Hey All, Here is a tutorial video on the Yaesu FTM 400 XDR and how to get started on APRS. I did my best to cover the basics including beacons, tracking and messaging. There are many more features and settings that I plan to cover in an advanced video. Please let me know if this is helping anybody or if you have suggestions on future content. Thanks, KC1BXX
Here's a few tips that i copied from the creator of APRS, Bob Bruninga's website. aprs.org APRS Operations Tip: There are several different ways to optimize your APRS mobile operations depending on the immediate situation. One way to rapidly select between them without having to go through menu's is to simply program several radio channels with the different settings. The beauty of these channel suggestions is that you can always leave the speaker volume turned up on the APRS data band and can move between full audio monitoring, to Voice Alert, or to complete silence simply by changing channels. For the Voice Alert to always be functional and not miss a call, operators should never have their APRS band volume turned down. Instead, they can silence the speaker in the presence of lots of voice alert stations by selecting the APRSmute channel. APRS is not a vehicle tracking system. It is a two-way tactical real-time digital communications system between all assets in a network sharing information about everything going on in the local area. On ham radio, this means if something is happening now, or there is information that could be valuable to you, then it should show up on your APRS radio in your mobile. See typical oversights and hear my talk on the 3 Oct 08 Rain Report See also some original APRSdos views and concepts overlooked in some new programs. I also recommend instead of timed beacons for a mobile to use Smart beaconing http://info.aprs.net/index.php?title=SmartBeaconing "Rather than simply beacon at a fixed rate, they created an algorithm that would beacon at a slow rate when the unit was sitting still, and beacon at a faster rate when the unit was moving. " Also check out this link which is a great write up on how APRS messaging works. http://aprsisce.wikidot.com/doc:aprs-messaging-explained These are the most general tips I can give without going too in-depth.
Thanks for the notes Greg. I actually learned of the APRS mute functions after I made the video. I plan on doing another in depth video in the near future covering more functions.
