Pinpoint Aprs Download
Bernice Ebesugawa
Since VarAC's VARA mode is not yet accepted as ADIF mode and not yet featured in PSKreporter it is difficult to display a map with stations. Somebody found out an experimental workaround using software called Pinpoint. Pinpoint is an APRS application that is capable of much more as APRS. Features and download can be found here:
The fun is that Pinpoint can make use of the VARA-HF TNC and VarAC CAT/PTT control connecting it via a KISS network port. The only problem is that so far I couldn't find a real good instruction on how to set it up to work well with VarAC. Everyone is pointing to this german language instruction, but it only gives a very brief explanation on how you should set things up. Luckely some stations in the VARA HF facebook group got it working and I was quickly helped answering my questions. To help others and fo myself I noted some of the things I did to get it working.
If you want to experiment just download the pinpoint software and install it on your computer. First of all you need to fill in your callsign and location. A SSID is not needed. Setup your location: search for you QTH on the map. Press CTRL+SHIFT+left mouse button. There will be a popup were your can choose between "set as my position" or "add waypoint".
I'm not shure if you need to be connected to the internet APRS gate. An APRS-IS passcode can be found here. But, if so, it is important you set the "Receive Range Filter" to "0". Otherwise you will see all kind of local stations on the map. What we want is only to view the stations using VarAC or VARA.
When everything is setup you can connect the TNC modem in VarAC to use it for PTT. When connected you choose "Send position Beacon" to test and you radio should transmit the beacon. After that you will transmit a beacon every 20 minutes (if you set 20 minutes in the APRS tab)
Timo, the only thing I noticed when using pinpoint together with VarAC was an incoming connection that was not really happening. And indeed I agree with you, it is not a good idea anymore since PSKreporter does report VarAC beacons/CQs now. That wasn't the case when I wrote this article in 2022 !!
73, Bas
During, for instance, a weather spotting event, an incident commander could visually track where spotters are deployed in the field, and direct them away from approaching weather using an area map on a computer screen.
I decided to use the UZ7HO soundmodem software for APRS; I tried using Direwolf first, but it kept telling me the audio levels were too low and I couldn't get it to work. Since the Digirig will do PTT, I was able to configure soundmodem to connect to COM4 using RTS to control the PTT.
I connected the radio to the Digirig using the Baofeng adapter cables, via the K1 ports on the side. I removed the Diamond antenna I like to carry, and using an adapter I connected my N9TAX slim jim antenna in the attic.
I used the Pinpoint APRS software, setup to connect to the "network" TNC (uses the soundmodem locally), then added my callsign with an SSID and icon. After setting my position manually (since I don't have a GPS to hook up), I enabled the TNC connection and watched position calls coming in. I did Beacon (hit F1) my position a couple times just to confirm it did show up on aprs.fi later.
So... What is APRS? APRS stands for Automatic Packet Reporting System. Amateur Radio Operators (Hams) use APRS for many different things. In a nutshell, APRS lets you transmit your GPS location out onto the radio net for others to pick up and place you on a map. This is the basic function. Other functions include messaging, relaying, I-Gating, and Weather (I'll touch on these parts later).
This cable was a great find by Dave. It provides ground isolation so the that the PTT is activated on transmit. If you don't have this (or a TNC) the radio will key open and disturb others (see Ham Etiquette). The cable was put together here: -TRRS (another call out to John Boiles for this awesome project).
To operate (that means transmit) on Amateur Radio frequencies, one must get a license. The best way is to search around your community for a local club that can guide you the study material for the test. 'Technician' is the first level of license and is all you need to Transmit. If you want to monitor or listen, no license is needed... but what fun would that be. I've had mine for 3 years now... KG7IOA.
This configuration is how I was able to put all the parts together and make it work. I did struggle as my transmissions were not hitting the relay or being rebroadcast to the I-Gate. Terrance had a known-good working setup on his phone that I was able to test with and compare configurations to my phone to get it too work.
What was happening ... well when APRSDroid would transmit, I would see the transmission from my radio but I wouldn't see it come back from the Relay or hit the I-Gate. Turns out that the default setting in APRSDroid is to send the signal out on the 'phone/voice' of the phone. This signal was so incredibly weak that I couldn't get the relay to pick it when I drove past it.
The Vox on my radio was an enigma wrapped in a mystery as well... the radio documentation (and much of the Interwebz) couldn't really tell me that Vox setting 1 was open-all-the-way sensitivity and 10 was just-slightly-open sensitivity. I only found this by trial and error on my own while watching my signal being push out from my radio. The radio has an LED that illuminates, to the color of your choice, on Tx and Rx (transmit and receive).
Phone volume must be 3/4 of the bar. You will hear the 'squawk' of the transmission but if the volume is too low, even with Vox at 1, nothing will transmit. I put a sound muffler on my phone speaker so it doesn't spook me while driving.
Why did I not log my phone into the Googlez? Once you do, all the notifications from Insta-Face, Snap-Books, and the like will come through the phone when one of your compadres posts a new cat video or a new noodle truck. And if you are APRSing, those notifications will then be transmitted over the air. "Das ist verboten" per the us FCC rules for spurious transmissions. Also, I don't have a SIM card in the phone.. who wants to get a phone call out in the mountains. That's the whole reason for getting out and about.
What is a Relay and what is an I-Gate? A Relay is just that... it takes your transmission, usually of lower power, and rebroadcasts at a higher power so that it covers a larger area... Search and Rescue can't get to you if your coordinates aren't pushed out.
I didn't forget... an I-Gate is a relay that is connected to the Interwebz. Why? A very cool Fin put aprs.fi together to take APRS transmissions and post them onto a modified Google Maps (uses the Maps API). That way you can see the Hams in your area or those traveling through or if you want to send a message to a fellow Ham in Australia or Scotland, you can see if they are out and about with APRS capability.
Oh and Weather!!! One of my other hobbies... APRS can be used to transmit weather data from compatible weather stations... why? For the fun of it!!! The APRS Wx packets are simple enough to program into your 'duino/bone and send over the link. I have an additional project that I am ruminating on to inject Wx data into my APRS tracking while out snowshoeing.
Thanks paul. Im not looking for GPS from city to city or anything. Its just around the neighborhood that we are in where our warehouses are. I have eifi throughout the campus so I was thinking of piggybacking on that for some sort of GPS-like pinpoint.
Phillip - that does look pretty sick but I was looking for something a little more niche. As in, i dont need it to actually go to GPS sats. i mean it could if I had software that can read where those devices are but we only have a few forklifts but the roam around the area. It would be nice to track where they are but again, we are talking about less than a quarter square mile.
I use Wireless Matrix for monitoring my trucks and my heavy equipment. Works great. I get ignition reports, mileage, location, breadcrumb trails, etc. I actually had a generator stolen off a job site and was able to recover it within 6 hours. FBI was tracking the guy for a year and with my equipment they had enough to obtain a warrant.
Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) is an amateur radio-based system for real time digital communications of information of immediate value in the local area. Data can include object Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, weather station telemetry, text messages, announcements, queries, and other telemetry. APRS data can be displayed on a map, which can show stations, objects, tracks of moving objects, weather stations, search and rescue data, and direction finding data. APRS data is...
Ultimate goal is to track the items shelved in the warehouses. You could go all gps crazy but that only tells you where the forklift is, not where the load went. Use data collectors, assign a load a barcoded serial number and assign that number the info on what the contents are in a database. Scan barcode, scan or hand key bin location. Batch upload every shift.
Now finding the barcode type that will last as long as the records/pallet will be around, that is a trick. Thermal printers suck, thermal transfer printers last a bit longer. Laser prints last longest if the papertype survives the weather.
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