It does not appear to be transmitting via amateur radio
... I have a lot to learn on this subject! If I’m understanding correctly, while it’s true that the station who uploaded KD4KOY-11’s info to the APRS network was indeed TCPIP-only, I was under the impression that he received the packet FROM the balloon via radio.
For example, the most recent contact is pasted below. Am I correct to assume that KD4KOY-11 transmitted via radio and was digipeated by W4YSB and iGated to the greater APRS network by WD4LSS (who used an internet connection to do so)?
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KD4KOY-11>CQ via W4YSB*,WIDE2-2,qAR,WD4LSS (good)
WD4LSS>APU25N via TCPIP*,qAC,T2TEXAS
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Understanding all this is of particular interest to me because this is exactly how I iGate packets digipeated via the ISS... I receive via RF (an SDR on a Rasp-Pi) and use an internet connection to forward what I receive to APRS after it’s decoded by the direwolf application.
Thanks all.
-Scott
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From: Tom Karickhoff Sent: Monday, December 26, 2016 1:21 PM To: Paul Andrews Cc: Scott ; amsat-bb Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Another Balloon - what frequency?
2016-12-26 12:08:29 CST: W4DEX>APU25N,TCPIP*,qAC,SEVENTH:>261807zDX: KP2L-5 33.24.71N 81.38.26W 145.9 miles 210<0xf8> 12:57
The packets I am seeing on APRS.fi look like W4DEX is using UIview32 to send the packets directly to the APRS-IS network via an internet connection. Possibly via a cell phone data connection. It does not appear to be transmitting via amateur radio.
On Mon, Dec 26, 2016 at 12:36 PM, Paul Andrews w2hro.fn20@gmail.com wrote:
Scott,
I have 2 x XP28 yagis and I will look for this balloon radio as it moves northeast towards FN20.
I should be able to hear it. I'll look for APRS W4DEX. I am receive only for APRS.
HNY - 73 - Paul - W2HRO
On Mon, Dec 26, 2016 at 12:24 PM, Scott scott23192@gmail.com wrote:
Hope everyone had a nice Christmas.
I see that there is another balloon headed my way:
https://tracker.habhub.org/#!mt=roadmap&mz=6&qm=1_day&mc=37.1315...
... and on the side legend it indicates "Received 1h 56m ago via: APRS, W4DEX".
I have searched but cannot find what frequency this thing might be on. Since APRS is indicated, that would be 144.39 in this part of the world but it could also be using something like 145.825 and be picked up by iGates configured to receive the previously-used ISS packet traffic on VHF.
I'm usually fairly decent at finding things on Google, but no luck so far with this. Would anyone more familiar with balloon tracking possibly point me in the right direction?
Thanks!
-Scott, K4KDR Montpelier, VA USA twitter: scott23192