APRS

[Obh]

Finally get a chance to post this up. Tried again yesterday but the power went out. Anyone using APRS (automatic packet reporting system) and is so, what is your use case?

While not completely decentralized (unless line of sight), APRS lets you send short messages, emails, position data, and status out. It's useful to me to send my wife a quick text and let her know the power went out, but this relies on an iGate (internet connected gateway) to hand off the text. I can do the same thing via email with winlink, but this still requires the winlink node to have an internet connection.

APRS is not store and go, unless you use "MAIL", but that requires internet to be up to function. So if someone sends me a message that isn't "MAIL", the only way to get that message is to be monitoring the frequency, otherwise, its gone forever.

For "our" application, APRS can be used to send short messages to each other, it doesn't need to be on the APRS calling frequency (144.390). Without something to decode the message, its just going to sound like digital noise. If a local MAG established a check in window, we'd be able to see each others messages.

There are a few radios that do APRS natively. I have the FTM-500 and with digirig, I can use any radio that I have a digirig cable for.

[JohnyMac]

This is AWESOME Obh! Thank you

Looking for comments from the group. 

[Jackalope]

I have several radios that can do APRS, mostly portables, like a FT-5DR and a TH-D75A.  We, my XYL and I use them mostly for tracking, when one of us is out of town, which requires an internet connection.  We haven?t tried messaging yet.  She received a FT-70DR for Christmas, so at this point, she?s still learning about Yaesu System Fusion.  We?re both learning, one step at a time.

[Obh]

I have several radios that can do APRS, mostly portables, like a FT-5DR and a TH-D75A.  We, my XYL and I use them mostly for tracking, when one of us is out of town, which requires an internet connection.  We haven?t tried messaging yet.  She received a FT-70DR for Christmas, so at this point, she?s still learning about Yaesu System Fusion.  We?re both learning, one step at a time.

http://www.summitares.org/reference/APRS_Message_help_sheet.pdf - pretty good "cheat sheet" for APRS commands.

C4FM up by me is pretty pointless, no repeaters for it and I'm not a fan of using a hotspot. I do use it simplex with my cousin when driving. Unless someone else has yaesu digital enabled, they won't hear anything.

[Jackalope]

We actually have a couple of Yaesu Fusion repeaters locally.  Of all of the digital vhf modes, it?s by far the easiest to activate and use.  Much like you, Obh, we use it primarily on simplex, for some privacy. Though, I?ve been considering using DSTAR, on the 220 MHz band, as that band isn?t used much in this area.