| APRS/CE is a richly featured APRS software package for WindowsCE and especially the PocketPC, Maps are plentiful as it works with DOSAPRS, PocketAPRS (for the Palm) and MacAPRS maps offering an exceptionally compact APRS installation. Combine this with a Kenwood D700 mobile (with APRS in ROM) or THD7 handheld or an infrared linked mobile phone for APRS access everywhere! (well, nearly)   I use a Cassiopeia E115 which uses the MIPS processor- and is a little slow by later standards. Speed is not an issue with APRSCE however. PocketPC software is distributed in multi-processor compatible archives, so the file you download looks huge, but is only selectively installed. Later PocketPCs all use the same (faster) StrongArm processor so this problem will lessen. APRS/CE was released as sharware in January 2003 APRS/CE is available from http://www.tapr.org/software_library.php?dir=/aprssig/wince/v102 and there is a small discussion group for amateur radio Pocket PC software on mailto:hampocket-subscribe@yahoogroups.com |
| I had not properly got APRS/CE to talk with my TINY-2 tnc running firmware v5. I susepct it's sending a contol code that the TINY2 doesn't like. However with the THD7 the following init file works well. Im just starting with the
full version which may make the following redundant.
THD7 Init file for APRS/CE AWlen 8 BBSMsgs ON B E 0 LOC E 0 Echo off FLow off AUTOLF off MCOM off MON ON MRPt on PACLen 128 HBAUD 1200 GBAUD 4800 GPSTEXT $GPRMC LTMH OFF LTM 10 GPS AND TNC connection supported The Kenwood THD7 when in TNC (not APRS) mode still processes GPS data from its GPS socket and then feeds it to the PC - so APRS/CE takes its positional data from the GPS VIA the kenwood TNC. Very clever stuff and only needs one port to feed the TNC and listen to the GPS! When connecting the THD7 to the PocketPC (in my case a Cassiopeia E-115) you need a serial cable for the Cassiopeia - and then pass that through a null-modem adaptor and connect it to the same cable you use for programming the THD7 on a PC.  The above screen grab shows a station listing that built up whilst the Kenwood monitored the main station at GW0TQM with its digipeater enabled. Clearly a digipeater covering a special event, or a radio rally will feed more local signals straight to this portable station.  APRS comes into its own when you can view activity on a map. Especially when that map can be zoomed out.... If you look top right on the map you can see lines representing 30, 170 and 13000 km respectively!   |
You can see the effects of local IGATES on activity by looking at this
PocketPC screenshot And with the stylus interface of the PocketPC messages can be 'written' and sent over thousands of miles (in this case via an InternetGATE) all seamlessly.  But mainly, APRS is for tracking ... here I am on my way home, recorded by leaving the THD7 and PocketPC on the back seat of the car whilst it beaconed its location between Wrexham and Mold.  |
APRS/CE without a tranceiver?If you are travelling to a location where there is no APRS activity, never fear. A battery operated modem and a PocketPC with APRS/CE and you can dial into the APRS servers and access Igate traffic that way! I tested APRS/CE out sitting by the telephone connection in the hall way here - and exchanged messages with a station twenty miles from here - but it could 00 miles as it was via www.aprs.net. Some final screen shots of purely internet generated traffic from ten minutes this evening on www.aprs.net.   and how about one 'life size?'  |
 |
This RingSurf APRS Webring Net Ring owned by Carl GW0TQM. [ Skip Next | Next 5 | Random | List Sites | Join] |
|
