR6ZY CM95 23
1448 -10 -0.5   7.040153 -1 KK7KZ DN30 33
1450 -23 -2.0   7.040134  0 VK2EFM QF56 27
1452 -21 -1.3   7.040018  0 VK6XT OF86 37

screen:

Wetnet Brunch Report 6-Sept-2015

First things first...

  BANANA CREME PIE

Average turnout...

Bruce was using a 6 AH LiPo battery.  Looks like the idea RPI UPS.   Ordered one.  It will be interesting to see if these new-technology batteries will work in the severe winter conditions of my  unattended property monitoring project.

Reminded to pick up some personal: ID Labels from Mavericklabel

... more RSN

APRS Packet DX

On Tue, Sep 1, 2015 at 12:28 PM, Robert Bruninga via aprssig
wrote:

> Remember, and IGate is *useless* for noting *anything* about propogation

All absolute statements are wrong.  :)     There is a small chance that some unique DX packets will randomly make it through the system. This is, I would guess, what the K12 propagation website relies on.

Hopefully our next generation IS will preserve and make available dupes if only for local stations to enable better propagation studies and network management.

> To know if you received something DX via RF, you must look at your own RF log.  Bob

It's fun to pick out some DX packets...   Somewhere I saved the San Francisco region node broadcasts I received up here in the Seattle area during a similar lift a few years ago.

73
Bill, WA7NWP

SG 2015 Projects

Sound card modems

• Experiments - change by hour or 
• Different non 1200 packet
• speeds 2400, 4800, 9600
• modes - qpsk, hapn 4800
• Packet Programs 
• DireWolf - https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf
• UZ7HO (windows only) - http://uz7.ho.ua/packetradio.htm
• Thomas Sailor Original Soundmodem - http://gna.org/projects/soundmodem
• Various Modes
• Winmor and ARDOP
• FSQchat
• APRS-Messenger (MSK/PSK)
• FLDIGI - multicast modes
• WSJT-X
• Three stations
•   817+Tigertronics USB + Laptop
•   Baofeng HT + ARSrepeaters interface + RPI 2
•   X + X

Other Projects

• TCP/IP packet stations
• RPI transmitter - QRSS, WSPR, APRS
• Net Computer Game - BZFlag
• Ham Shield - kickstarter
• NW-MESH tunnels
• DRATS with FLDIGI
• 30 Meter Digital station - 3 modes on 1 frequency
• SAR-track

Wetnet Brunch Report 8-Aug-2015

Good to see Ken and Katelan...  Larry and Larry..   It was an average to better-than-average turnout.

Heidi once again keep the coffee cups full - not a trivial task..

Steve had an Ardrino Book - Arduino-for-Ham-Radio - a quick review shows some good stuff.  The article on Solar Panel monitoring alone make it worth it for me for my unattended properties monitoring project...  Author KW5GP Blog  Ham Arduino Information

Ken showed the GI.iNET router.  He reports it works well out of the box with the Microsoft USB camera.

Doug was running WSJT-X remotely at his home station.   Using Splashtop Streamer for PC and Splashtop Client for Android remote software as detailed in the latest - August  2015 - QST.
Got me hooked and I installed WSJT-X at home.  Were the bands really that bad?  (Doug says - "Yes, the bands really ARE that bad lately." )  Is my antenna really that noisy?   Both of the above?

Bob showed, and successfully flew, the $18 quad copter..   What a deal.  (Here's a link to ordering info)

John announced there will soon be an announcement...

I shared some Durian Pudding to mixed reviews...   It's an instant pudding available at most Asian food markets.  No - it doesn't have the unpleasant odoriferous qualities of the raw Durian fruit.

SalmonCon 2015

Field Day 2015

No contacts but I call Field Day this year success...   Unlike the past few years I was actively calling to make a contact or two.  Not sure what report I would have used - I'd get to that if I needed to.   The goal was to check out some equipment.

There where three goals for Field Day

1. Get the 10 meter radio out, fired up and on the air.
2. Ham MESH tunnels
3. Add 12V (or 13.8 volt Anderson Power Poles) to some of the wifi routers or Mesh nodes so they're ready to run by battery instead of power mains.

The results:

Never made it to #3 - the rewiring will have to wait for the next opportunity - probably SalmonCon

Never made it to #2 - more mesh radios have firmware loaded and ready to go but I've yet to have a chance to do tunnels.

Found the 10 meter rig.  Fired it up.  Called and called.  Never heard anybody.    Finally put the portable 817 on 28.400 and called myself.   Loud and clear.  Problem was there was no reply going back from the 2510 to the 817.   Something needs some attention.

Portable rig...   Tried out the new Buddipole hardware.  Worked well with last years acquisition.  Silly me - one power line in the yard and I ended up putting up the vertical right under it.

(to be continued.)

WSPR rides again

Nice to be back on WSPR on 40.  Looks like there's more activity in Japan then before..   Quite a few captures in the 8000+ KM range.



Timestamp Call MHz SNR Drift Grid Pwr Reporter RGrid km az
 2015-05-18 16:08 KK6RZJ 7.040087 -19 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 15:56 KP4MD 7.040119 -12 0 CM98iq 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 1003 356
 2015-05-18 15:38 KK6RZJ 7.040087 -21 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 15:32 KP4MD 7.040119 -7 0 CM98iq 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 1003 356
 2015-05-18 15:08 KK6RZJ 7.040087 -22 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 15:08 KP4MD 7.040118 -11 0 CM98iq 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 1003 356
 2015-05-18 14:56 KP4MD 7.040118 -8 0 CM98iq 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 1003 356
 2015-05-18 14:52 JH6LAV 7.040175 -24 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 14:40 JH6LAV 7.040175 -23 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 14:38 KK6RZJ 7.040087 -21 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 14:38 KP4MD 7.040118 -7 0 CM98iq 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 1003 356
 2015-05-18 14:30 JH6LAV 7.040174 -22 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 14:20 JH6LAV 7.040174 -19 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 14:12 JH6LAV 7.040174 -22 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 14:08 KK6RZJ 7.040087 -21 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 14:06 KP4MD 7.040118 -3 0 CM98iq 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 1003 356
 2015-05-18 14:00 JH6LAV 7.040174 -20 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 13:50 JH6LAV 7.040174 -21 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 13:40 KK6RZJ 7.040088 -8 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 13:40 JH6LAV 7.040173 -18 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 13:32 JG1EIQ 7.040172 -26 0 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 13:28 JH6LAV 7.040173 -16 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 13:24 JG1EIQ 7.040172 -25 0 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 13:18 JH6LAV 7.040173 -16 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 13:10 KK6RZJ 7.040088 -8 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 13:10 JH6LAV 7.040173 -16 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 13:02 JH6LAV 7.040173 -16 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 12:54 KP4MD 7.040121 -22 0 CM98iq 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 1003 356
 2015-05-18 12:50 JH6LAV 7.040173 -17 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 12:48 JG1EIQ 7.040170 -22 -1 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 12:42 JH6LAV 7.040173 -17 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 12:40 JG1EIQ 7.040171 -22 0 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 12:38 KD6RF 7.040179 -16 0 EM22lr 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 2814 314
 2015-05-18 12:34 JH6LAV 7.040173 -18 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 12:32 JG1EIQ 7.040171 -23 0 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 12:24 JH6LAV 7.040173 -16 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 12:22 KD6RF 7.040180 -18 0 EM22lr 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 2814 314
 2015-05-18 12:16 JG1EIQ 7.040171 -23 0 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 12:14 JH6LAV 7.040173 -17 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 12:10 KK6RZJ 7.040088 -8 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 12:08 JG1EIQ 7.040170 -24 1 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 12:06 KD6RF 7.040180 -13 0 EM22lr 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 2814 314
 2015-05-18 12:02 JH6LAV 7.040173 -17 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 11:56 JG1EIQ 7.040172 -23 0 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 11:54 KD6RF 7.040181 -14 0 EM22lr 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 2814 314
 2015-05-18 11:50 JH6LAV 7.040173 -17 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 11:48 JG1EIQ 7.040172 -23 0 PM74ns 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8068 43
 2015-05-18 11:40 JH6LAV 7.040173 -17 0 PM53fp 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 8450 41
 2015-05-18 11:38 KK6RZJ 7.040088 -2 0 CM87um 1 WA7NWP CN87wq 1131 1
 2015-05-18 11:36 KD6RF 7.040181 -14 0 EM22lr 5 WA7NWP CN87wq 2814 314

Three Magic Wishes for Ham Radio - 2015

> If you found an old radio (tubes of course) in a pile of junk, rescued
> it and in the act of polishing it up a magic genie appeared and
> offered you any three wishes related to Amateur Radio - what would
> they be?
>
> Hold the ideas for a few hours and let's see if anybody agrees...
> (Hams agreeing - I did say this involved magic....)



My wishes:

1.  Every ham has at least one full function RF APRS station on the air..   APRS is pretty incredible and the future potential (Packet Plan 9, HamBox, etc) is even more awesome.

2. Sane HF digital.   Separate the computers and the human operators, double (at least - it's a good start) the spectrum for the computers. Remove all 'rules' on the computers.  If it fits in the bandwidth (30 KHz?) then it's allowed.

3. I had to think about this for a bit but I finally came up with a third wish.   That's a new license class.  Add a little annual charge. No CW required - as cool as that would be.   No test either.   Fill out the form, sign your name, send in the money - you're a ham. Limited privileges of course - I'm thinking that 2 meter band only  would be good.

Ok - back to work on Plan 9...

73
Bill, WA7NWP

20145 Microhams Digital Conference notes and comments

March 21, 2015 at building 36.

add lots of good notes here...

SECN MP-02 Demo with N8GNJ

demo notes and thoughts here

After party - no pizza at Round Table but a Wetnet Geek Night dinner at Redmonds Claim Jumper.  Missed the pizza but it was a good gathering of the Wetnet group.

WT-700 Windows Tablet for $60

If nothing else it's a good way to learn Microsoft Windows 8..

Open Questions:

• Where's a tutorial?
• What is a good bluetooth mouse and keyboard to get.
• Can it be used for serial by bluetooth with the AP510 APRS Tracker?
• How would one power this full time from DC - perhaps 12V?  Would being on constant charge be some how damaging?
• Is this a good APRS client for the full time DC powered APRS emergency application I'm working on?

References:

• Purchase from MicroCenter
• Blog of Survival Guide
• WA8LMF Review and Info

Configuring Data Radios for 9600 baud

See the wiki:  (link coming soon)

Next Generation Unconnected Amateur Experimental Packet System

APRS is 20 years old and still using 25 year old technology.   What can we do different:

• Remove the scheme of hard coded paths and hops like WIDE1-1.  Instead go to a purpose coded system or better yet - just eliminate it all together.  Let the network nodes, which we used to call digipeaters, do it.   They're better, smarter and cheaper.
• These network nodes will tell the clients how to address their packets.  The system will be automatically configuring.
• Servers, and even clients, can record ALL the audio heard on the channel.  It's a minimal amount of data by todays standards.   A user on the web should be able to click on a callsign and packet and hear just how it sounds.
• Trackers (and even home stations) will take a web cam snapshot associated with every position transmission.  These will be web uploaded when bandwidth allows.  Possibly it would be a 360 degree panorama.
• No data will be directly injected into the IS infrastructure.  Only what's heard on the RF.  All stations gating from RF to IS will be keyed with a secure certificate that's created either locally or at trusted sources such as ARRL's LOTW.
• Stations may have an alternate frequency agile RF receiver such as one of the RT802 dongles.  This will allow automatic Direction Finding of on the air signals when queried by local clients.
• much more to come

AP510 Tracker

Better all the time.   Radio, GPS, TNC, memory, thermometer, etc etc.   All for around $100 with Amazon Prime shipping.

Perhaps this will be the Ham Radio side of the Montana Lander...


2015-2-7  AP510 arrived at Zeus.  Downloaded files from the Yahoo group.  Watched helpful 9 minute video by Eric/KI4xxx - on how to configure hardware and software.
   *

Alternate download location for AP510 files

2015-2-8 Watched video again.  First pass at configuration.  Fortunately there were no issue on DLL's or serial drivers with my dated Vista laptop.

Visited 8GNJ - helped him set up his AP510.  His went fine - mine started acting weird.

Reinstalled Firmware in mine.  Now it's happy and acting normally.

2015-2-9 It's running.  Light turned solid blue for the first time while sitting on the car's dash.  Apparently that indicates GPS lock.   Note to self.  Beacons and beeps every 15 seconds is a bit much.  Reconfigure tonight to turn off beep and set transmission to nice sane 2 minutes.

2015-2-10  Reconfigured.  Changed SSID from -4 to -5 to be in sync with Herb.  The -5 is for 510..  Set beacon time to 125 seconds.  Turned off the beep.   Next time - turn off MIC-E to see what it looks like.  MIC-E is much shorter which is a good thing but we're curious how the packets are going to look.

All the Audio

We have big CPU's and bigger hard disks.  There's no reason today to not record (compressed) ALL the audio from a data channel.  In particular - APRS - with its wide mix of stations and applications.

Here's a twist on the web pages - instead of "Map Me" how about - play back what my packets sound.

APRSTT - Touch Tones

Using touch tones to do APRS:

• http://www.aprs.org/aprstt.html
• http://www.aprs.org/aprstt/aprstt-v.txt - the spec
• https://www.tapr.org/pdf/DCC2010-APRSSpeak-KA2UPW.pdf - implementation
• http://info.aprs.net/index.php?title=APRStt - the APRS wiki

Touch tones?   Why not use voice input?  As long as a raspberry pi has Internet access to Google, it should be fairly straight forward to replace the touch touch responses with speech commands.

http://www.raspberrypi.org/meet-jasper-open-source-voice-computing/