I got ahold of a Micro Trak AIO (all in one) APRS Tracker from Byonics. I've strapped it to the back of my BMW F800R for a test ride through California's gold country. Join me on my first motovlog and intro to the world of APRS as I review this portable APRS device.
Just a suggestion but you might want to try a different audio option. Speakers cranked all the way and still barely audible except for obviously the intro to the video. Once you put the helmet on you were gone (audio wise)
Odd, it's loud on my computer. Why would anyone buy one of these Micro Trak AIO's when for almost the same money they can buy an APRS portable and put it in a water proof box? $270 for a little plastic box and a few electronic components, no thanks. And it runs on AA's instead of a rechargeable lithium battery. Get a Yaesu FT-1XDR, for $300, it's dual band and does digital and APRS too. I like the video though.
Try listening in the right side channel. Sounded perfect here on the computer. What are you watching on?
Hi Bob, I have an AIO and a regular Byonics Tracker for the mobile. You didn't show the track from your ride. It is hard to tell what call/ssid you were using for the video. Not enough APRS and too much bike. 73, Larry WB8LBZ wb8lbz-3, wb8lbz-5 and wb8lbz-9(AIO) as I type this.
Was at work and using headphones. What's odd was that the audio cutout as soon as you jumped on the bike. My laptop at home it works fine.
The AIO was designed for SAR teams but has more uses than that. Why choose an AIO over a handi-talkie in a box? Good question. First, double the power output of a portable. Second, it will run for a week on one set of AA batteries, longer with a longer transmission interval, and the batteries can be thrown away and replaced in the field, so you are not dependent on a charger. Third, It will survive Ham-handedness that a portable radio would never tolerate. They have survived falls from high altitude from thousands of feet without parachutes in HAB payloads ( Since unlike a walkie- talkie, these can have an optional high altitude GPS good to 84 KM altitude) The AIO has survived in racing boats capsized and sunk in 30 feet of water and came back up operational. These have only two controls. Power and a two channel selector switch, no single button push is going to take you off the air, like a handi-talkie can. Also, if you toast your Yeasu radio, what do you think your chances of getting Yaesu to repair it for free or the cost of parts? Zero. Not so with the AIO. We know it is for people involved in life and death situations, and take this seriously. If we can repair them, we will. Just ask our customers. Not everyone needs an AIO ( Its not even our best selling product, which is the cheaper and more powerful MT-RTG tracker combo http://byonics.com/mt-rtg) You need an AIO if you are doing long deployments in bad country and bad weather. If you are running the SAG wagon at a public event, your APRS portable may be fine, but you generally don't leave civilization, and help is relatively close by, so you can call 911. The AIO is for the guys who answer the 911 calls.
Byonics is popular with the near-space crowd. The problem with HT's is that the do too much. I had a TT4, worked well, just that nobody in South Florida was on APRS. Kind of lonely and the APRS repeater admin was not a fan of APRS or anything digital. South Florida (Dade County) is Baofeng country. 73 AF4RK The problem with HT"s is that they do too much. I had a Byonics TT4, worked well. you don't have to deal with literally dozens of irrelevant menus. I have 3 HT's. One of them, an older Icom, was dedicated to APRS use. Byonics is popular with the hams who send up balloons to near-space because it's a dedicated system. I knew one photographer who trusted a very expensive camera to a Byonics based retrieval system. I believe he used the system shown in the video. 73 AF4RK
OK, I'm impressed. BTW, I was a communications Officer for S&R, I also have mountain and wilderness survival training, but that was a long time ago. I was also a Police Officer.
Byonics offers superior products as well as support as I am a current owner of a TinkTrak4!!! And it's rocks!!
Fine video. APRS is fun to do, and here in the crowded Netherlands it works like a charm. I'm using it in my classic car and doing 2 hobbies at the same time (BMW2002 and kenwood TM-D700e) Next test i like to try how it goes on a ride with my BMW F800gs on the dutch roads, a local ham has a Pico APRS, so i need to borrow it from him 73 Eric, PE1RLF
Not necessarily so. Among my HTs, I have a Baofeng UV-6. It has two twist knobs on top; one for selecting one of 16 channelized frequencies, and another for power/volume. The only buttons to press are the PTT, Function, and Moni buttons, which are easy to avoid pressing. The Function button only does something if it's programmed to. I don't program it. There are no menus to choose from, and no display. If I'm worried about accidentally switching frequencies, I can program all 16 channels to the same. Then, practically speaking, I'm down to just one knob to deal with. I don't consider such a simple user interface as doing too much. For APRS, I connect the UV-6 to a Mobilinkd TNC, and pair it to an old Android phone that has no service. All of the above would probably fit in the same Pelican case. Considering I already had the otherwise obsolete phone, I had to cough up less than $110, including shipping, to get set up. Whereas the AIO is only a tracker, I can use my gear to send and receive text messages, which can be very valuable for search and rescue, or explaining to your spouse why the tracker says you're down at Joe's Bar and Grill instead of picking the kids up from school. 73, AG6ZZ
