It does, or do have most of the info already stored in the user phrases What I was looking for was sending the message to ALL.

I would them in the message text past the appropriate user phrase (F key -->x, where x is the user phrase.

There is a good pass tomorrow about 1130 mst/2830 UT. I'll take an early lunch and see if anyone answers. I'll be in DM43

73

Rick Tejera K7TEJ Saguaro Astronomy Club www.SaguaroAstro.org Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club www.w7tbc.org

On April 20, 2016, at 20:27, "Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)" amsat-bb@wd9ewk.net wrote:

Rick,

On my TH-D72A, there are a couple of options for sending a CQ call. First, a few settings need for the HT to be heard through the ISS or NO-84 packet digipeater...

Status Text: I use message number 1 with TX rate 1/1, and I use "WD9EWK and VA7EWK" as the text. The TX rate determines how often this text is transmitted, and 1/1 means everytime your HT transmits your location, this text will also go out with that. You could use something like "CQ de K7TEJ" or something like that to draw attention to yourself. Since I use my HT on both the spaceborne digipeaters and the terrestrial APRS network, I don't normally want to have a CQ call in that text field. Sometimes I will replace the "and VA7EWK" with other text if I am at a hamfest or on a trip, or I'll turn it into something like "WD9EWK and VA7EWK - 2016 World Tour". :-)

You can store up to 5 different status text messages, and then select different messages for different situations. You could have a CQ call in one, another message with something like your e-mail address or the repeater you're listening to in another, etc. I just use the first status text message, and change it as needed.

TX Beacon: Method is Auto, Initial Interval is 1 minute.

Packet Path: Type is Others, PATH is ARISS - this will work for the ISS and NO-84 when its 145.825 MHz digipeater is on, and then you can change the Type value to New-N when you are using the HT on the terrestrial APRS network instead of a spaceborne digipeater.

You can either rely on the HT to beacon at that interval you set in the TX Beacon value, or you can press F followed by BCON (the 6 key) to send a beacon on demand. Or press BCON to remove BCON from the display, and then press BCON again to reenable the HT's beacon.

An alternative to using the Status Text and TX Beacon to make your CQ calls would be to use an APRS message sent to ALL, and then type in a CQ call like "CQ de K7TEJ". You could just put something like "K7TEJ looking for a call", hoping a live operator in the footprint will pick up on something different coming from the digipeater. APRS messages are normally sent out once a minute over a 5-minute period, or you can go into the MSG (press the 4 key) menu and force an APRS message to be retransmitted on demand. This might be useful, if you see your HT transmit but don't see something like "My Message" or "My Message via ... " to indicate your HT heard the message being retransmitted by the spaceborne digipeater.

I don't worry about an explicit CQ call when I work these digipeaters. I transmit my location and status text to show up on the digipeater, and then try to send APRS messages to other call signs I see on my HT's screen. I updated the instructions I have on my QRZ.com page on how I work the ISS and NO-84 digipeaters, asking stations to contact me via APRS messages when they see WD9EWK-9. Otherwise, freeform text sent from another station isn't shown or stored on the HT - just the call sign.

Hope that helps. 73!

Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK

On Wed, Apr 20, 2016 at 11:58 PM, Rick Tejera saguaroastro@cox.net wrote:

Patrick,

When sending a CQ message, What call sign would you send to? I get how to respond with user phrases or position comments, but how do you get that first CQ out to whoever is listening?

Rick Tejera (K7TEJ)

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