Which Mobile HAM for APRS

[brien]

@Dtyo by the way, if you use the number pad on your mic to enter characters, you can get fairly fast at entering messages after a bit of practice. the [C] button is the "next character" button, and you don't need to press it unless you need to do two letters in a row that are on the same button. So you type "hello" you just press:

44 33 555 C 555 666
H__E__L____L__O

 

[Dtyo]

@brien Doh! I didn’t even think of using the mic!!! Lots to learn!

Thanks,

Dan

 

[MonkeyProof]

Looks like you already picked up a Yaesu FTM-400XDR, but i'll put a plug in for a different radio for those looking for the same advice you were:

The 400XDR is a great radio and does APRS, but if you want the absolute most full featured APRS radio, consider looking at the Kenwood TM-D710G. It will run you anywhere between $40-100 more than the Yaesu, but has more APRS capabilities and a wider receive range. It also has an actual built-in TNC unlike the Yaesu, this means you can connect your computer/tablet to it for packet data like APRS or a BBS. The TM-D710G can also act as a digipeater. Additionally, you can connect it to a weather station to send out weather packets on APRS. You can have all the received APRS packets sent to an external device through a COM connection and (i think) even via the GPS in/out connection - with this you can set up an external device to show APRS mobile stations and such on a map on a tablet or laptop - or connect it to APRSDroid or similar. There's also a few known modifications to the D710 that allow you to open up the TX range (for emergency situations) and even connect a keyboard for faster APRS message entry. Kenwood also sells a voice plugin module that will read new APRS messages out loud when you when they are received among other things, like 30 second playback buffer.

Aside from the additional APRS/TNC features in the Kenwood, the two radios offer all the same other features - dual band, cross-band repeat, loads of memory slots, etc.

Anyway, they are both great radios, and I had a hard time deciding between the two when I was shopping, but the additional APRS features and the build in TNC sealed the deal for me. My main use cases (aside from, you know, talking on 2m) were to be able to use APRS grouping (to filter packets when i'm in a convoy), send SMS messages and emails from my rig to give updates from very remote places. Things like "I made it to camp", "Mechanical issue, will be home a day later", etc. And the built-in TNC will allow me to connect my laptop/table for more advanced packet radio uses

I've read rumors here and there of a keyboard that may work with the D-710 but I am unable to actually locate one. Perhaps you can point me into the right direction.

 

[brien]

I've read rumors here and there of a keyboard that may work with the D-710 but I am unable to actually locate one. Perhaps you can point me into the right direction.

Unfortunately, there's not a plug-and-play keyboard adapter or anything, but there is a guy who did a proof of concept tapping into the mic cable and using a pulse counter/generator and some other little electronic bits to convert keyboard presses into pulses that can mimic button presses on the handset. It's definitely a DIY project that will take a bit of electronics know-how to implement. I plan on giving it a shot at some point because I like wasting enormous amounts of time on that kinda stuff (see my talk about hacking my vehicles CAN bus), but I've also come to the conclusion that it's probably easier and faster to just get good at "typing" with the mic handset keypad. I've got decently fast to where I can "type out" an APRS message in well under a minute for the most part. Obviously, nothing I'd be able to do while actually driving the vehicle since it takes quite a bit of focus and hunting/pecking on the keypad.

Here's the blog post from this guy Shane Burrell who came up with the original proof of concept
http://www.shaneburrell.com/2012/05/09/pulse-counters-the-kenwood-tm-d710a-keyboard-hack/

 

[Prerunner1982]

My tablet is easy to type messages on...

 

[brien]

My tablet is easy to type messages on...

Yep, there's always the option of hooking up a table/phone/computer and composing APRS messages through that to send via the radio. (see my earlier post in this thread)

 

[Citizen Rob]

You guys are seriously the biggest detriment to my bank account... I thought I was set on the Yaesu until I just read about the Kenwood and its capabilities...