A frugal approach to portable space APRS ops
Good evening,
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been "experimenting” by using an Icom IC-2820h, an Elk Antenna, a Mobilinkd Bluetooth TNC and APRSDroid on my phone, to work the International Space Station digipeater (and PSat). I am happy to report that it works! I have made several contacts, some that have provided me with new grid squares.
Besides the radio, the rest of the setup can be a budget friendly alternative to $500+ APRS-ready equipment. The Mobillinkd TNC, plus cables, can be obtained for less than $100 dollars. I prefer the Icom transceiver due to local RF sources that overwhelm the front end of cheap Chinese handheld radios. I am positive that better handheld devices will work just fine. The TNC is connected to the radio via the audio or data port and connects to the Android device via Bluetooth. The 2820h uses a DIN6 connector cable, compatible with other radios such as the Yaesu FT-817 and 857.
APRSDroid acts as the main interface and has features that you will find on an APRS radio. Just enter the correct path and you will be able to work terrestrial and space APRS.
The TNC can also be connected to your Bluetooth capable computer (dongles will work). I tried it with UISS and AGWPE and it worked perfectly.
Today, I was able to work a simultaneous ISS and PSAT pass and heard packets from both spacecrafts. I saw messages from stations from Canada to Mexico and worked WD9EWK in Phoenix, 259 km north of my QTH. I also heard double-hop packets from K5UBQ in Texas and XE2OCM in Monterrey, Mexico.
73! Fernando, NP4JV
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On Wed, Jun 22, 2016 at 10:24 PM, Fernando Ramirez framirezferrer@gmail.com wrote:
Besides the radio, the rest of the setup can be a budget friendly alternative to $500+ APRS-ready equipment. The Mobillinkd TNC, plus cables, can be obtained for less than $100 dollars. I prefer the Icom transceiver due to local RF sources that overwhelm the front end of cheap Chinese handheld radios. I am positive that better handheld devices will work just fine. The TNC is connected to the radio via the audio or data port and connects to the Android device via Bluetooth. The 2820h uses a DIN6 connector cable, compatible with other radios such as the Yaesu FT-817 and 857.
I have an iPhone (and an iPad) and saw what Mobillinkd said on their page about iOS, but a quick run through Amazon shows MANY Android tablets, with Bluetooth, for well under $100. Even under $50.
You mentioned AGWPE and UISS - those don't run on Android, do they?
Peter,
There are some inexpensive 7- to 11-inch tablets running Windows. I use some for my SDR receivers as part of my portable satellite stations. There are more software options for Windows than iOS or Android. I have HP and WinBook tablets with Windows 10, which started with Windows 8.1, that work with a FUNcube Dongle Pro+ and SDRplay SDR receivers. I normally use HDSDR with the SDR receivers , but there are other programs you can run. I haven't done packet on the tablets, but that's on the perpetual to-do list.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitrer: @WD9EWK
On Wednesday, June 22, 2016, Peter Laws <plaws0@gmail.com javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','plaws0@gmail.com');> wrote:
I have an iPhone (and an iPad) and saw what Mobillinkd said on their page about iOS, but a quick run through Amazon shows MANY Android tablets, with Bluetooth, for well under $100. Even under $50.
You mentioned AGWPE and UISS - those don't run on Android, do they?
-- Peter Laws | N5UWY | plaws plaws net | Travel by Train!
Hi Peter!
A cheap Android tablet should work fine. I use my old LG G2 smartphone or a Nexus 7 (2013) for APRSDroid.
UISS an AWGPE are PC only software. I haven’t tried but with a Windows tablet you might be able to install them and use it with the TNC. The Mobilinkd talks to AWGPE and then AWG connects to UISS. There is always the sound modem approach when using a Windows device. Again, pure speculation since I have not tried that.
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From: Peter Laws
I use the mobilinkd tnc, and aprsdroid, on a motorola phone purchased (and not activated) for $10 (including shipping). Works great and I've used it with an elk (and in my case the UV-5R) to work ISS passes. Combined with a homebrew antenna, I assert it's the cheapest possible APRS sat setup :) Rob KA2CZU
On Thursday, June 23, 2016 12:02 AM, Peter Laws plaws0@gmail.com wrote:
On Wed, Jun 22, 2016 at 10:24 PM, Fernando Ramirez framirezferrer@gmail.com wrote:
Besides the radio, the rest of the setup can be a budget friendly alternative to $500+ APRS-ready equipment. The Mobillinkd TNC, plus cables, can be obtained for less than $100 dollars. I prefer the Icom transceiver due to local RF sources that overwhelm the front end of cheap Chinese handheld radios. I am positive that better handheld devices will work just fine. The TNC is connected to the radio via the audio or data port and connects to the Android device via Bluetooth. The 2820h uses a DIN6 connector cable, compatible with other radios such as the Yaesu FT-817 and 857.
I have an iPhone (and an iPad) and saw what Mobillinkd said on their page about iOS, but a quick run through Amazon shows MANY Android tablets, with Bluetooth, for well under $100. Even under $50.
You mentioned AGWPE and UISS - those don't run on Android, do they?
participants (4)
-
Fernando Ramirez -
Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) -
Peter Laws -
Robert Switzer