APRS

[ac5de]

I was just wondering if anyone has a set protocal for how often an APRS station should beacon? #Does the ARRL have a gentlemens agreement devised? #I have seen some suggestions by various groups. #When I first started running APRS while criss-crossing the country in an 18 wheeler it was sometimes hard to get a message out because of the lack of digipeaters. #Now it seems it is hard to get a message out because of all the digipeaters and WX stations beaconning so often. I also see some call signs running multiple stations, #I presume for WX, or maybe tracking the kids' car? # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[WS2L]

I have mine set up at home and beacon every 20 minutes.

I'm not sure about mobile but I believe hams in my area beacon every 5 minutes.

[KC9ECI]

When I have mine runnning, I beacon once ever half hour when stationary, and once every 3 minutes if I'm moving more than 60MPH and more often based on a certain change in degree of heading.

[KD6NIG]

Like ECI. I use a Tinytrak. It beacons more if there are lot of turns, but straight and over 45 and its every 4 minutes.

I have a weather station too, but send the data over the internet to reduce congestion every 5 minutes.

If not moving, mine are set to every 10 minutes, but I also have a automatic shutoff switch that, once the voltage drops below 12.8 volts (ie, once you turn the vehicle off) kills power to the APRS after 20 minutes. So I park, fire off one or 2 beacons at 0 mph, then it turns off. It comes right back on when I restart the vehicle. This is in one of my vehicles, I'm getting one for the other soon.

The other one reverts to every 30 minutes when stopped. I'll switch it to the setup above once I get another cutoff switch.

I also know some people say to use no more than 25W, I run 10 on each of mine. I know of a few using more than that though-they obliterate everyone. I won't name any names, but some people think running whatever the radio is capable of is the only way http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Stationary- abt 30-45 min.
Mobile-depends, you can beacon by time or by the mile.

i beacon evry 30 min.

[KC9ECI]

I use an HT in a box under the seat so 5W max...I'm even QRP when running APRS.

[kc7gnm]

I beacon once a min in the mobile. I am running a Kenwood D-700. The APRS is turned off when stationary. At my home station I run an internet gateway for APRS and it beacons on the RF side once an hour. It runs UIView32 and works great.

[KB3LIX]

I've never messed with APRS, and am unlikely to do so for the simple reason, it seems like we are inviting BIG BROTHER to keep track of us and giving HIM the tools to accomplish the task.

[wa9cwx]

Man, Big B don't need our help.....

Cell phones, credit cards, now, RFID tags......

It is now officially impossible to get lost.

[KC9ECI]

Quote[/b] (KB3LIX @ June 02 2007,19:19)]I've never messed with APRS, and am unlikely to do so for the simple reason, it seems like we are inviting BIG BROTHER to keep track of us and giving HIM the tools to accomplish the task.
He'll find that I lead a pretty dull life.

[ne3r]

I never ran APRS mobile, I hope to in the future, I figure once every 10 minutes or so would be fine. At home, when I actaully have it running, I think I have it set to once every 15 mintues. The digi only hears about 1/2 of my packets though.

[KC5SAS]

I beacon through my Kenwood TM-D700 every 2 minutes or 2 miles while mobile. It's turned off when the car's not running. # At home we run APRS on the computer using UI-View under my Lady's callsign. The home station beacons every 30 minutes.#I have a 100mile commute to work and back so she keeps track of me via APRS and we use the Text messaging quite often.

[k6jpd]

are you hearing them direct, or just repeated.... #APRS,WIDE3-3,RELAY

[w4pjh]

Just curious here, as I konw nothing about APRS except what it does, but, why would you have it on a fixed station? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[KD6NIG]

Quote[/b] (w4pjh @ June 03 2007,09:36)]Just curious here, as I konw nothing about APRS except what it does, but, why would you have it on a fixed station? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Some people look at it when they make a DX contact to get a 'visual idea' of where someone is.

They set these to send out every few hours to keep sites like UI-View fresh.

Instead of doing that, I have my Weather Station set as "KD6NIG". If you did a search on it, it would also show my home location. Some people don't have weather stations but still want to have the home QTH "mapped" so to speak.


Some people do this with repeaters for the same purpose. There are some hams that will map events such as earthquakes with data on it for 24 hours. When the fire happened near the bay bridge and there was the collapsed overpasses, someone plotted that also with a link to current information for it.

So there are various things they do that for.

[kc7gnm]

Quote[/b] (k6jpd @ June 03 2007,07:30)]are you hearing them direct, or just repeated.... APRS,WIDE3-3,RELAY
Relay should not be used at all and should not be any higher than WIDE2-2. That is the new N-Paradigm

[kc7mrq]

I follow the published parameters for my area on this site.

Northwest APRS (www.nwaprs.info)

[kc7gnm]

Quote[/b] (kc7mrq @ June 04 2007,13:43)]I follow the published parameters for my area on this site.

Northwest APRS (www.nwaprs.info)
Your link is broke.

[N7RJD]

Mine beacons every minute but we don't have a real congested digipeater system out here and I keep it set to a fairly narrow path. I don't figure too many people on either coast really care if I am much less where I am.

My 14 year old likes to keep track of where I am on Sundays when I head home for a couple of days. I figure at this time she shows interest in becoming licensed but is at a "lazy" stage and not ready to work for it. I use APRS as a means of keeping her interest alive until she is ready to work toward her license.

[N7RJD]

Quote[/b] (kc7gnm @ June 04 2007,04:21)]Quote[/b] (kc7mrq @ June 04 2007,13:43)]I follow the published parameters for my area on this site.

Northwest APRS (www.nwaprs.info)
Your link is broke.
Try this one.

Northwest APRS (http://www.nwaprs.info)

great club is NEKSUN, it is North Eastern Kansas ARC joined with the Sunflower Interlink systems. GREAT GREAT club. They set up Digis all over midwest. They are why you can get APRS coverage in EVERY county in KANSAS!!!! As well as most counties in Missouri.
I have previously helped with some of their voice repeaters and have yet to work on the digis. #
The Digis are K0SUN and voice repeaters K0HAM. AMAZING repeaters, awesome coverage.
Great sites for hams new to APRS are
www.k0ham.com #
www.kcaprs.org

[k6jpd]

Quote[/b] (kc7gnm @ June 04 2007,10:07)]Quote[/b] (k6jpd @ June 03 2007,07:30)]are you hearing them direct, or just repeated.... #APRS,WIDE3-3,RELAY
Relay should not be used at all and should not be any higher than WIDE2-2. That is the new N-Paradigm
[QUOTE]

yes, GREG, that was my point. i guess i forgot to put the http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif icon after it http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[ac5de]

I seem to have gotten some interest in the subject. #I remember reading that some organization in north Texas suggested that a moble beacon every 5 minutes if I remember correctly and a base or digi every thirty minutes. #I presently beacon in my P\U every five minutes. #On a long trip I would go 10 minutes. #I used to drive 18 wheeler and it was a great way for my family to keep track of me. #(The maps were not detailed enough to show the truck parked in front of Debbie does Doughnuts.) #I was just curious because it seems that at times I have a hard time sending a text message to other APRS stations and that my D700A screen just keeps popping up other stations, and I see alot of repeats. #It is a fun part of amateur radio and can be a great aide to event and emergency communications. #Thanks for the response and keep em' coming. #Mark # # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[n9lya]

Quote[/b] (w4pjh @ June 03 2007,04:36)]Just curious here, as I konw nothing about APRS except what it does, but, why would you have it on a fixed station? #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Stationary... Well here I have a PC setup with a KPC-3 and VWS Wx software and APRS+SA... Not only does it show where my WX stations is (non moving of course) APRS+SA allows me to see where all other stations are... MAPPING...

I would have a hard time understanding if there were NO Stationary APRS Sites.. As with out anyone looking at mapping data.. What good is all that data..

I also have two trackers mobile...

Yes APRS is getting busy in some areas.. Maybe they should port some of the traffic to another freq... ie 440http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?

73 jerry

73 jerry

[K0RGR]

We have a pretty active group here on APRS. It was nice to see that info from the group in Kansas - I suspect I know now where some of the coverage I find in southwest Iowa comes from.

I normally beacon every 5 minutes, but for special events they want us to beacon every minute or even every 30 seconds.