tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2912523910989554372024-03-13T00:43:20.856-07:00TrueHamFashionJosh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-82538742199604821712023-12-05T06:41:00.000-08:002023-12-05T06:47:22.272-08:00APRS Services and Tools<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.truehamfashion.com/2023/12/aprs-services-and-tools.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="2078" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51FzgOCB3wiqAAIdH1r7ona8DrEfvYQKJ3vKLfPHeF9SKZDFincoh0u1GoK72cis5ZDJ68jlEEsC5FXJgcmFcsJihS-MBhJq6-5J1UwlzOSAVKZJNCHWfMfQff_5mitBKRuE1u6DzbvoF6hUPlKjBLUUaJvYFQeOGkh8oJqXJSCsAaWJGe6flxtazIdM/s320/APRS%20near%20NashvilleTN.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Automatic Packet Reporting Service (APRS) is probably the most common use for packet radio today. While many believe APRS is just for tracking resources, there are lots of other uses for it which makes it a valuable addition to your ham radio tool box. <p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Get a Weather Report</b></h3><p><i>WXBOT -</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>Simply sending a message to WXBOT will give a basic weather report for your current reported location. However, you can get more detailed weather information by specifying where, when, or what. WXBOT allows for reports based on the location of a callsign, zip code, grid square, CWOP, or City, ST. The service allows for reports based on a certain day/night of the week. Also, a request can be made for either a brief or full forecast. For a full list of features, see the <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/ki6wjp/wxbot" target="_blank">KI6WJP WXBOT Website</a></p><p><i>WXYO - </i>Very similar to the above WXBOT, WXYO responds with brief weather forecast using the Open Weather API. More information is available at the <a href="http://www.aprs.ro/doc/WxYo.php" target="_blank">APRS Romania Website</a>.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Communication via Text Message </b></h3><p><i>SMSGTE </i><i><b><span style="color: red;">(Service Unavailable - Unfortunately this service is currently offline due to changes in regulations and apparent abuse by people sending spam messages.)</span></b></i><i> - </i>I find the SMSGTE service very useful. It allows users to send and receive text messages via APRS. To use the service, send a message to SMSGTE, then in the message line add @<number> <message>. Once a message is sent from a radio, they system can then forward replies back over RF. The service does have maintenance cost associated with it, so if you find it as useful as I do, please donate. You can get a full list of instructions and features at <a href="http://smsgte.org" target="_blank">smsgte.org</a>.</p><p><i>SMS - </i>This is a newer service to send text messages to and from the APRS network. It is requested that users <a href="http://aprs.wiki/SMS/" target="_blank">visit their website to opt-in</a> to keep it working correctly. To utilize the service, send a message to SMS with the message @<number> <message> just as with the SMSGTE service above. For more information see the user guide at <a href="http://aprs.wiki/SMS/howto.html">http://aprs.wiki/SMS/howto.html</a>. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Send an Email</b></h3><p><i>EMAIL - </i>Being able to send email from APRS is a great feature. To use it, send a message to EMAIL with <email address> <message> in the message line. The full user manual can be found at <a href="https://www.aprs-is.net/Email.aspx" target="_blank">aprs-is.net</a>.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Lookup Callsign Information</b></h3><p><i>WHO-IS - </i>WHO-IS will allow a user to lookup a callsign using the QRZ.com website and retrieve information about the person behind the callsign. Full information is found at <a href="https://www.aprs-is.net/WhoIs.aspx" target="_blank">aprs-is.net</a>.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Access Winlink</b></h3><p><i>APRSLink - </i>APRSLink allows for access to the Winlink service from APRS. It can be used to read or send short email messages, get notifications when there are new messages, get information on the closest RMS packet station, or perform Winlink maintenance functions. The full manual is available at the <a href="https://winlink.org/APRSLink" target="_blank">Winlink site</a>. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Spot Yourself during an Activation</b></h3><p><i>APSPOT - </i>This service lets you easily spot yourself during a SOTA, POTA, WWFF, or SiOTA activation. The service has quite a list of commands for sending the correct information based on what type of activation is being spotted, so I'm electing to simply point to the <a href="https://apspot.radio/getting-started/" target="_blank">Usage Guide</a>. For all the info, visit the APSPOT site at <a href="https://apspot.radio/">https://apspot.radio/</a>. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Telemetry, Remote Control, and DIY</b></h3><p>APRS gives you the ability to send all sorts of information back and forth over RF and the Internet. With telemetry, you can have a station automatically give you information from various sensors. A good example would be an APRS connected weather station. APRS gives you the ability to send/receive commands, such has turning a relay on/off remotely. These features opens the door on all sorts of DIY projects to apply APRS to. </p>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-83491681385753995422023-10-19T12:04:00.001-07:002023-10-19T12:06:04.303-07:003D Printed Yagi for ISS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.truehamfashion.com/2023/10/3d-printed-yagi-for-iss.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYLEoQyJgZjJdcbuYUsivdTEye8z-UCaPJL_AAF71Du9KlbpE-QmUwy32rVQRbv7cc3Ji95mFG_6i-sgV7-IzJhQ5YY-er8WsYEQUVMO44m_sZ382hyrf09grzd05SLRos4iJRgGxXM9V72hsEXP6QuZIJENPVAkBasRjErKAmbXbcpnMS-DRqVZt/s320/20230402_183431.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I've been playing around with using the amateur radio capabilities of the International Space Station for about as long as I've held my ham radio license. The ISS is one of the easiest satellites to work and while I've had success with a simple antenna on my handheld radio, having a directional antenna makes the task much easier. In this article I'll show you how to make a lightweight, portable antenna that is well suited for working the ISS. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Shortly after obtaining my technician class license, I went out to see if I could hear any satellites. Using my humble Baofeng UV-5R, I waited for the next pass of the ISS. To my surprise I could actually hear it. At the time they had the digipeater function active, so really I just heard the squawk of APRS packets, but it was still exciting and got me motivated. </p><p>I didn't want to invest much money back then, so when I found KG0ZZ's $4 Satellite Antenna, I had to make one. The design used a plank of wood and wire clothes hangers for elements. It had four 2 meter elements and seven 70cm elements which were fed together like a fan dipole.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKCeOgkGPZbyPAo1UtKjaW2zYs-9fZlOEuB81snZKY0nQwy0Eqo4lqlkAI6mu62d7YrzH932FJZmHNa7w8ErY5zox5-8Iyn6gWZW-_VpIYsXGzCFiuKPnpaFBrUxvUWmLBPdHyDbGAGNAYrIXlLqmAti2KN6VdyDSF1hvzABarIPslqSV4E-oUC5n/s480/KG0ZZ_4_Dollar_Sat_Antenna.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKCeOgkGPZbyPAo1UtKjaW2zYs-9fZlOEuB81snZKY0nQwy0Eqo4lqlkAI6mu62d7YrzH932FJZmHNa7w8ErY5zox5-8Iyn6gWZW-_VpIYsXGzCFiuKPnpaFBrUxvUWmLBPdHyDbGAGNAYrIXlLqmAti2KN6VdyDSF1hvzABarIPslqSV4E-oUC5n/s320/KG0ZZ_4_Dollar_Sat_Antenna.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KG0ZZ's $4 Satellite Antenna</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The $4 dollar satellite antenna worked great. It was highly directional and I managed to not only make contacts through the ISS, but also PCSAT and SO-50. However, the antenna is a bit heavy and isn't very portable because the elements don't easily come off for storage.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://beckystern.com/2021/03/29/tape-measure-yagi-antenna/" target="_blank"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2903" data-original-width="3300" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDYScHjluDR5U_1xWwcrR8Apl_f2M9CxfzG1HCQetWUSf1WqsnbGBzqzDFXxmNdu2n0MgMF7LsEFxULaddzWCpxTdvHVMP4qGrVHRUxHbmRddkWT8T3Ffj1VLiYBkGcLFivciYTogbfDqlcwAump_Tg2bEo6BLKhY0uosj4nX0_6S0vAyYYL7IroUW" width="273" /></span><br />Becky Stern's Tape Measure Yagi</a></div><br />Another popular antenna option for use with the ISS, is the Tape Measure Yagi. Just doing a quick web search will pull up many different version of it. I've also built one and they work really well. They're lightweight and the elements can fold up to make it a good portable option. I had access to a 3D printer when I built mine and followed the instructions by <a href="https://beckystern.com/2021/03/29/tape-measure-yagi-antenna/" target="_blank">Becky Stern</a>. <p></p><p>I used the tape measure design for quite a while. I even used it during public service events to get my signal into a distant net control station. But the downside of tape measure elements is they are very susceptible to wind and eventually one of the 3D printed element supports broke. </p><p>It got me thinking about designing my own. I used the measurements from the tape measure variant because it had a good SWR on both the ISS 2M and 70CM frequency used for their crossband repeater and I modified it to use the elements I had already cut as part of the $4 satellite antenna. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYLEoQyJgZjJdcbuYUsivdTEye8z-UCaPJL_AAF71Du9KlbpE-QmUwy32rVQRbv7cc3Ji95mFG_6i-sgV7-IzJhQ5YY-er8WsYEQUVMO44m_sZ382hyrf09grzd05SLRos4iJRgGxXM9V72hsEXP6QuZIJENPVAkBasRjErKAmbXbcpnMS-DRqVZt/s4032/20230402_183431.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYLEoQyJgZjJdcbuYUsivdTEye8z-UCaPJL_AAF71Du9KlbpE-QmUwy32rVQRbv7cc3Ji95mFG_6i-sgV7-IzJhQ5YY-er8WsYEQUVMO44m_sZ382hyrf09grzd05SLRos4iJRgGxXM9V72hsEXP6QuZIJENPVAkBasRjErKAmbXbcpnMS-DRqVZt/s320/20230402_183431.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 Element Wire Yagi</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The 3D printed element holders I designed fit a bit loose on the 3/4" gray PVC boom, so I wound up putting a piece of electrical tape on the inside of each one to make it fit more firmly. (I may try to fix this in a future design.) I marked the element positions with a sharpie on the boom so they can be slid off and tied to the boom for storage or transport, then slid back on when needed. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbGrklFvLQ03U1j1gnbs5CUD_6GV5fQOXFOcQ9_U1LEq1qcIGlpP0pCImswmNmBybISaWtXPmiEh2HshOup3AH6dQ8v1KpEI2ajE4f_Xxe61ZwOlqkS37F0ddONKL4g5dVomWs8y6uiaIcoFseQGzmB3UYdl8KsLS-Zud8caBI3o8mPVvsKg3R8SK/s4032/20230330_170428.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbGrklFvLQ03U1j1gnbs5CUD_6GV5fQOXFOcQ9_U1LEq1qcIGlpP0pCImswmNmBybISaWtXPmiEh2HshOup3AH6dQ8v1KpEI2ajE4f_Xxe61ZwOlqkS37F0ddONKL4g5dVomWs8y6uiaIcoFseQGzmB3UYdl8KsLS-Zud8caBI3o8mPVvsKg3R8SK/s320/20230330_170428.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driven Element</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The driven element holder is designed for use with 4-40 bolts and screws. There is a notch on each element that will hold a bolt just forward of the wire so that the screw head and small washer will physically hold the coax connection to the wires.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SJ9NEIJycuyUVM9756lLicXB40gzC6gH8ON8_cQZdvNVwkl8Kmas6L6zs5lyWAGVb8gg7DipIFP8RAKwjIPX6fkJ68JCeKsVfzOWipBsKz17djr3868DTdzVI322v9LhCPlGZge3AZlO4b2F_Fi3ujHIPVgca13Mh9D9Yw8M1C6tTYl72mNQbi8J/s4032/20230330_170508.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SJ9NEIJycuyUVM9756lLicXB40gzC6gH8ON8_cQZdvNVwkl8Kmas6L6zs5lyWAGVb8gg7DipIFP8RAKwjIPX6fkJ68JCeKsVfzOWipBsKz17djr3868DTdzVI322v9LhCPlGZge3AZlO4b2F_Fi3ujHIPVgca13Mh9D9Yw8M1C6tTYl72mNQbi8J/s320/20230330_170508.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Director/Reflector element with glue.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>While the fit of the wire inside each holder seems to fit firmly, I added a drop of super glue to the spots where the elements enter each plastic holder. Just making sure they wouldn't move around. </p><p>The SWR plot was very similar the the tape measure version. I wasn't sure what to expect since I was going from such wide elements to a narrow wire, but the SWR was good on the entire 2 meter band and was also a good match at the 70cm frequency used by the ISS. Initial testing demonstrates that performance is the same as the tape measure version also.</p><p>By no means is it necessary to use a high gain directional antenna for the ISS. You can usually work the digipeater with a hand held radio and rubber duck antenna on a good high pass. But if you are going to try and make a voice contact via the crossband repeat, I highly recommend building one of these antennas. </p>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-81487408120367209332023-09-04T14:19:00.007-07:002023-09-04T18:02:46.397-07:00Iron Mountain Jubilee 2023<p>Each year our radio club participates in providing communication services for the Iron Mountain Jubilee, an endurance horse ride through the mountains of Southwest Virginia. This year the course changed and a 100 mile, 24 hour event was added.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.truehamfashion.com/2023/09/iron-mountain-jubilee-2023.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxE4mzwQohU4MGCBL0aIvtlVDRCf9WYzDSxi1MrTn0QN40N72-baX-_88owGQUOpMq5EGjz6leWK0hpsXgSE9-sP9MyR5k8K_oxuHwNazl7n7YnxMjOa-6RJv3RSgWB59HQS6JpZxme17-wHsQRXFJoe-oAqwII3gzA1FopviqIX8dpmtEYtX7hmrKpg/s320/20230826_120745.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last few years I've been operating from a station located at the "Divide." This is a location where four trails converge and is one of the more busy checkpoints. Myself and Roger Bell (N4FPA) setup and prepared for the long days ahead. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wtdyZmpLUIDP5t22P_NnLTIck_AQ1iuKahlIdwozBR72NRo9Zpwqv48ddMvahsVRcXpTMdNJtFPGDaiCSFNbA6UQuZ4qTeyGbWPMZ6ZINeYgZCD0YbA0ULhoBRbjgA8-0gAr4oecRABh9sHR2621OrOhqPSIN5ixflMl5naXpMn1ZoW6fmvHnvSRUGI/s4000/20230826_120749.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wtdyZmpLUIDP5t22P_NnLTIck_AQ1iuKahlIdwozBR72NRo9Zpwqv48ddMvahsVRcXpTMdNJtFPGDaiCSFNbA6UQuZ4qTeyGbWPMZ6ZINeYgZCD0YbA0ULhoBRbjgA8-0gAr4oecRABh9sHR2621OrOhqPSIN5ixflMl5naXpMn1ZoW6fmvHnvSRUGI/s320/20230826_120749.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The event this year took place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. With the edition of the 100 mile course, the ride started at 6AM on Saturday morning and runs until 6AM Sunday. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ok0eXbAQE0riVr2gPpkpsSns1xtU4W__vVQiW4CIuBwnknCaTCeJPxomEtbp0V9D9ef8hGJzJVBKIMq0UgQudeu-L1kSa7SVVRQDKfOHsH933IP6yEcNcaXdAusdm-h5wwpAIwtDlWkTNR0veWNInKyK-UCZ9Dhyx-wNFidShnGRdjyZ4CpnEo1yS4U/s4000/20230826_133549.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ok0eXbAQE0riVr2gPpkpsSns1xtU4W__vVQiW4CIuBwnknCaTCeJPxomEtbp0V9D9ef8hGJzJVBKIMq0UgQudeu-L1kSa7SVVRQDKfOHsH933IP6yEcNcaXdAusdm-h5wwpAIwtDlWkTNR0veWNInKyK-UCZ9Dhyx-wNFidShnGRdjyZ4CpnEo1yS4U/s320/20230826_133549.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Divide's Kitchen</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEGZ13U2b2DDLpAnYIX2tFIH5Zn4X9eicFJ0rPMWRt3Xle1wly6bTKAm0pHQ2ZQYlO09FP5QRo1MM4_vmKGyz6S_Gc9IVHeS_BK2Omx6Zo4RJx6Ph_saYHd2hzgU2XFbX4ta4bcPakxe9hB3gNQh1pHmdmYgxRkZY3Hx_PABAqJ2CSBYeGoQPcWGk2ro/s4000/20230826_133604.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEGZ13U2b2DDLpAnYIX2tFIH5Zn4X9eicFJ0rPMWRt3Xle1wly6bTKAm0pHQ2ZQYlO09FP5QRo1MM4_vmKGyz6S_Gc9IVHeS_BK2Omx6Zo4RJx6Ph_saYHd2hzgU2XFbX4ta4bcPakxe9hB3gNQh1pHmdmYgxRkZY3Hx_PABAqJ2CSBYeGoQPcWGk2ro/s320/20230826_133604.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh (KM4AZW) cooking lunch at the Divide</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Since we were going to be out in the wilderness for a while, I brought plenty of sustenance. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoWswVbqHlAMaOAPf82Ig9qA40Clws4Q1nyaqhHTJxfuQifAuBhFAQQ752dOQPznG1CkXRUjJaWBiJdeHsZmf2he6mOKqRw9Y90IEGFsYyBDmkyCG8-N-4K3NaZkXhi-yqs24qSAvQL2RBZzCG4yspU_Ky_DSua3W0iGDGoAF0fahkXxhaXXh6VqKTUg/s4000/20230826_120918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoWswVbqHlAMaOAPf82Ig9qA40Clws4Q1nyaqhHTJxfuQifAuBhFAQQ752dOQPznG1CkXRUjJaWBiJdeHsZmf2he6mOKqRw9Y90IEGFsYyBDmkyCG8-N-4K3NaZkXhi-yqs24qSAvQL2RBZzCG4yspU_Ky_DSua3W0iGDGoAF0fahkXxhaXXh6VqKTUg/s320/20230826_120918.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jpole attached to canopy</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the first day of the event, I setup my usual station with my dualband Anytone and my copper J-pole antenna attached to the canopy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATu1F3KHHU1p_xdluhRtM-u3YOrFqRD1762vGAEg2E5PRaZUct_m2c1XdmL29tpHzidGNh48kDibiCUtI2j99C26Z3c4tFngPYcjRT_BmM1vcn8i6DGCz_eqxpYJfHlmit-lTyjwgVmSBCfiP8Cg4XqSUxxlaGZZ1SHFP9bC1ZNIS_6geD-FHRIIfhcA/s4000/20230826_120906.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATu1F3KHHU1p_xdluhRtM-u3YOrFqRD1762vGAEg2E5PRaZUct_m2c1XdmL29tpHzidGNh48kDibiCUtI2j99C26Z3c4tFngPYcjRT_BmM1vcn8i6DGCz_eqxpYJfHlmit-lTyjwgVmSBCfiP8Cg4XqSUxxlaGZZ1SHFP9bC1ZNIS_6geD-FHRIIfhcA/s320/20230826_120906.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger's (N4FPA) go-box.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the Saturday 24 hour event, Roger wanted to give his equipment a good test. He setup his home made VHF/UHF go-box on the tailgate of my truck. The box is a very well built piece of equipment. It is based around a Kenwood TM-D710, has a built in 30AH Lifepo battery, power supply, and a solar charge controller. He even laid out a couple foldable 60 watt solar panels to provide running power while the sun was out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8-YrqyVyf3NOJQqc2aas6h0HrDrxEbyQeBezwweHlmdeHXHXLPU2D0PEBCLhQgt9wGhm0KeXsrxN-iwuFGZZFepaGIL6OhIPa6xZB0LALbz_pulEq_P2gqlvv3cGNlr0yeUqTNheC2PBbKuBwCVKh_dMBmz_DnBx8fub1wOWvbJD2u9Ao9y0x2eIKkM/s4000/20230826_134219.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8-YrqyVyf3NOJQqc2aas6h0HrDrxEbyQeBezwweHlmdeHXHXLPU2D0PEBCLhQgt9wGhm0KeXsrxN-iwuFGZZFepaGIL6OhIPa6xZB0LALbz_pulEq_P2gqlvv3cGNlr0yeUqTNheC2PBbKuBwCVKh_dMBmz_DnBx8fub1wOWvbJD2u9Ao9y0x2eIKkM/s320/20230826_134219.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger (N4FPA) operating from his go-box.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Roger's go-box worked really well for the entire 24 hour event. We do seem to have strange propagation issues from this area every year. When I arrive in the morning, I can communicate using low power from my mobile and a fender mount 1/4 wave antenna. As time goes by, however, we wind up having to increase power and make modifications to the antenna we are using. By the end of the day, we wound up utilizing Roger's portable mast and Diamond vertical antenna. There also seemed to be some issue with our net control operators ability to get a good signal into and out of the repeater system we were using for the event. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk27lj1N3y7XP8yy27wBcNv3TZzNb1ozcGLuE9H6kvcWk2CJflSlIpMGKzaB1yNrLDuZf6bAy471hfJpxwC6N2GjzK1RFdCTaj1kY6r3HruBgz3g5HfuCh3r-wLLy4wdZ87Cnfw0kx1Vtp4TbvsbE51bG9g0DdLEiHsgApxHdIKrk4eE5II57Wx5Q2Cn0/s4000/20230826_200958.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk27lj1N3y7XP8yy27wBcNv3TZzNb1ozcGLuE9H6kvcWk2CJflSlIpMGKzaB1yNrLDuZf6bAy471hfJpxwC6N2GjzK1RFdCTaj1kY6r3HruBgz3g5HfuCh3r-wLLy4wdZ87Cnfw0kx1Vtp4TbvsbE51bG9g0DdLEiHsgApxHdIKrk4eE5II57Wx5Q2Cn0/s320/20230826_200958.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger's (N4FPA) go-box at night.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We finally finished up in the early morning hours Sunday. The event was an overall success and we will continue to make improvements for next year!</div></span></div></div><p></p>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-75992082649817022612023-09-04T13:48:00.006-07:002023-09-04T13:50:54.859-07:00Appalachian Trail Golden Packet 2023<p>The Appalachian Trail Golden Packet is an event where stations from Georgia to Maine setup ARPS on mountain tops in order to pass data packets up and down the length of the Appalachian Trail. My club helps activate the station on top of Comer's Rock. Here's how it went this year!</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.truehamfashion.com/2023/09/appalachian-trail-golden-packet-2023.html"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhwMX-NoJDxrcCg1saH_x6jI8BTo8HdDaaPHQRMeGGyXOyKqxQak6T7t4YcLc1LTTEzTrn9bLp1rL88lRnZjqzQrF1taIc4KuAoS0dKjo6lPAAj3CAGQQsabPc7sDh8aLIPmYi8-yPqXinDpjVE2anWukAVAQWdfMZbSEmbamBtqVZpUhfGre-UImdcQY" width="180" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.truehamfashion.com/2023/09/appalachian-trail-golden-packet-2023.html">David Todd (N4SH) Operating </a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year I accompanied David Todd (N4SH) and Chris Ecker (KY4QE) to the top of Comers Rock in order to setup for the ATGP. The mountaintop is fairly easy to get to, as the only hiking necessary to reach the summit is to walk up a long set of stone steps to access the old fire lookout on top. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTljSYriFp9F8xkXKwqXUMLop4P0NFxLy9Y7hi-4iNVEh6uZj9UP5gAeFsPbfKgPTPX3E9FTZV0I6FC7b4qaGb8Vm8MZC_2-bif2WAjsB1RRkxpplUvjShS7tmyikun5P6lVPUqIqo9QqkxBLOUMgvTIoB-ccfc8XALjprkhNVRHSTvAT7Mzzaqg83B1E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTljSYriFp9F8xkXKwqXUMLop4P0NFxLy9Y7hi-4iNVEh6uZj9UP5gAeFsPbfKgPTPX3E9FTZV0I6FC7b4qaGb8Vm8MZC_2-bif2WAjsB1RRkxpplUvjShS7tmyikun5P6lVPUqIqo9QqkxBLOUMgvTIoB-ccfc8XALjprkhNVRHSTvAT7Mzzaqg83B1E" width="180" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXRjqgtT1q-H2VtQnQ3rvxuUbW3kEoslDrHorPAuOJ2pljJdxjIXbjCIzc9tppQaHkdbfDBjivhXWBLDnHNvICeYvLGMY3oypCuTvKKcPo5s7P4uc3PotpkaPTbtF6KI9EB-4SvpqaiWoKXvbeHXQO06nnQLUUVS73WR0EjUc_FPvGx5KiKT2A_OIJaDE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXRjqgtT1q-H2VtQnQ3rvxuUbW3kEoslDrHorPAuOJ2pljJdxjIXbjCIzc9tppQaHkdbfDBjivhXWBLDnHNvICeYvLGMY3oypCuTvKKcPo5s7P4uc3PotpkaPTbtF6KI9EB-4SvpqaiWoKXvbeHXQO06nnQLUUVS73WR0EjUc_FPvGx5KiKT2A_OIJaDE" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stay Gold'n</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We got there about an hour prior to the event start and weather was quite nice. It was mostly sunny and hot to start off with. Someone had setup a flag in the south-west corner of the fire lookout and, while I don't condone vandalism, I was amused to see someone had spray painted "Stay Gold'n" on the concrete pad. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhH2v5yvPjPw8TlFn2o6VRXTXdaEgfyj5In5pVDtJOhRJPvUYmLp0AtzPyi-gPVl8RxGcO07pW8P_4_tfC1AS_retGHuVIYVdDv1flRXj1JiRdSoS1rlqPrtgKziGzhzUQ1wGJ94aTKerWZL-0tEVroG38KHhb_sghPuxnp4Cj5knedXRLFdX3etq9dhC0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhH2v5yvPjPw8TlFn2o6VRXTXdaEgfyj5In5pVDtJOhRJPvUYmLp0AtzPyi-gPVl8RxGcO07pW8P_4_tfC1AS_retGHuVIYVdDv1flRXj1JiRdSoS1rlqPrtgKziGzhzUQ1wGJ94aTKerWZL-0tEVroG38KHhb_sghPuxnp4Cj5knedXRLFdX3etq9dhC0" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David's (N4SH) TM-710 setup for ATGP<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>David setup his Kenwood TM-710 for packet operation in the south-east corner of the lookout. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZZ43jk4tp2ICxtpord4R8Rz-7tISc7tbvXa9gO5R5xFH9OGQtkCc8zaspXkw7QrDQMlr7ak6eyoYuJOWVA6VZzJ5O3Aq50uf2HkQOAszxSaGbE92Ftp5o7VaZpTyjNWAs3BmxS3VY-jHg8W7xwsU7c1M-Tlt5yx2ROQDGV6lZIRyEZFOFRSOvBihGu2Y" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZZ43jk4tp2ICxtpord4R8Rz-7tISc7tbvXa9gO5R5xFH9OGQtkCc8zaspXkw7QrDQMlr7ak6eyoYuJOWVA6VZzJ5O3Aq50uf2HkQOAszxSaGbE92Ftp5o7VaZpTyjNWAs3BmxS3VY-jHg8W7xwsU7c1M-Tlt5yx2ROQDGV6lZIRyEZFOFRSOvBihGu2Y" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh's (KM4AZW) Dualband Setup for Voice Operation</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I setup my Anytone Dualband with my portable Jpole antenna in the north-west corner in order to operate on the voice coordination frequency. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhnQtQeYrDgBLdx7LsyfmYhwODSBG3yOnfbwQKRkgRzVNhPXB7ewnpLrCzRIWlCfwBcgx3SRTNHrKo4DB5ez0gXMSSi3gFF6eSINnafXKIjA-Hy3QZ1MONhK7scu96Rrh3tO4N4X3_AiWhl-c8wj3fGqsXRZveIvBrpQWTWIP48JVUsLxzAG279EhpyAk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhnQtQeYrDgBLdx7LsyfmYhwODSBG3yOnfbwQKRkgRzVNhPXB7ewnpLrCzRIWlCfwBcgx3SRTNHrKo4DB5ez0gXMSSi3gFF6eSINnafXKIjA-Hy3QZ1MONhK7scu96Rrh3tO4N4X3_AiWhl-c8wj3fGqsXRZveIvBrpQWTWIP48JVUsLxzAG279EhpyAk" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhnQtQeYrDgBLdx7LsyfmYhwODSBG3yOnfbwQKRkgRzVNhPXB7ewnpLrCzRIWlCfwBcgx3SRTNHrKo4DB5ez0gXMSSi3gFF6eSINnafXKIjA-Hy3QZ1MONhK7scu96Rrh3tO4N4X3_AiWhl-c8wj3fGqsXRZveIvBrpQWTWIP48JVUsLxzAG279EhpyAk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0A-SrQpABOEdsiRm_jlQGgDRS6oRdsvV_tN7liATa29Fkdh-0HkK2Id3yTL7XeJAJIH7V4V2DvwkHmV35O9m8EODA55In6N8RJKKgrjP72kfdlMEcy1sIuPdm5zPHWOplgH7blAmo37cJIcA_giWOtbXCfmI2ylqtmdmyGFGDBxHo_GS4cp5LFB200EQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0A-SrQpABOEdsiRm_jlQGgDRS6oRdsvV_tN7liATa29Fkdh-0HkK2Id3yTL7XeJAJIH7V4V2DvwkHmV35O9m8EODA55In6N8RJKKgrjP72kfdlMEcy1sIuPdm5zPHWOplgH7blAmo37cJIcA_giWOtbXCfmI2ylqtmdmyGFGDBxHo_GS4cp5LFB200EQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><br />While packets were not able to be sent the full length of the trail. Our station was working well, and that's a success in my book. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy87WBhwuf4DcXJKum-XeGM_JCRNRFouuMFTGNGosaf2Ct3ne-a8WjSo1zkO4gXGH6nR-09-bLpHW5hSYxgga1WeQgSZ4CDAIbDzIvXrb_Z077u21Oer46i7wXlTVcpiyKosUisyyZBzjSTI0PLf_34Ouksgd3T6lrZovNhuRJxHDvHasWchjMNExOcw0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy87WBhwuf4DcXJKum-XeGM_JCRNRFouuMFTGNGosaf2Ct3ne-a8WjSo1zkO4gXGH6nR-09-bLpHW5hSYxgga1WeQgSZ4CDAIbDzIvXrb_Z077u21Oer46i7wXlTVcpiyKosUisyyZBzjSTI0PLf_34Ouksgd3T6lrZovNhuRJxHDvHasWchjMNExOcw0" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiq_R1YXKxgt4xPDjOGNl5Ikr0W0AwZ46N4o0uBr5VOioWVP5JmxbhMpuG9f6ltBWepFpko2PfCzMdQMok-xRHh8_P3_UCw7JL2dfBIoAKB2ZBJXZ7GCB2O4oIm_wCB60z_SvDvX0BGWtYbc1P-pXzjwjaicGPN4ZW4mJugniGnokPYdETer2ydd1RTTE4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiq_R1YXKxgt4xPDjOGNl5Ikr0W0AwZ46N4o0uBr5VOioWVP5JmxbhMpuG9f6ltBWepFpko2PfCzMdQMok-xRHh8_P3_UCw7JL2dfBIoAKB2ZBJXZ7GCB2O4oIm_wCB60z_SvDvX0BGWtYbc1P-pXzjwjaicGPN4ZW4mJugniGnokPYdETer2ydd1RTTE4" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While the weather started off nice, the clouds quickly rolled in followed by rain and thunder. We wound up packing everything up and heading off the mountain about an hour earlier than the official end time for the event. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking forward to trying again next year!</div></div><p></p>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-18404235613850356472023-04-07T16:41:00.001-07:002023-04-07T16:41:50.474-07:00Anytone AT5888-UV Mobilinkd Cable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.truehamfashion.com/2023/04/anytone-at5888-uv-mobilinkd-cable.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYCx-GVH3bHQmjKqNnMa3AiIOO154QNPe50Xjpf4I-1hkCsA8eHYg3nS99-hOz6HbEKbkdk-5UT-ApVBBiFc6nwFSfki3hpLI9P0QRHWG07iGFPpllPYFuOG9O-y7nMX81r3BwABoCtKE9xJpwCiFcwnAbnYC-igu_ovxmGhFr3-zPCF9DjNJu3Hb/s320/20230407_193210%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The AT5888-UV has become my take-along radio for operating portable at events. It's always good to also have access to packet radio in the field, so I decided to investigate integrating a Mobilinkd TNC with the AT5888. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>I subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@temporarilyoffline" target="_blank">Temporarily Offline Ham</a> on Youtube and saw a video on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRYpdnbDx_A&t=207s" target="_blank">creating a cable for the Retevis RT95</a>. The microphone is identical to the one used by the AT5888, so I was able to use the pinout he discovered to create my Mobilinkd cable. </p><p>The microphone has the ability to have audio output to a small speaker embedded inside while also using the speaker on the radio itself. For a while I've had the idea that it would be nice to have a cable to connect a TNC using just the one mic jack as opposed to connecting to both the mic and speaker out on the back of the radio. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGLzMkUisPb8HcOO98irwhaGn9YQcEqOcYtyaoib-y0GEp0JycORciEmvzFUlmK3rXaA9XaMO2iDiponzn8dhzxZ3OLPP2TqBEjFPUJf0UsHfQkykTXzWBuJJWVusaTFzFQ91yi5zSXd3FD_gDxi35fg-mjn5P5vGQd1Nkjpo4r6OaHiT9fTXy7sO/s292/AT5888-UV%20Pinout.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="152" data-original-width="292" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGLzMkUisPb8HcOO98irwhaGn9YQcEqOcYtyaoib-y0GEp0JycORciEmvzFUlmK3rXaA9XaMO2iDiponzn8dhzxZ3OLPP2TqBEjFPUJf0UsHfQkykTXzWBuJJWVusaTFzFQ91yi5zSXd3FD_gDxi35fg-mjn5P5vGQd1Nkjpo4r6OaHiT9fTXy7sO/s1600/AT5888-UV%20Pinout.PNG" width="292" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AT5888-UV Mic Pinout</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The official diagram for the mic connector doesn't show anything about audio output, just the usual MIC/PTT pinout. But according to Steve from the TOH video, pin 5 is the one that carries audio to the microphone. It would have been nice of AnyTone to label this as "UP/Audio Out."</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTet0AyQcNe2LcFIz_paP4bkb6FHpBJvHNjnjMN0EZ1C1ZxzT5-xP_-HyU5TNOJoUNBfGA5p95hO5Dwg6At07alEYsFuHUgZl6ZxU3Zngm3wL1OA1veWKhGQfYvDNQkZ3jWWlfK_hekFbqmCxbhxNblgblv9GO2-uISUsmXwsos3zAOuVRdi3uKo8P/s1179/TOH%20RT95%20Cable%20Build%20.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1179" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTet0AyQcNe2LcFIz_paP4bkb6FHpBJvHNjnjMN0EZ1C1ZxzT5-xP_-HyU5TNOJoUNBfGA5p95hO5Dwg6At07alEYsFuHUgZl6ZxU3Zngm3wL1OA1veWKhGQfYvDNQkZ3jWWlfK_hekFbqmCxbhxNblgblv9GO2-uISUsmXwsos3zAOuVRdi3uKo8P/s320/TOH%20RT95%20Cable%20Build%20.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve from TOH showing the pinout he used.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>With that information, it was pretty simple to create a compatible cable to the Mobilinkd.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPjFGTgsQn7ADW0wOE51UpbqxcmPtktsstifIiUBZdwW2QZxff9wBhEVpONAmTzdExbHWafdkbCxsU3LdOkzBH2oXZ8BOh3pzQRHIZOprk8tDwftKJS4SnNtGf4xe4WzBZEHAUV9U7aai1kQUNZdRW4rPHvwZbZHMNPEyfIsxIp-oMe0TCyurkyJl/s4032/20230407_171314%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPjFGTgsQn7ADW0wOE51UpbqxcmPtktsstifIiUBZdwW2QZxff9wBhEVpONAmTzdExbHWafdkbCxsU3LdOkzBH2oXZ8BOh3pzQRHIZOprk8tDwftKJS4SnNtGf4xe4WzBZEHAUV9U7aai1kQUNZdRW4rPHvwZbZHMNPEyfIsxIp-oMe0TCyurkyJl/s320/20230407_171314%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3.5mm TRRS Plug Connector</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SgO7L27x4hW4PH2yPtviV7gWO2GVx56oyTqiJ_bim3hVvgb9zmENLVGRdvIbUez89daUn7_LO3ukif6DI7KUaTsKcPD8vR1Qaq0NxCqtq32IHuADEgJPc-O9yw6lfeEGmcuH-mszIrZi0YFIAHmRipVlVj2jJ-RagkAlNJ7w43mLxd6K7Kyu-eu8/s4032/20230407_172756%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SgO7L27x4hW4PH2yPtviV7gWO2GVx56oyTqiJ_bim3hVvgb9zmENLVGRdvIbUez89daUn7_LO3ukif6DI7KUaTsKcPD8vR1Qaq0NxCqtq32IHuADEgJPc-O9yw6lfeEGmcuH-mszIrZi0YFIAHmRipVlVj2jJ-RagkAlNJ7w43mLxd6K7Kyu-eu8/s320/20230407_172756%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soldering Leads to the TRRS Connector</td></tr></tbody></table>The pinout for the Mobilinkd TRRS is: <div><br /></div><div>Tip <span> </span><span> </span>-> <span> </span>Speaker</div><div>Ring 1 <span> </span>-> <span> </span>PTT</div><div>Ring 2 <span> </span>-> <span> </span>Microphone</div><div>Sleeve <span> </span>-> <span> </span>Ground</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXUl71UBM9lktK0PJn1vRM_Pw-TY00TWPZZRbFE4Dek67vx7lwdh7C3fsfGchNNEz5A1ax7i0YD3_U8TBbRVHrkxIY95HNui7aUKVZXFN6qrMPsJsOihPOJp4yuo7UUfxBQbW0wFUno37IeaDyM9wsQv5XzPopFmdvLHUqWuSihNcYTzyc0ArdBqJ/s4032/20230407_184444%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXUl71UBM9lktK0PJn1vRM_Pw-TY00TWPZZRbFE4Dek67vx7lwdh7C3fsfGchNNEz5A1ax7i0YD3_U8TBbRVHrkxIY95HNui7aUKVZXFN6qrMPsJsOihPOJp4yuo7UUfxBQbW0wFUno37IeaDyM9wsQv5XzPopFmdvLHUqWuSihNcYTzyc0ArdBqJ/s320/20230407_184444%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RJ45 Connection</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p>The pinout of the RJ45 connection on the AT5888 is: </p><p>8 Orange/White<span> -><span> NC</span></span><br />7 Orange<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> -><span> NC</span></span><br />6 Green/White<span> </span><span> -> <span> NC</span></span><br />5 Blue<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> -><span> Tip</span></span><br />4 Blue/White<span> </span><span> -><span> NC</span></span><br />3 Green<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> -> <span> Ring 2</span></span><br />2 Brown/White<span> </span><span> -> <span> Ring 1</span></span><br />1 Brown<span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span>-><span> Sleeve</span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6BGyYzYoZA3U5pski3vo3qmUF_zbk4_U1EZO9J4F_ZgKmwE-FlsT2qZch9g2j21o2owXhEqIix5evAR2EgPm3hyDdzAm6Eow-UvoWePZbHYCmewYbz0cQKFf4mEmd9P96Kobn4jkZCyl1jqVHaLvpge1_ryohawI7qFWpXHHG71qtb9mGdRBeuax/s4032/20230407_184038%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6BGyYzYoZA3U5pski3vo3qmUF_zbk4_U1EZO9J4F_ZgKmwE-FlsT2qZch9g2j21o2owXhEqIix5evAR2EgPm3hyDdzAm6Eow-UvoWePZbHYCmewYbz0cQKFf4mEmd9P96Kobn4jkZCyl1jqVHaLvpge1_ryohawI7qFWpXHHG71qtb9mGdRBeuax/s320/20230407_184038%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TRRS connection covered in heat shrink.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhV8meMxnjduoRmR26gz17HxqWAch0W-Ad3nNPl_ivpbLDyS95LD49vnB5ez1Fe9VZY76uUxLyX-RjZYlZmctpIsCBQmq7L-5kSo8VLvYF8qlJVwDcd1S5JBB2ELdRFqowzVfGfHVkedqzeut2RGL5FqJXXMJCTfLJyrzRZlz_jWDyuRANIpSWvym/s4032/20230407_184439%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhV8meMxnjduoRmR26gz17HxqWAch0W-Ad3nNPl_ivpbLDyS95LD49vnB5ez1Fe9VZY76uUxLyX-RjZYlZmctpIsCBQmq7L-5kSo8VLvYF8qlJVwDcd1S5JBB2ELdRFqowzVfGfHVkedqzeut2RGL5FqJXXMJCTfLJyrzRZlz_jWDyuRANIpSWvym/s320/20230407_184439%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cable used for testing</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The TRRS connectors I found were a bit hard to solder and I couldn't get the nice looking plastic cap back on the connector. Instead, I simply put glue on the connections and covered everything with heat shrink tubing. I'll probably remake the cable in the future to make it more sturdy. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyl9oTijSDYaHrs7jTXemKjIikuesf2VY89RHiQtf_nwrV5cnquoSBEFDxmEXpFNA8flNZ_nDa7x959w0UYrR1nOuGgQRw5ph4eXrD5OSKlarBMf2LZMhMrksMS4Cl0uRvLqmOZJJhKRsy_j7Nsr2nAYq5sHPvxNHC4I91BX9smJX5G4xed9TprQ6/s4032/20230407_192116%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyl9oTijSDYaHrs7jTXemKjIikuesf2VY89RHiQtf_nwrV5cnquoSBEFDxmEXpFNA8flNZ_nDa7x959w0UYrR1nOuGgQRw5ph4eXrD5OSKlarBMf2LZMhMrksMS4Cl0uRvLqmOZJJhKRsy_j7Nsr2nAYq5sHPvxNHC4I91BX9smJX5G4xed9TprQ6/s320/20230407_192116%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AT5888 HND SPK Setting</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Using the cable with the AT5888 requires a change in the "HND SPK" setting. By turning this setting on, audio is sent to both the radio speaker and to the RJ45 mic jack on the side of the radio. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYCx-GVH3bHQmjKqNnMa3AiIOO154QNPe50Xjpf4I-1hkCsA8eHYg3nS99-hOz6HbEKbkdk-5UT-ApVBBiFc6nwFSfki3hpLI9P0QRHWG07iGFPpllPYFuOG9O-y7nMX81r3BwABoCtKE9xJpwCiFcwnAbnYC-igu_ovxmGhFr3-zPCF9DjNJu3Hb/s4032/20230407_193210%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYCx-GVH3bHQmjKqNnMa3AiIOO154QNPe50Xjpf4I-1hkCsA8eHYg3nS99-hOz6HbEKbkdk-5UT-ApVBBiFc6nwFSfki3hpLI9P0QRHWG07iGFPpllPYFuOG9O-y7nMX81r3BwABoCtKE9xJpwCiFcwnAbnYC-igu_ovxmGhFr3-zPCF9DjNJu3Hb/s320/20230407_193210%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AT5888 Connected to the Mobilinkd TNC4</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I tested the setup by using WOAD to send and receive some Winlink emails using my phone. It immediately connected and worked well. I'll be sure to keep the cable with me in my bag so I can use it while out at public service events. </p></div>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-90771760730815325272023-03-29T07:55:00.001-07:002023-03-29T07:55:40.218-07:00Mobilinkd TNC 4 UV-5R Clip Case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.truehamfashion.com/2023/03/mobilinkd-tnc-4-uv-5r-clip-case.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEwqLQbTgfCt3PK7YNAXB9GA70N-sVM4twFdmVEb2leqeZUpnHcBGfLdm5J58wG9VPkvi6mctwBRZE3hSMKth_oxOHIFbs3Uv33oYPHRdeWTPc4xkViPxlkkp9sO2YO5yySphqnRHxZiSFHVK5hxZzcA0Ekhqp1ZvaBTHmuCtyxeKVsbAh9LQef5w/s320/20230329_102006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I finally got my hands on a Mobilinkd TNC 4 and needed a way to keep it together with my UV-5R that wasn't a rubber band wrapped around the whole thing. With access to a 3D printer I gave a try at designing something that would do the job. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>I got the TNC 4 to make portable packet operations easier, but quickly found that trying to hold the little TNC with the radio was a bit annoying and using a rubber band didn't work well with the belt clip attached. I haven't done much in the way of 3D design work, but I went over the Tinkercad and gave it a shot. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4pwUiWRn5WCgKkKAxWgu_PCol73_IHbFzpdXGdJ1Y3NrAa0BZ6lqst9rPjopJxmYcbxGqi8GdryRLdQ5wA9Tq6SzenjEBRrhDjAQ-1UP-M5_dyRa20totkTlZPro28xVd14qFJtmRTxiAtif3xf4p4FFmE9tzDRXbzqhOGt81yWZRViuriSWKfr-/s4032/20230329_102024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4pwUiWRn5WCgKkKAxWgu_PCol73_IHbFzpdXGdJ1Y3NrAa0BZ6lqst9rPjopJxmYcbxGqi8GdryRLdQ5wA9Tq6SzenjEBRrhDjAQ-1UP-M5_dyRa20totkTlZPro28xVd14qFJtmRTxiAtif3xf4p4FFmE9tzDRXbzqhOGt81yWZRViuriSWKfr-/s320/20230329_102024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>It was a simple enough design, but it took me a couple tries to get the tolerances to where the TNC would fit snug while not getting stuck or falling out. The case has a pathway through it so that the radio's belt clip can snap through it and hold it to the radio. I had also heard that previous versions of the TNC were susceptible to having the button pressed in error, so with this case you can simply insert the TNC facing the radio and cover the button completely. </p><p>To download the file and print it yourself, head over to <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5939055" target="_blank">Thingiverse</a>. </p>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-66679544986039400562023-03-04T14:37:00.004-08:002023-03-04T14:39:13.927-08:00X1C3, an alternative for Mobilinkd?<p>With the Mobilinkd TNC always running out of stock lately, I was tempted to look elsewhere to fill the portable TNC need. I had been eyeing the Chinese made X1C3 and read several reviews, but can it really replace the Mobilinkd? A friend of mine bought a couple of the X1C3 devices and sent one my way to try. Here's my take on the inexpensive device. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.truehamfashion.com/2023/03/x1c3-alternative-for-mobilinkd.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrDK9XT75H9IEo71Zg2SPTukek7HqWeVXHkKYrOZ8qnC_r7_yJvvzz1YUgWSYuzUle3dwksOrS1R0yatvkiwOwqjGKwwovAC1zzZ_Ichhe2aDvYXim0LD6WrdQPLZiqDCTciS56Gk56GLIDUF_-h3YEVLb2z40lePSLCTKd5myarsZo2vyMxpZiLU/w320-h240/20230304_164835%5B1%5D.jpg" title="Front X1C3" width="320" /></a><br /><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><p>The X1C3 is advertised as an APRS tracker made by <a href="https://www.venus-itech.com/product/x1c3-aprs-tracker/" target="_blank">venus-itech</a>. It's premise is essentially the same as the Mobilinkd, but with a few more features built in. For the ~$60 price it looks like a good deal too. But as I found out, it really depends on what your goal for the device is. </p><p>I've been wanting the Mobilinkd primarily as an APRS tracker that will allow messaging via APRSdroid on my phone while I'm operating portable. At the same time, I also wanted the ability to use WOAD, an android based Winlink client. As I soon found out the X1C3 fills the first need pretty well. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuY5G1DCnl0U0rxzLLf1K5VXj0zAc-LmjcEGdLdByAflzUT38VAq61EZC9sMgoHElvR5MV2a76uiNxOINNptAtHaqPno45PgcES1BoDn43sUW0eNZwT1P2jAycuYdjgLVn2Kfli2pPxWWsRCCTYPND3z4QJYUp7Ggszg1YuIbUban0ZKdkmOsNUAHH/s4032/20230304_164841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuY5G1DCnl0U0rxzLLf1K5VXj0zAc-LmjcEGdLdByAflzUT38VAq61EZC9sMgoHElvR5MV2a76uiNxOINNptAtHaqPno45PgcES1BoDn43sUW0eNZwT1P2jAycuYdjgLVn2Kfli2pPxWWsRCCTYPND3z4QJYUp7Ggszg1YuIbUban0ZKdkmOsNUAHH/w320-h240/20230304_164841.jpg" title="X1C3 Back" width="320" /></a></div><p>As the device has "APRS Tracker" in the name, I wasn't sure if it would function as a fully fledged KISS TNC or not. The device is built to function as a stand-alone tracker. It has a GPS receiver built in and can be configured for all sorts of beaconing depending on whether you are moving around or using it as a stationary device. The X1C3 can also function as a digipeater. These are all very nice features built into a small fairly cheap device. </p><p>The version my friend provided me with was one that did not include bluetooth functionality. A bit disappointing since the big draw for me was connecting to a phone wirelessly. However I got a good feel of the capabilities of the device and how to configure it even though I had to be tethered by USB. I found the configuration software to be a little confusing. Mainly because the company utilizes the same software across many of the other devices they sell. So, several options don't have anything to do with the X1C3. I found <a href="https://github.com/Mihara/x1c3tool/blob/main/manual/manual.md" target="_blank">this unofficial manual </a>to be a great resource for figuring out how to properly configure the device. The github page also goes into really good detail about the capabilities of the device. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpY5_tkP43eiSUGDesh82PphOhv8EUzeYlB3zY6al7H7aFeMJdTJcLncOd04g8M27sD2Op3tCH1sCAXNhJfNwb_KNhhYO6hlF8Z0mql6FObliK_dNW2OhQ_mwJKlKElgCxpdi2HRojek7znnEJ5JzZgVdthtn_Ji5tVN2MjbnJbIFypY6yMkqMJgDI/s790/X1C3_Software.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="790" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpY5_tkP43eiSUGDesh82PphOhv8EUzeYlB3zY6al7H7aFeMJdTJcLncOd04g8M27sD2Op3tCH1sCAXNhJfNwb_KNhhYO6hlF8Z0mql6FObliK_dNW2OhQ_mwJKlKElgCxpdi2HRojek7znnEJ5JzZgVdthtn_Ji5tVN2MjbnJbIFypY6yMkqMJgDI/w320-h260/X1C3_Software.PNG" title="X1C3 Software" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First thing I did was use the software and configure it as a simple tracker and plug it into my HT. I was able to walk around and it would use smart beacon to send my position. I had also checked the box for digipeating and noticed it would occasionally digipeat packets it heard. So, if you are wanting a stand alone tracker and/or digipeater, this device is right up your alley. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next thing I tried was using it with my phone and a USB OTG cable. I reconfigured the device so that it didn't beacon or digipeat by itself and it should function as a KISS TNC. Testing with APRSdroid was a success. It worked just fine for APRS and if it were the bluetooth model, I would say it would be just as good as the Mobilinkd. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since I was looking for something to also use WOAD, I tested this next. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it work. After configuring the packet settings in WOAD, it would never attempt a connection. I assumed it was possible WOAD only works properly with the bluetooth version, but I didn't have any luck finding anyone who managed to make it work either. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I went ahead and reattached it to my PC and played around with various software. I normally use APRSIS32 for APRS on my PC and it worked just fine for that. I then tried PinPoint APRS. PinPoint could not communicate with the modem at all. The software said the TNC was OK, but it would never initiate a connection. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I then attempted using it with Winlink Express. This was a bit strange. The first time I tried it configured as a KISS TNC, it seemed to connect just fine, but every attempt after that the TNC just ignored. I managed to get the device to attempt a connection twice after resetting everything, but it would never actually send messages even if it did manage the rare connection.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Upon further research I discovered that the X1C3 is really only designed to handle APRS traffic, even while it's in KISS mode. This made me decide to wait for the Mobilinkd to become in stock and pay the premium for the extra features I was looking for. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In conclusion, if you are looking for a very small self contained TNC with USB/bluetooth connectivity just for APRS, this is a great device. But if you are looking to do more advanced packet operation, you'll have to look elsewhere. </div>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-26849606494420584012022-10-28T19:45:00.002-07:002022-10-28T19:45:47.162-07:002022 New River Trail Triathlon <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Znt6L1LziO_Vozj1R18BCgfK1oLQPH8bw-0JdM8as7IPkjrwwXJCuQR-3H5APj21KiEanH9gVyc-fRHgEJ7UQJBniaxtlLAIXAjp0x72lDMyU9dRzvGDTL9vfKmEQLcPeiQG4m7BgUrCuDLAeLEMfecQ-LH9wOjHI6jeBTzEppi8pHehhLVLWsIS/s4032/20220917_132742%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Znt6L1LziO_Vozj1R18BCgfK1oLQPH8bw-0JdM8as7IPkjrwwXJCuQR-3H5APj21KiEanH9gVyc-fRHgEJ7UQJBniaxtlLAIXAjp0x72lDMyU9dRzvGDTL9vfKmEQLcPeiQG4m7BgUrCuDLAeLEMfecQ-LH9wOjHI6jeBTzEppi8pHehhLVLWsIS/s320/20220917_132742%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Each year our club participates in several public service to hone our emergency communication skills. In the month of September that usually means the New River Tail Triathlon. The event entails participants who bike, kayak, and run the New River Trail. This year I decided to be maritime mobile and give a heads up to the dock of boats arriving. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Participants begin the day by cycling from the Foster Falls area of the trial down to Fries then make their way back. Then they will depart via kayak up to the Allisonia Boat Ramp. Finally they will run back to the finish line at Foster Falls. </p><p>Last year my job was to report the incoming kayaks before they reached the boat ramp at Allisonia. Doing so from the shore line was a challenge as the number on the boats were hardly visible. This year, I decided to operate maritime mobile so I could see the numbers up close. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviHRlZ8S1fN_aIGu4Dj7DjWBL8rnkeZMMDkcvmqY7gTb1k89JXgpEuGoSdw386S-gcXaKKfHxgD0b8O6bqO5DlumgXoSHRtrVx707Epjs4AxuQOSMpXoMR9MKeyygBFMh0Yz4UEaGLaEsCoulSqjZM8Zm1_j00DsLH2uEhPppkz9JX-JoQyLgTT26/s4032/20220917_132540%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviHRlZ8S1fN_aIGu4Dj7DjWBL8rnkeZMMDkcvmqY7gTb1k89JXgpEuGoSdw386S-gcXaKKfHxgD0b8O6bqO5DlumgXoSHRtrVx707Epjs4AxuQOSMpXoMR9MKeyygBFMh0Yz4UEaGLaEsCoulSqjZM8Zm1_j00DsLH2uEhPppkz9JX-JoQyLgTT26/s320/20220917_132540%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>My father has a boat and we tried out fishing while we waited on the participants to arrive. The day was calm and partly cloudy, a perfect day for the event. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4NB0ZYbfKgHBhMkG-PvXQEO6CglcBC5lL6p1SZNqP2vool6M-Id-0vQN3G0fmt6xzjwkGDlSIyDQaFYqvtjIQkHgW6zhZCZs49v2RwuEXo8dKxWFj-qQRRIRsv5SaS8lfMzeoSIrGRsw_BWEAZ9o1Hx6Uwi9m5AgpwMsCxO0uZiWyZEqsnEs0UGg/s4032/20220917_120434%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4NB0ZYbfKgHBhMkG-PvXQEO6CglcBC5lL6p1SZNqP2vool6M-Id-0vQN3G0fmt6xzjwkGDlSIyDQaFYqvtjIQkHgW6zhZCZs49v2RwuEXo8dKxWFj-qQRRIRsv5SaS8lfMzeoSIrGRsw_BWEAZ9o1Hx6Uwi9m5AgpwMsCxO0uZiWyZEqsnEs0UGg/s320/20220917_120434%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>I setup with my copper J-Pole antenna and lashed it to the trolling motor mount with some gear ties. This was the best attempt to get into our repeater network. Unfortunately I couldn't reach any repeater from the water. This didn't matter so much since only the station setup at the boat ramp were really interested in my radio traffic and they could relay to net control through the repeater. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLFRlJ3R3Lcs4Y7odw07ZzeLNpFe9wGzQXt0RLlBAB7fp5DWVq5UJMpAO1g5WxjQhBPpMp4t-EHSJMwM-SC0AQ03vSKmul9AG7kZloU5tEGiQOzPL_9kpOz1r_D3peJS9puBOwVioBOEgwYNQlSGNad5IugIObfcfB-grjxKIfcUeOkbNm92CRO9k/s4032/20220917_120417%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLFRlJ3R3Lcs4Y7odw07ZzeLNpFe9wGzQXt0RLlBAB7fp5DWVq5UJMpAO1g5WxjQhBPpMp4t-EHSJMwM-SC0AQ03vSKmul9AG7kZloU5tEGiQOzPL_9kpOz1r_D3peJS9puBOwVioBOEgwYNQlSGNad5IugIObfcfB-grjxKIfcUeOkbNm92CRO9k/s320/20220917_120417%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>This was the first outing with my Anytone AT-5888UV. It fits nicely into the bag with my battery. The radio worked really well. The dual VFO made it easy to listen to the repeater as well as talk directly with the boat ramp. </p><p>In the end we didn't catch any fish, but the event went without any issues and everyone had fun. Our group got good practice and I learned a bit about operating radio on the water. I'm looking forward to doing it all again next year. </p>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-66938338139861085562022-07-17T10:32:00.000-07:002022-07-17T10:32:44.325-07:00Appalachian Trail Golden Packet 2022<p>Each year ham radio operators gather on the mountain tops from Georgia to Maine in order to form a chain of packet stations along the path of the Appalachian Trail with the sole purpose of sending a data packet from one end to the other. This year I decided to participate as an observer, but due to unforeseen circumstances I wound up being the lone activator for the peak at Comers Rock. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpp9U2YS1GR-N1a5SEQknaPvRTaFFWLJ2OEirbHjyxIUpVGksGzCTGKAMdbqKMoBZCGJ-9fTOivxQevIwcq_AfHt8orM4UIZDP3SOPoW8esLgwHzNNpjMhjb6CfSMYjeBq_jK_NcMT3sracuvNdsRbs967_eDlN5mqObVE39EFA9VxTM9-j4BwXKr/s4032/20220716_105331%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpp9U2YS1GR-N1a5SEQknaPvRTaFFWLJ2OEirbHjyxIUpVGksGzCTGKAMdbqKMoBZCGJ-9fTOivxQevIwcq_AfHt8orM4UIZDP3SOPoW8esLgwHzNNpjMhjb6CfSMYjeBq_jK_NcMT3sracuvNdsRbs967_eDlN5mqObVE39EFA9VxTM9-j4BwXKr/s320/20220716_105331%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comers Rock ATGP22<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><span><br /><a name='more'></a>The ATGP event is an annual attempt to send a packet from one end of the Appalachian Trail to the other. I've read about it in the past and a couple of my fellow radio club members started manning the Comer's Rock station last year. So, I decided I would tag along with them and see what it was like. </span><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>The week prior to the event, a big storm dumped enough rain in Buchanan County, VA that it caused a flood. The two hams that were supposed to man the station wound up getting called in to help the Red Cross with the flood instead. I knew the event wouldn't work without the Comer's Rock position manned, so I decided to step up and give it a shot. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>Luckily getting to the summit isn't too difficult. There's a camp ground and lake nearby, so you can drive on a forestry road and park near the top. There's a small trail with a lot of rock steps to get you to the observation point. It's not too bad, but I wouldn't want to make too many trips up and down. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7dTvz-t85Bx_XzY16yKDqx8sZTtEi32Ff8mCuplZM6WJItFPEqFzKYebvmWV4EephbCu5aLJ-7w1FVp2J1XZiij1z1ZfQqJgwvRI4IQAtmMW2d-kIMDHVOy2itCrNYb_BIdEIyMuoOSF2EJLXXW6KYL2RTiyA6vaRlXojSmJ0n6fYLe7yRDNtkrJ/s11056/20220716_105343%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="11056" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7dTvz-t85Bx_XzY16yKDqx8sZTtEi32Ff8mCuplZM6WJItFPEqFzKYebvmWV4EephbCu5aLJ-7w1FVp2J1XZiij1z1ZfQqJgwvRI4IQAtmMW2d-kIMDHVOy2itCrNYb_BIdEIyMuoOSF2EJLXXW6KYL2RTiyA6vaRlXojSmJ0n6fYLe7yRDNtkrJ/s320/20220716_105343%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comer's Rock Panoramic </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Once at the top, there's a great view unobstructed both north and south. The weather was good, partly cloudy and a bit hot. The event takes several hours, starting at 11:00 AM and going until 3:00 PM unless the decision is made to cut it short. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq_st0OCgvnmyRSGw87iXVi8WxRSNmNW5GyNhnEDyCCIobQp1DKkPzhe1ZTvulrjZMg6WVouSIJStKcr9agvsTMe4v-ALJsQrMxpUJ8UapglcAdgQuqaiJHUltNPWIE_chmpQd9nR86eZiX5C6SoCMNyMjJ_ybxb9UNhfh_eFyj4kwZS21Ka2A8Je/s4032/20220716_124602%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq_st0OCgvnmyRSGw87iXVi8WxRSNmNW5GyNhnEDyCCIobQp1DKkPzhe1ZTvulrjZMg6WVouSIJStKcr9agvsTMe4v-ALJsQrMxpUJ8UapglcAdgQuqaiJHUltNPWIE_chmpQd9nR86eZiX5C6SoCMNyMjJ_ybxb9UNhfh_eFyj4kwZS21Ka2A8Je/s320/20220716_124602%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenwood TM-D710G</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The event also relies on a special feature that seems to only be available on certain Kenwood radios, namely the D710 series of radio. I don't have one of these, but I was able to borrow one that was pre-programmed for the event. </div><div><br /></div><div>I did run into issues with the radio. Since this is the first time I've ever used this model, I had no idea how to ensure it was beaconing or digipeating. I figured out how the enable the TNC and get beaconing started, but I noticed it didn't seem to be forwarding packets down the line. Fortunately I had a decent cell signal at the summit and was able to call for assistance. The event has a dedicated member who provides support from his personal shack, called the Shack Potato. This was a big help and got my configuration squared away. </div><div><br /></div><div>The event is attempted at 1200 baud and also 9600 baud. This year there was also testing of an appliance made from a Raspberry Pi in order to provide an alternative to the special Kenwood radios. Which is a good idea since Kenwood no longer manufactures them. </div><div><br /></div><div>My station seemed to work well during the event, however I think we were only partially successful. I noticed I was only seeing beacons from everyone south of me and a couple stations to the north of me. We also had to shut down about an hour early because of bad weather affecting stations to the north. </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall it was fun experience. I enjoy packet and digital radio, so it was right up my alley. I'm looking forward to trying again next year. </div>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-21492381353051578722021-09-17T11:01:00.002-07:002021-09-17T11:03:47.585-07:00Iron Mountain Jubilee 2021 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2021/09/iron-mountain-jubilee-2021.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGzAsQ9xFRZr7EsiZNwddlbWl7f0PB7iMqkCek4rLw0sz83TffwKTiidxDSKaMeJUayCyDKU3liliRsjXool0nWyBba6BsvtKLLeSMjIpu3WshsgTrM2nMkZuqQZvP5-sOBykRHU2G_w/s320/20210828_101227%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Each year my club's AUXCOMM group provides communications for an endurance horse ride that crosses three counties a covers a lot of challenging mountain terrain. Due to the pandemic most of our public service events were canceled last year, but luckily this year we were able to get out and practice our radio skills. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>In the area the ride takes place cellphone coverage is sparse. So if there were an emergency, the quickest way to inform staff and get help would be through the use of ham radio. We are able to access our local 2 meter repeater system and use that for this event. Most checkpoints we setup can work the repeater quite easily, while a couple outlying stations require better antenna systems and more power to work reliably. Just so happens I was stationed at one such checkpoint. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcmbfUqoT0eqHAt5WgEtD8XXlrgDr1CX-41WtzhTd5VbHd22qmYxQeaIB2ij00PjHC3bIzhbk7HOc06Cy5HUwwWgZzGc67MPJ-UW7xfQFIGIgjHtlhkAnA_Yn361z7OiuXguAok7iO7Q/s2048/20210828_101048%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcmbfUqoT0eqHAt5WgEtD8XXlrgDr1CX-41WtzhTd5VbHd22qmYxQeaIB2ij00PjHC3bIzhbk7HOc06Cy5HUwwWgZzGc67MPJ-UW7xfQFIGIgjHtlhkAnA_Yn361z7OiuXguAok7iO7Q/s320/20210828_101048%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checkpoint setup from back of my truck.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I pulled into the spot for my checkpoint first thing in the morning, I had no issues communicating with net-control from the 1/4 wave magnet mount on my roof using only about 25 watts. But as the day went on conditions kept changing. By the time the first rider came by, I couldn't even be heard using 50 watts. I decided to deploy a better antenna. I pulled my portable copper j-pole antenna about 20ft into a tree right next to my operating position. This worked for a while, but again as time went by my signal became weaker and weaker. I then repositioned the antenna into a tree in front of the truck and this time got it to about 30ft high. This seemed to do the trick and I was able to get a good signal into net-control using only 5 watts for the rest of the day. (The event actually lasts two days and I had the same checkpoint each day. So I was able to remember where my magical tree was and setup the same way each day.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I knew there would be a lull in the middle of the day when no riders would be coming through, so I brought along my FT-891 and a 40 meter ham stick. I was able to work HF portable from the back of the truck using my 130WH Lithium-Ion battery pack and my Microsoft Surface tablet. I managed to send and receive Winlink messages throughout the middle of the day as well as have a couple JS8Call QSO's all using about 5 watts of power. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicW3ne5626i9pJQWKJuoBug677IeV83SWUYiRDSlPkJ83FePrwGcMxzqr-A4rMxCMynoNZ8ipywZrYagGt1tZd5b-z15yptYJkSNeyLNxcw-Rad_dT-RDMKS3Ifzg5HPNpsyaJCVZ_5IA/s2048/20210828_111841%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicW3ne5626i9pJQWKJuoBug677IeV83SWUYiRDSlPkJ83FePrwGcMxzqr-A4rMxCMynoNZ8ipywZrYagGt1tZd5b-z15yptYJkSNeyLNxcw-Rad_dT-RDMKS3Ifzg5HPNpsyaJCVZ_5IA/s320/20210828_111841%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riders stopping by my checkpoint.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our group records the numbers assigned to the riders as they pass through our checkpoints and report those back to net-control. That way event staff can keep track of where everyone is and ensure no one has gotten lost. In years past we've had riders get lost by taking the wrong trail and had to establish a search for them. We've also had horses and riders get injured on the trail where radio operators had to arrange assistance for them. Luckily though, this year we didn't have any issues. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hopefully nothing comes up and we will get the opportunity to help with this even again next year. It's great practice for deploying during emergencies and it gives a chance to test out equipment, but most of all it provides for a bit of fun outside of the shack! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-49065519731375005992021-07-25T15:10:00.001-07:002021-07-25T15:11:10.450-07:00Retevis RT99 (Vero VR-N7500) Product Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2021/07/retevis-rt99-vero-vr-n7500-product.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="1771" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3i9iHIYKAcnH_OuIOBkNH13okEUMFaRMcjCqQaPHlQtFj8Xhwz3sTGZlBTs_f2c7YLk-JplT2uNGrB9AuRIDWywqd5wb-fZtG6AK1BOXNns-yBPeKxjZ1LSx03VzG9eM70L6Tm3olQpM/s320/20210725_175155.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I had seen the Vero VR-N7500 reviewed a couple years ago and thought it sounded interesting. But at the time I couldn't see shelling out the $200+ for the radio, especially since most reviews showed the app control over the radio was lacking quite a bit. You could get a better known dual band mobile radio for about the same price. So, I forgot about it. Then recently I saw an advertisement from Retevis for their model RT99 and was again reminded of the N7500. Turns out both the RT99 and N7500 are the same radio and Retevis was having a sale on theirs that made it a good price for the advertised capabilities.</p><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>I primarily wanted the radio for the Bluetooth capabilities. I'm planning on using the radio for a motorcycle mobile setup and being "wire free" was a big goal. The radio is also advertised as being APRS capable, but the early reviews made a point that it didn't work quite the way it should as it would transmit packets that were not in the normal ax.25 format. Turns out that after a few years of being on the market, the development team is still working on the app and making improvements which fixed the APRS issue. </p><p>The continued development of the app is a big deal since the radio needs it in order to function. Yes you can have limited control using the four buttons on the speaker mic, but the initial setup of the radio requires the use of the app. Everything except for FM voice on the default 16 channel bank requires a device running the app. I say device, but I highly recommend an Android phone. The app is available for iOS, but from my testing it's extremely limited. As of this review the iOS version doesn't have the ability to change all the settings on the radio and will not work correctly for APRS. As a note, the blame is probably more on the way Apple limits their apps access to Bluetooth rather than anything the app development team has done. <b>(BTW, you can find the latest version of the app by searching "HT" in the app store. Retevis links you to an old version you manually need to install and is lacking features the newer version has.)</b></p><p>Since I haven't finished setting up for motorcycle mobile, I've been using the radio in my truck for the last month or so. I've gotten really good reports during QSO's on the radio and the audio from the little speaker mic is quite loud and clear. I've also tested the Bluetooth capabilities with my phone and also have received good reports. The Bluetooth connection adds about a half second delay in the audio, but isn't that noticeable. </p><p>I wish my truck was new enough to have a fancy infotainment system because this radio seems to be manufactured with that in mind. I can imagine how great it would be to install the app and integrate ham radio right into the system. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIlKfV8RTfuLOFjooVqp_zHQBotCJI-NxaLaBpXyZV8RcTKbDI3hJgsfU_iBllIkclp0Malf3TygdRPle3-QEg03dWEQBNyLINO7SzRDYo97QKkSXLP2Dk39ipnp1AlP_ZQJL1T8My9E/s2159/Screenshot_20210725-161142_HT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2159" data-original-width="972" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIlKfV8RTfuLOFjooVqp_zHQBotCJI-NxaLaBpXyZV8RcTKbDI3hJgsfU_iBllIkclp0Malf3TygdRPle3-QEg03dWEQBNyLINO7SzRDYo97QKkSXLP2Dk39ipnp1AlP_ZQJL1T8My9E/s320/Screenshot_20210725-161142_HT.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzp2gwCJJzeZceQO6kYQfPXrZWjnvAm4FCpNbQEPflhyphenhyphenbuBRxWtAgUHYyEaLmDqBKaXNYQq2nSFMhjy_kGOYx6-t-OSZycVp3-0tAEF5TBXzeRKsbUPNXC0hdHEP8NwTmw_2JqgeT5rYw/s2548/Screenshot_20210725-161209_HT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2548" data-original-width="972" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzp2gwCJJzeZceQO6kYQfPXrZWjnvAm4FCpNbQEPflhyphenhyphenbuBRxWtAgUHYyEaLmDqBKaXNYQq2nSFMhjy_kGOYx6-t-OSZycVp3-0tAEF5TBXzeRKsbUPNXC0hdHEP8NwTmw_2JqgeT5rYw/s320/Screenshot_20210725-161209_HT.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWl044P6YU6fKxRWG9tbKkBNdsmsNH9dehITO3qRJaXFUeC61I4GRurUsrUlDBc2ADfM_SXaWMyCXTur1rWldnrGJgJudpy0y1AN_UZyXpiTrSH3upBQNH8SUjrEm0YSn8tmoF0pIVZQ/s2798/Screenshot_20210725-162346_HT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2798" data-original-width="972" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWl044P6YU6fKxRWG9tbKkBNdsmsNH9dehITO3qRJaXFUeC61I4GRurUsrUlDBc2ADfM_SXaWMyCXTur1rWldnrGJgJudpy0y1AN_UZyXpiTrSH3upBQNH8SUjrEm0YSn8tmoF0pIVZQ/s320/Screenshot_20210725-162346_HT.jpg" /></a><br /><br /></div><p>APRS does work pretty well. I primarily use it as a tracker because of current app limitations. Setting up APRS is a bit strange because the apps UI isn't laid out as well as it could be. I think most users would imagine everything related to APRS would be located in the APRS section of the app, but that's not currently the case. The most important settings are actually located in the "ID Signaling" section. This is where you can enable beaconing by setting "Radio sharing" to a certain amount of time and don't forget to check the box next to "Use APRS format," otherwise you will not transmit normal ax.25 packets. </p><p>An APRS shortcoming of the app is how it receives packets. If you want to monitor repeaters and decode packets, you must have the APRS channel selected and either run the radio in Dual Ch or Scan mode and you will hear the incoming packets. Which is annoying. Hopefully they will update the app with an option to mute the APRS packets while still decoding them. Another way of running APRS is to disable the squelch and mute the volume. This method allows for better packet decoding and more reliable messaging back and forth. </p><p>The app also gives you the ability to transmit SSTV, Morse code, and DTMF. I've tested this locally and it seems to work pretty well. The SSTV however seems to be only one way at the moment. I was able to take a picture with my phone and transmit it to my other radio connected to a PC and receive the image, but I was not able to decode an image sent back to the app. It would be nice if they fixed this so the app was able to listen for an incoming SSTV transmission and decode it. </p><p>Audio Relay is interesting. The setting sounded vague and I couldn't find documentation on it. But it turns out that when this setting is enabled it turns the radio into a simplex repeater. I think this is an odd feature, but I can see it being useful in certain circumstances. </p><p>Another quark of the radio is that it has the ability to receive FM broadcast radio. I can see this being handy if you are using it in the field and wanted to listen in, but for some reason you can only hear it via the speaker mic. It doesn't get sent to the app for listening which would be nice when I'm motorcycle mobile. </p><p>The app allows for 16 channels to be programmed per region and there doesn't seem to be a limit on the number of regions you can setup. This is useful since I can have a set of channels setup for each area I might visit or have separate regions configured for different activities. In fact I created a region that holds all the NOAA weather radio frequencies so I can keep up with the weather reports and I've even setup a region for working satellites. </p><p>Physically the radio is on the small side. It measures 6 1/4" x 4 1/2" 1 1/2" making it fit perfectly in the cubby of the center console on my truck or drop nicely into the pocket on my motorcycle bag. </p><p>Power output is advertised at 50 watts on VHF and 40 watts on UHF. I currently don't have a power meter to check, but compared to my other mobile radios the performance would suggest the figures are correct. Power consumption seems to be around .10 amps while on standby and about 7.52 amps on high power transmit. </p><p>The official documentation is a bit lacking in my opinion. The manual is available as a PDF and provides enough information to get you started, but it doesn't cover all the features and doesn't explain the app very much. There's a user group available at this link (<a href="https://groups.google.com/g/Veron7500">https://groups.google.com/g/Veron7500</a>) that has lots of information and continued discussion. There's even a much better manual and detailed information on setting up the radio available there. </p><p>You can get some neat accessories for the RT99/N7500. There is a Bluetooth speaker mic available as well as a remote PTT. One of the cooler looking accessories is the BHM-78 which is a Bluetooth speaker mic with a display. It looks like an HT and is supposed to provide you with the core operation of the mobile rig and includes a GPS. If I acquire one of these in the future, I'll post again about it. </p><p>Rumor has it there is a Windows app in the works which would be nice while using the radio in the shack or via a laptop in the field. For now, a work around using the "Your Phone" app inside of Windows 10 does the trick for me. If your android device supports it, you can link to your PC and remotely control it. </p><p>Overall I'm very satisfied with the radio. The features included are a good bargain when you can catch the radio on sale. Yes it has some short falls and the app needs a little more development and polishing, but the future of it looks promising. </p>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-73911780986139005012020-05-28T19:47:00.003-07:002020-05-28T19:52:14.275-07:00Internet Over Winlink<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoT1u-2hGDhfBS41kmIldoFRTixdXtEgpYgcq-qA9TOG8vypa1uI-Pmqx4ho2VG-cEP8R6yyDiT-U3h9fXnQY2GUV0WHka4iVm7K6iRwdEnxIHpOMQ4-YcXfJQR649nl83pTyy6jQYFM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Trimmed SlashdotOrg" border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="1096" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoT1u-2hGDhfBS41kmIldoFRTixdXtEgpYgcq-qA9TOG8vypa1uI-Pmqx4ho2VG-cEP8R6yyDiT-U3h9fXnQY2GUV0WHka4iVm7K6iRwdEnxIHpOMQ4-YcXfJQR649nl83pTyy6jQYFM/w320-h261/Trimmed+SlashDotOrg.png" title="Trimmed SlashdotOrg" width="320" /></a></div><font face="arial">What, Internet via radio!? Well, sort of. In this article I will discuss how you can get useful information from the web even if you are nowhere near an internet connection.</font><div><span><a name='more'></a></span><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">I've written about the Winlink service in the past, so if you have no clue as to what that is, you might want to follow <a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2016/09/get-on-winlink-cheap-video.html">this link</a> and check that out first. Or, head over to <a href="http://winlink.org">Winlink.org</a>. Basically Winlink is a way of sending email via radio, but it turns out you can do a few more useful things with it. </font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKG9o60gPVyXY2bCVfwgPWEXDmfV8LU4keSAsp7hAcSt2CidetVnu3W5t0t23QCTVW7qj4wYPxx5-3P0NyKNTQeiCgO4FxTbhABlIbh1Sh6bnqeqYz342QsEyGq6SblPr0nFguZEKI-sk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Winlink Catalog" border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="784" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKG9o60gPVyXY2bCVfwgPWEXDmfV8LU4keSAsp7hAcSt2CidetVnu3W5t0t23QCTVW7qj4wYPxx5-3P0NyKNTQeiCgO4FxTbhABlIbh1Sh6bnqeqYz342QsEyGq6SblPr0nFguZEKI-sk/w320-h209/Winlink+Catalog.png" title="Winlink Catalog" width="320" /></a><br /><font face="arial" size="1">Winlink Catalog</font></div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">If you are using Winlink Express, you have the ability to post requests from the Winlink Catalog. This is found under "Settings" and "Winlink Catalog Request." From the dialog that loads, you can see lots of useful information you can request, most of which is weather related. But what if you want something not listed in the directory? Maybe you want to see the top stories from Slashdot.org. Y</font><span style="font-family: arial;">ou are in luck! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Through a service called SailDocs you can request almost anything from the web you might need. If you read up on the history of Winlink, you will learn that it is also used by mariners as a commercial service called SailMail. It's a handy way people aboard ships at sea can email back and forth anywhere abroad. SailDocs is used along with SailMail (Winlink) to obtain webpages or files from the Internet in a format that's easier on bandwidth. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWyPSZq5Zy0aN-gMNgExiQ_bR3FspWek73LA5KDzzJ_Fqnm-HAXKb1V0wtB6YHilfbwuZfW4dRBTp38nJqNnVgPr3ZTH-Y0HtXiaKa-t1FqGzMBNdivZXzXwNjOJBtBfHVtx6nEd1uGM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWyPSZq5Zy0aN-gMNgExiQ_bR3FspWek73LA5KDzzJ_Fqnm-HAXKb1V0wtB6YHilfbwuZfW4dRBTp38nJqNnVgPr3ZTH-Y0HtXiaKa-t1FqGzMBNdivZXzXwNjOJBtBfHVtx6nEd1uGM/s320/New+SailDoc+Query.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial" size="1">SailDoc Query</font></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To use SailDocs you simply send them an email via Winlink with a send command in the body of the message. To get that copy of the Slashdot.org homepage, you would simply send an email to query@saildocs.com with "send https://www.slashdot.org" in the body. Once the message is sent, it takes a few minutes for their server to grab the site, trim all the fat, and send it to you as a clear text email. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoT1u-2hGDhfBS41kmIldoFRTixdXtEgpYgcq-qA9TOG8vypa1uI-Pmqx4ho2VG-cEP8R6yyDiT-U3h9fXnQY2GUV0WHka4iVm7K6iRwdEnxIHpOMQ4-YcXfJQR649nl83pTyy6jQYFM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Trimmed SlashdotOrg" border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="1096" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoT1u-2hGDhfBS41kmIldoFRTixdXtEgpYgcq-qA9TOG8vypa1uI-Pmqx4ho2VG-cEP8R6yyDiT-U3h9fXnQY2GUV0WHka4iVm7K6iRwdEnxIHpOMQ4-YcXfJQR649nl83pTyy6jQYFM/w320-h261/Trimmed+SlashDotOrg.png" title="Trimmed SlashdotOrg" width="320" /></a><br /><font face="arial" size="1">Trimmed Version of SlashDot.org</font></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><font face="arial">The service works quite well, but you need to be a bit careful with it. The messages can still be quite large as far as email over HF is concerned. (Slashdot.org homepage was 11.361KB when I downloaded it.) Before utilizing it in the field, I would suggest trying it via a telnet session over the internet first to ensure the result works for you and the file size isn't too large. I tried a few webpages where the trimmed up version I received wasn't very useful and was way too large to be sent over radio. </font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLI2sJBvPatNPJIWTOTGa9ZY-7HWNklBPnya3BIVwIaosUDcznaHnEK2B2ioNJd4qPOBO4mPNrjwiVpOCKI4ytrq1EQO7kkvCmsXv4VULy78VU6F1WSjLDk32RTsKjyH0Th1x1PXa17M/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="WX Radar Image" border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="600" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLI2sJBvPatNPJIWTOTGa9ZY-7HWNklBPnya3BIVwIaosUDcznaHnEK2B2ioNJd4qPOBO4mPNrjwiVpOCKI4ytrq1EQO7kkvCmsXv4VULy78VU6F1WSjLDk32RTsKjyH0Th1x1PXa17M/w320-h293/FCX_0.png" title="WX Radar Image" width="320" /></a><br /><font face="arial" size="1">WX Radar Image via SailDocs</font></div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">That being said, I've found it works well with various news sites and National Weather Service web pages. In fact, if you visit nws.noaa.gov and lookup the weather for the area you are interested in ahead of time and make note of the url in your browser, you can post a send request for it while out in the field and have an up-to-date detailed forecast for your precise area. Much more detail than the file you obtain via the Winlink Catalog Request. You can also receive files, such as images, the same way. But again, they are much larger than simple text files and you shouldn't hog all the Winlink resources just so you can get that latest meme.(Latest radar image from NOAA, about 60K.)</font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">For real world use, I would suggest making yourself a list of URL's you would like to access ahead of time. You can't exactly browse the internet, but if you need close to real-time information, this is a handy tool. Again please use the service responsibly, radio spectrum is a shared resource. If you find your file is taking too long to pull in, don’t be afraid to hit that quit button.</font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div>Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-20067057491298915112018-10-21T11:16:00.001-07:002018-10-21T20:33:00.851-07:00ZTE Warp Connect High Gain Log Periodic Antennas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2018/10/zte-warp-connect-high-gain-log-period.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiPcyG9-M74rYtxs1ZHK2nfLrRH4qyA80NDi8GkV02QYSYWsHzhH2bGkjZxtSw4nvYGqulqFGRxQtGmB2xkp3OAFMFNu-wl8UGtQJ-aq2FM3_xxKjK7MqvWpU9VsMmP8AL1X5-e4gErg/s320/20181021_120356.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I've made the switch from a slow unreliable DSL connection to using the Sprint LTE network. To make things better I picked up some high gain antennas. In this post I'll give you some information on how I set them up and how well they work.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>In the previous couple post, I wrote about switching over to LTE internet service. I even showed how to create a makeshift antenna system to bump up the signal strength of the ZTE Warp hot spot. While the connection improved with the simple wire antennas, I figured I would go all out and get a couple high gain directional antennas.<br />
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The antennas I chose to use are the Tupavco TP514, you can find them at Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008Z5QB96/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">here</a>. They are advertised as covering 800-960 MHz and 1.7-2.5 GHz with a maximum gain of 9 dBi. The antennas were highly rated and were priced under $30. I had found other similar products from more well known manufactures, but they were priced at least double what the TP514 were. The TP514 also came with TS9 adapters and a 2ft length of coax cable. Not very long, but I figured it would be good enough for testing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jF-wLQxsq4xFgRtXFLZ-1FlnrZgpdnyoMVZYOQqXMHwAXtQbn768CdIiAFwFhmD4RFd3qg3VykNrFuC2bQtGt_ISDrjH8yPySFqoS4og-Xaz0MhR2D1bzTkHu87CnRbd74MfHDvvB0A/s1600/20181016_155125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jF-wLQxsq4xFgRtXFLZ-1FlnrZgpdnyoMVZYOQqXMHwAXtQbn768CdIiAFwFhmD4RFd3qg3VykNrFuC2bQtGt_ISDrjH8yPySFqoS4og-Xaz0MhR2D1bzTkHu87CnRbd74MfHDvvB0A/s320/20181016_155125.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TP514 Log Period Antenna</td></tr>
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Upon arrival the antennas were well packed. They turned out to be slightly bigger than I thought. They are cheaply made however. The plastic case doesn't feel as durable as other similar antennas I've used and the coax pigtail is hard wired and is also cheap. The antennas have two holes for water drainage in the bottom that seem too big to me. Since you need to mount them in opposing polarization, if you choose to mount one horizontally, it would probably fill with water in a heavy rain.<br />
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For the cost though, these antennas are pretty good. To test them I chose to mount them to a light stand in front of my upstairs window. I moved them around until the signal quality was best, then I tried mounting the antennas in a 45 degree polarization and in a vertical/horizontal polarization to see if one worked better than the other. It turned out that vertical/horizontal gave be the best results.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZao2zMdB84FwmqRtoaW5nsky-A6Je4pN1MdULQx0etnZEaqFZPqnknKDLc0pPMZpr_NVH7VVJbP7L4b9QceFDNIRJ0ZgK0OMMTdHOAk4gNLtudF2uAr8wI1T06MAdLrwN4Zq5aBS9FFo/s1600/20181021_120356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZao2zMdB84FwmqRtoaW5nsky-A6Je4pN1MdULQx0etnZEaqFZPqnknKDLc0pPMZpr_NVH7VVJbP7L4b9QceFDNIRJ0ZgK0OMMTdHOAk4gNLtudF2uAr8wI1T06MAdLrwN4Zq5aBS9FFo/s320/20181021_120356.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two TP514 Log Period Antennas Mounted V/H</td></tr>
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The hot spot now shows 2 bars of signal strength as opposed to the 1 bar with the wire antenna. A connection test consistently gives me 8 Mbps download and 7 Mbps upload bandwidth as well as latency of between 20ms and 40ms. I've also noticed the transmit power of the hot spot is very low. Not sure what measurement they use, but previously it's been around 20 tx power and with these antenna, it's usually in the signal digits. This is a good improvement!<br />
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I haven't gotten the appropriate adapters in order to mount it on my mast outside. The antennas have RP-SMA connectors on them and I would need to adapt them to something else in order to connect to some good LMR-400 coax. I imagine the signal would improve even further with the antennas mounted externally. But for now, I'll leave them mounted indoors.<br />
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I may move them to the mast in the future, but my next project is to switch to a VOIP telephone connection and ditch the land line.Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-20778920258280346092018-10-21T09:47:00.000-07:002018-10-21T11:19:44.657-07:00ZTE Warp Connect Hotspot Antenna Hack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2018/10/zte-warp-connect-hotspot-antenna-hack.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKHnQbQvsCr1SBiinKFtCrYkNoSKEzu9ta3lfBsl2J9HUFdCeNOyKwGPaJh819or0aHAZP4iRbGkyvKvxJ1gKiyBu43QoqdQ5-IPXp4ahAidlS-pRrpwog2zRW4nKyqcemLE01OT5QlQ/s320/20181016_154128.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
If you are in a marginal coverage area with your hot spot, any little boost can help. In today's post I'll show you a quick, cheap way to get a better signal using a couple pieces of wire and some know how.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I've been using the ZTE Warp Connect on the Sprint network for a while now. (6 months now) It was way better than my DSL connection, but I was barely getting any signal and it would occasionally drop out or latency would jump through the roof.<br />
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Luckily the ZTE Warp has a couple of antenna connectors hidden behind plastic flaps I can work with. The connection is a TS-9 female. I did some investigating and found some decent high gain antennas for use with LTE networks, but in the mean time I figured I would try to improve it another way.<br />
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The commercial high gain antennas are usually log periodic since the LTE network uses such a wide range of frequencies. The carrier and device you are using will determine what frequencies you will need an antenna designed for.<br />
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In my case, the Sprint network uses LTE Bands 25, 26, and 41. This equates to 1900, 850, and 2500 MHz. You can also usually find this information on the hot spot web interface too. On the Warp, you can navigate to the "About" page and find a "Debug" button at the bottom right. When you click on that, it will display all the more advanced connection details, including what band it's connected to. I figured out that my Warp uses band 26 (850 MHz), but can also connect to 25 or 41 if the signal is present and stronger.<br />
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Since I know my hot spot is connecting to the 850 MHz band, I began searching for a solid wire that would fit the center of the TS-9 connector. It turns out that solid core network cable works well. I grabbed a couple strands and cut them to 3.3 inches or about 3 5/16". This is the 1/4 wave length measurement for 850 MHz. If your hot spot connects on a different frequency you will need to calculate the wavelength and divide by 4. (1005/Frequency = Full Wave Length in Feet or 234/Frequency = 1/4 Wave Length in Feet.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHBNjQcCTJLsvrcTVg5fLcBJg2qz9er8d5xZIjuNZlpm_8SnCAMTZxAt_Pb0DPNwob137BE9KI7EmDelMiTxEcRF6Gbub1zhTEeHjpcySm1UnFLayeR-pTc3S85iRy3tf9C7YWz1f0Pk/s1600/20181016_154128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHBNjQcCTJLsvrcTVg5fLcBJg2qz9er8d5xZIjuNZlpm_8SnCAMTZxAt_Pb0DPNwob137BE9KI7EmDelMiTxEcRF6Gbub1zhTEeHjpcySm1UnFLayeR-pTc3S85iRy3tf9C7YWz1f0Pk/s320/20181016_154128.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of hot spot with wire antennas.</td></tr>
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Once cut, remove a small amount of outer insulation from the wire so that it can make contact with the inside of the TS-9 connector. Then, with the hot spot off, stick them into the holes in the middle of the TS-9 connectors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fRNM4476CNv0QmrRSbBIoyJNuozoWKHM1WxeNR8NIUJL85nI8lqFG1fScoQWjOEn_ue4rs5GUp0pfe34H-jaS5KqgMPz6cPyXy7UCKRYvTsX8CcSXZIngEkRkSsfw3vVPIqvw1Zl0BU/s1600/20181016_154142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fRNM4476CNv0QmrRSbBIoyJNuozoWKHM1WxeNR8NIUJL85nI8lqFG1fScoQWjOEn_ue4rs5GUp0pfe34H-jaS5KqgMPz6cPyXy7UCKRYvTsX8CcSXZIngEkRkSsfw3vVPIqvw1Zl0BU/s320/20181016_154142.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back of Hot Spot with wire antennas and tape to hold in place. </td></tr>
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I sat my Warp flat on the window seal and bent the antennas upward. I've found that putting the wires at about a 45 degree angle away from each other worked best. Once in place, I also put a small piece of tape across the wires to hold them in the correct position and keep them from falling out.<br />
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Why 45 degrees? Well if you research how the MIMO (Multi In Multi Out) antenna system works on the LTE network, you will learn that the antennas need to be out of phase from each other in order not to interfere. If I were using the commercial high gain antennas, I would have mounted them at opposing 45 degree angles too or mount one vertical and one horizontal.<br />
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How well did it work? Pretty well. I'm still on the outer edge of service so the power received from the tower is still pretty low, but all the other figures were bumped up into the medium or good range and I have a steady 1 bar of service as opposed to the device simply saying it's connected with 0 bars. So far I haven't had any drops of service and best of all I'm getting close to 6 Mbps download and 4 Mbps upload. Before it was only about 2 down and 200 kbps up. I'm also getting consistent latency ratings under 80ms instead of 400ms or more.<br />
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I have the high gain antennas on order and I'll make a post about those too, but if you want an extremely cheap way to improve your hot spot signal, this should do the trick.Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-81871343747788278372018-10-21T09:31:00.001-07:002018-10-21T09:31:55.751-07:00ZTE Warp Connect and Cheap Sprint 4G LTEWhile this may not exactly be ham radio related, there is radio involved. In this post I'll talk about switching from an unreliable land line DSL to 4G wireless internet service via Sprint using the ZTE Warp. I'll also share some interesting sources to get truly unlimited LTE service.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Ever since we moved into our new old house, I've been stuck with only one option for internet. DSL from the local phone company. For most DSL is pretty good, but as it turns out my house is the last on the circuit and I constantly had issues from the start.<br />
<br />
When I signed up for service I got 3Mbps download and 800Kbps upload and I figured that was good enough. But, every time it would rain my phone and internet service would completely go out. After several service calls later, the company basically said I live too far away for 3Mbps service and dropped me down to 1.5Mbps. I knew that wasn't the problem and still had issues every time it rained. This went on for years.<br />
<br />
Why did I put up with it? There really wasn't any other option. The cable company offers awesome service, but they wouldn't run a line an 1/8th of a mile up the road to my house. Modern satellite service looks promising, but the high latency, high cost, and throttling of the bandwidth was a big turn off. Cellular was the only other option. But looking at pricing and reading the fine print of the major providers reveled that there really wasn't an unlimited option. Until I found some third party vendors.<br />
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If you search hard enough on the internet, you can find anything. I discovered a number of places that would sell 4G LTE service that were truly unlimited. One called <a href="https://unlimitedville.com/" target="_blank">Unlimitedville</a>, give you 4G LTE service by becoming a member. The pricing wasn't too bad either. But they weren't the only ones. I also found the <a href="https://www.calyxinstitute.org/" target="_blank">Calyx Institute</a> which if you become a donating member ($500/Year) will send you a Sprint 4G LTE hotspot for a year. Then I came across the <a href="https://www.pcsforpeople.org/low-cost-internet/" target="_blank">PCs for People</a> low cost internet option.<br />
<br />
PCs for People is a non-profit organization that provides technology cheaply to low income individuals and families. Not only do they sell computers in their online store, they also sell that same Sprint 4G LTE service that Calyx and Unlimitedville offer, only they do it for $10 a month. The caveat being that you meet their income limitations.<br />
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According to the fine print at all these sites that provide this service, the carrier will not throttle or limit your connection speeds and do not have a hard cap. Instead they will de-prioritize your connection if you exceed 23GB of data in a billing cycle and the tower you are connected to is congested. That seemed like reasonable terms to me.<br />
<br />
I was within the income limit for the PCs for People service, so I applied online and received my ZTE Warp hotspot within a week. The device is very small and straight forward to use. All you really need to do is turn the thing on and let it connect.<br />
<br />
So, how's the service? I knew cell service is weak at my house. I've used a phone as a hot spot before and it takes finding the sweet spot in the upstairs window to get a reliable connection. So, I put the Warp in that same spot and it connected even though it showed zero bars of signal strength. I was worried because it was very marginal and I didn't have high hopes.<br />
<br />
I managed to get a max connection speed of 5Mbps download and 1Mbps upload. The lowest I've seen it drop was 1Mbps down with 100Kbps up during a heavy rain storm. Yes, weather does seem to affect it. Latency is almost always below 100ms which is way better than the 600ms I had with DSL. While I've gotten a max of 5Mbps, the speed is usually around 3Mbps. Needless to say, I'm a lot happier with this 4G LTE service than with my DSL.<br />
<br />
Even though the signal strength is marginal, the connection has been quite reliable. It will occasionally drop connection, but it's easy to reconnect. As for what happens when you exceed that magical 23GB of data, I haven't noticed anything yet. My household uses about 30GB of data a week. I thought this was high, but we do live in a world of HD streaming content.<br />
<br />
Some information about the Warp itself. The thing is very basic, it only has two buttons. The web interface isn't too bad. If you are using it with 10 devices or less and don't need any advanced networking options, it should work just fine. The range of the 2.4 Ghz WiFi from the hotspot is surprising. I was able to access it all over my house and since it's stuck in an upstairs window, it covers all the yard outside too. If you don't want to use the WiFi connection, you can plug the USB cable into a computer and it does install as a network interface that allows a more direct connection. <br />
<br />
The Warp has the habit of discharging the battery even though I leave it connected to USB power. Usually it will discharge the battery to about 10%, then switch back to charging. But, occasionally it will discharge too far and turn off. This is a slight annoyance and requires the device to be turned on and reconnected. <br />
<br />
Something that is nice about the Warp, is that it has MIMO antenna jacks hidden away underneath two little covers on the top. I figured out that the connection type is TS-9. In the future I do plan on installing a couple log period antennas on my 40 ft mast to gain a better signal to the device. I would like more bandwidth so I can switch my phone service to a VOIP setup and ditch the phone company all together. I'll probably cover that in a future post.<br />
<br />
To sum things up, the coveted unlimited LTE service does exist and you can have it if you know the secret handshake. Best I can tell all of the providers of this service are like clubs. Clubs that somehow negotiated an outstanding LTE contract they give to their members who pay dues. However they do it, I'm happy with the service and hope that it continues to be offered.Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-67020928501976563002018-04-24T08:03:00.000-07:002018-04-24T08:03:27.283-07:00Utilizing Forms with Winlink Express<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYV9w-tDc6_Gl7HOLO8jaoEfmsqeeG9RgQFX0IpmXMdCzZ6-vCWt3w1LHXX-sEFxB8lp5pRpY2oMesAjIVUkGG1tafrl5VGvxWn21V2VetcWXrF_DX04DnY0qMj80AS2sWHSFyMPzcuQ/s1600/Form+Browser+Window.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1115" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYV9w-tDc6_Gl7HOLO8jaoEfmsqeeG9RgQFX0IpmXMdCzZ6-vCWt3w1LHXX-sEFxB8lp5pRpY2oMesAjIVUkGG1tafrl5VGvxWn21V2VetcWXrF_DX04DnY0qMj80AS2sWHSFyMPzcuQ/s320/Form+Browser+Window.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Winlink system is great for getting messages moved around, but its not necessarily pretty. To make it easier on the eyes of the user and served agencies, forms were implemented. These present a more friendly way to send messages back and forth. Check out this example of how to use forms.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Forms have been implemented inside of Winlink Express for a while now. They rely on pre-downloaded form templates that open inside a browser window for editing or review. Since each end has the pretty formatting already downloaded, all that needs to be transmitted is the text of the messages and a small XML file.<br />
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If you have a more recent version of Winlink Express installed, the forms should already be installed and they are automatically updated when new versions are released. So to ensure you have the latest and greatest, head over to the <a href="http://winlink.org/WinlinkExpress" target="_blank">Winlink.org</a> site and download the newest version of the software.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsligi1DVVPaNrxbBtHJYIfAiVf8eRlqYQLpHKCdS3PJMy7qUP448Mo_VB_ItAMP5LrUPxnC_S71CKUeHueyKPpKDYzecFYFsVMTQUfjlI90IWqLiTi8DDadU4mKAg3L4VXzFQkW740g/s1600/New+Message.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsligi1DVVPaNrxbBtHJYIfAiVf8eRlqYQLpHKCdS3PJMy7qUP448Mo_VB_ItAMP5LrUPxnC_S71CKUeHueyKPpKDYzecFYFsVMTQUfjlI90IWqLiTi8DDadU4mKAg3L4VXzFQkW740g/s320/New+Message.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Message Button</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To use forms, you click on the new message button like you normally would.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLahXafWv6uZ3j9bVVzt0wa8meksBQ01mJx7l-NkjWGs_0mQymNgSxIPufSxbdLUUNdk2rUt95_igxn_hmQ7UhahMfK5NAYICdcLyh5O3D7f9hnWg6Ho4BT8QxdZuFO1A3e_ZfD1O41Do/s1600/Select+Template.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1172" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLahXafWv6uZ3j9bVVzt0wa8meksBQ01mJx7l-NkjWGs_0mQymNgSxIPufSxbdLUUNdk2rUt95_igxn_hmQ7UhahMfK5NAYICdcLyh5O3D7f9hnWg6Ho4BT8QxdZuFO1A3e_ZfD1O41Do/s320/Select+Template.PNG" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Select Template</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At the top of the new message window, you will notice a button called "Select Template."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-j_e_Y2uTdaUUnxIrPZZ9CqcIXaX_mKmRfeiAZHDvJ1Y293nydFNEM_16UeeqC37hcDWq9tFbtxt60IJSf2Z0G93JDIY3-2etfWAZRV-HSOjqcQBxQE7Ao3fpRdd9LM9UoCogZ_AmF8/s1600/Template+Manager.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="776" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-j_e_Y2uTdaUUnxIrPZZ9CqcIXaX_mKmRfeiAZHDvJ1Y293nydFNEM_16UeeqC37hcDWq9tFbtxt60IJSf2Z0G93JDIY3-2etfWAZRV-HSOjqcQBxQE7Ao3fpRdd9LM9UoCogZ_AmF8/s320/Template+Manager.PNG" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Template Manager Window</td></tr>
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Clicking this button will display a tree list of all the templates and forms you have to choose from. In my example I'm choosing the ICS213_Initial.txt form under the Standard Templates.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrWeIO8uWsBqGwAci1AR7z7tRHbop8s-gVOPS2w2PNWfIfLGJBwYQgJ3F1LgLzPiDhoGz3rbI-ugtxhGrhGPgXpTmRWNA_xY7K7w4G_RC0Ew0RPbyd1Tr3oZRicsYGbvQ_tD5Chd9jRQ/s1600/Form+Browser+Window.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1115" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrWeIO8uWsBqGwAci1AR7z7tRHbop8s-gVOPS2w2PNWfIfLGJBwYQgJ3F1LgLzPiDhoGz3rbI-ugtxhGrhGPgXpTmRWNA_xY7K7w4G_RC0Ew0RPbyd1Tr3oZRicsYGbvQ_tD5Chd9jRQ/s320/Form+Browser+Window.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Form In Browser Window</td></tr>
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After you select the template, a browser window should open up with a well formatted form that you can fill out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wTjnhS0RLgqLaxN_W-9gvcpQWMP2tO2mutErNezQnIoQoebXe-LUkECRjUsI3y_plMbgH-6TyOlLty5qm62HWhjooco_-ua7jgsVVV-SqaQOldUclzpE7BNWjDgQuJLylhd3QixI_R0/s1600/Message+Window+Filled.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wTjnhS0RLgqLaxN_W-9gvcpQWMP2tO2mutErNezQnIoQoebXe-LUkECRjUsI3y_plMbgH-6TyOlLty5qm62HWhjooco_-ua7jgsVVV-SqaQOldUclzpE7BNWjDgQuJLylhd3QixI_R0/s320/Message+Window+Filled.PNG" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filled Message Window</td></tr>
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Once you fill in the necessary fields and click submit, you can return to the new message window inside Winlink Express and see the basic information you wrote into the form in the main message window.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7fL6EIAegBPLWmMr1EVXv8PI5Z8AgAC9VqhtoB8go0pP7mPxpb36nX9fC8Fe2rvAi6woup7KzrnE-S0tUrbbPmf3siXUOpXrZkVJDY3JMH5_oBkUrMqSHgFSDixmXzsHOP-RHP73dcI/s1600/XML+file+filled.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7fL6EIAegBPLWmMr1EVXv8PI5Z8AgAC9VqhtoB8go0pP7mPxpb36nX9fC8Fe2rvAi6woup7KzrnE-S0tUrbbPmf3siXUOpXrZkVJDY3JMH5_oBkUrMqSHgFSDixmXzsHOP-RHP73dcI/s320/XML+file+filled.PNG" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">XML File</td></tr>
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You will also notice an .xml file is also attached to the message. This is the file that actually gets loaded into the form when the message is opened by the recipient. I assume the plain text "meat" of the message is sent alongside the XML file just in case the recipient is using a client that doesn't support these new forms. <br />
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Before posting the message to the outbox, you will need to remember to fill in the "to:" field with the callsign or email address of the recipient.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw-ibxT1POXYdYwD8N8e-abDf08GkfcCvpTuQIVXnXV2h2tF6vPtrP9akcO50jffaR7S3csyxilzGIlMDhYgOfvdblQwaD5yHZ4ha2V6ETjopVr4l1dhAHrxOHNzst-e1-g4b_uS4vis/s1600/Set+favorite+templates+button.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw-ibxT1POXYdYwD8N8e-abDf08GkfcCvpTuQIVXnXV2h2tF6vPtrP9akcO50jffaR7S3csyxilzGIlMDhYgOfvdblQwaD5yHZ4ha2V6ETjopVr4l1dhAHrxOHNzst-e1-g4b_uS4vis/s320/Set+favorite+templates+button.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Set Favorite Templates</td></tr>
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If you find yourself using the same forms over and over again, you can add a shortcut at the top of your new message window so you no longer need to navigate through the template manager. You can change this by clicking "Set favorite templates" under the message button.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhGtcmpOwaxm66wbacqYAPw3ApthOhgG0pFbSJDryFMu-PJKl4X4-Wcj7-jqLs_6SyuM-5N6F6-4yJHiHKQ_-6xO1dcynqukHFhry-kfU_bth7QM8Hb_329_RvgrXtzr_IyTJI2Gzzxs/s1600/Select+favorite+template.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1326" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhGtcmpOwaxm66wbacqYAPw3ApthOhgG0pFbSJDryFMu-PJKl4X4-Wcj7-jqLs_6SyuM-5N6F6-4yJHiHKQ_-6xO1dcynqukHFhry-kfU_bth7QM8Hb_329_RvgrXtzr_IyTJI2Gzzxs/s320/Select+favorite+template.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Select Favorite Template</td></tr>
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This opens a window where you can select up to four templates as favorites and add a single click button at the top of the message window for each. Just click browse and choose the template you want.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp8p_Fe7SRi9IWqrEHAGsWaSJWvINMA5ektcYMU7T2_Xn5_bn2LU77Osh9EKKIzWm13V5GHPlSxzkTsqHzT4bc-kDlAC8mKpg_-f603JfNkLcGf62BjIFvtgogsqwHKwHtMOU-itC4cc/s1600/Set+favorite+templates+save.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1326" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp8p_Fe7SRi9IWqrEHAGsWaSJWvINMA5ektcYMU7T2_Xn5_bn2LU77Osh9EKKIzWm13V5GHPlSxzkTsqHzT4bc-kDlAC8mKpg_-f603JfNkLcGf62BjIFvtgogsqwHKwHtMOU-itC4cc/s320/Set+favorite+templates+save.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Create a Friendly Name</td></tr>
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Then add a friendly name as the Display name and click Save.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIffB77UnsL52nh2ORtzULpYPL3TJwGSMHeD5HQV9q-hoHh7CUfalR-YcVIOW5yC6ps4Lxc-IFHQr4XzWtL9Q3qKEqGHoJ8CazkSB8gSKCs1s5BddLmMhzt7iEJJNWETlyDM19pwUHdPo/s1600/Favorite+Template+in+Message+Window.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1172" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIffB77UnsL52nh2ORtzULpYPL3TJwGSMHeD5HQV9q-hoHh7CUfalR-YcVIOW5yC6ps4Lxc-IFHQr4XzWtL9Q3qKEqGHoJ8CazkSB8gSKCs1s5BddLmMhzt7iEJJNWETlyDM19pwUHdPo/s320/Favorite+Template+in+Message+Window.PNG" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Favorite Template Button</td></tr>
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You will notice, now you have a button at the top of your new message window with the name you chose. With a single click of this button, the form you selected as a favorite opens for editing.<br />
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As you can see, form templates are a more visually appealing way of conveying Winlink messages which makes sending and reading messages much easier.Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-79907205474856681332017-09-21T11:22:00.001-07:002017-09-21T11:26:16.232-07:00HF APRS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/09/hf-aprs.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1198" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO2k3Ls8uBZPC1tmValNnQWsjQyng743WLct6Rb-Sw9JYWJSNzLmuU3r_FJBQaUG6FFW4sf1LjbI1RdogjY_EWyM0ruM6Lyum74MvWYD0WWBsnihae62Jjp057LQ-oQcRgCrWQA4SZdg/s200/aprsfi_screen.PNG" width="200" /></a><span id="goog_2051723766"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_2051723767"></span></div>
<br />
APRS can be a valuable tool to establish what resources are around you. But what if you aren't hearing very many packets or you're not getting digipeated on VHF? APRS via HF may be a good work around.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I've spent a lot of time working with APRS on 144.390 MHz VHF. It's a good tool for figuring out what kind of ham radio resources are around you. The whole purpose of the system is so you can sit in an area for about 15 minutes decoding packets and get an idea of what the local repeaters are, where other hams are around you, get weather data, along with a bunch of other useful information.<br />
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Even though the APRS network is vast, occasionally you may find yourself in an area where you don't hear much activity and/or cannot get digipeated. Don't fret, if you have access to an HF transceiver, you can jump on APRS at 10.151 MHz.<br />
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If you're paying attention, you might have noticed that 10.151 is not a ham frequency. That's because, according to official documentation, you are supposed to use LSB which will put the mark/space falling inside the 30 meter band. I never liked that idea. In fact most ham transceivers will not allow you transmit at that frequency even though technically you would be inside the ham band. So, I deiced to try it a different way.<br />
<br />
Using the good old <a href="http://uz7.ho.ua/packetradio.htm" target="_blank">UZ7HO SoundModem</a> and my <a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/02/behold-super-easy-digi.html" target="_blank">EasyDigi sound card interface</a>, you can easily setup APRS on HF without using the lower side band trick.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdo1YE7k1UdJjV8OMb3iPWsy5IP02SpZL4m26xjAVXAYDIpX_xazEzSClBGFaAe1F-XD8A3VDUBmX8WQPNKtVZY1vuEO6CQqJ8aghhgLomG8mVhlfqqgfP2djrbeRZToGN5BxJ2CQ2gTk/s1600/SoundModem_300bd_setting.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="752" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdo1YE7k1UdJjV8OMb3iPWsy5IP02SpZL4m26xjAVXAYDIpX_xazEzSClBGFaAe1F-XD8A3VDUBmX8WQPNKtVZY1vuEO6CQqJ8aghhgLomG8mVhlfqqgfP2djrbeRZToGN5BxJ2CQ2gTk/s320/SoundModem_300bd_setting.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Select AX.25 300db</td></tr>
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You will notice at the top of the SoundModem window, there is a drop down menu with various emission types and speeds. The default is AFSK AX.25 1200bd at 1700, which is the correct setting for VHF. All you need to do is select AFSK AX.25 300bd at 1700 instead. The tricky part is tuning in your radio to just the right spot. I've found that 10.147.55 MHz USB is the perfect spot to place the AFSK signal at the 1700 center mark inside the software. (This may vary slightly by radio.)<br />
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You don't necessarily have to do it that way, I like keeping the center mark location at 1700 in the software since I switch back and forth between VHF and HF APRS. However, you can tune to 10.148 and wait for a packet to show up on the waterfall, then click that location on the waterfall. This will cause the software to listen and transmit at that location.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mSRPBk5RY4rknaUheHQHeMmP9Pk3I89_PzW_IqS4nRJtVOgwBDv4YQug8iHnz_wO9A4vvJIj32y1LXcjE0gIeB640dEDxJ7ORLjmFWiZ9Mil95NHDcMWE9bzWAtrQQ9d6lj5Yga_VN0/s1600/SoundModem-30mAPRS_3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="698" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mSRPBk5RY4rknaUheHQHeMmP9Pk3I89_PzW_IqS4nRJtVOgwBDv4YQug8iHnz_wO9A4vvJIj32y1LXcjE0gIeB640dEDxJ7ORLjmFWiZ9Mil95NHDcMWE9bzWAtrQQ9d6lj5Yga_VN0/s320/SoundModem-30mAPRS_3.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SoundModem Decoding Properly</td></tr>
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Watching the software for a while, you should begin seeing decoded packets in the main window. If not, the center mark location is probably not set correctly and should be reset.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">APRSIS/32 Connected to SoundModem</td></tr>
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Once the SoundModem software is setup and decoding packets, you can setup your favorite APRS software to connect to the UZ7HO software as a TCP KISS TNC. You will want to make sure that you don't set a path and you're beacon is set for a longer duration. (Don't try to use HF APRS for turn by turn tracking. You won't make many friends.)<br />
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Experimenting on HF, I've found that it's a little different. Since you are on HF a single hop for your packet could be thousands of miles, so you don't need a digipeater at all. Chances are an iGate will hear your packet and forward it on to the internet side of APRS with little issue. Since the 300bd on HF is a lot slower than the 1200bd of VHF, you will only want to beacon every 30 minutes or so unless you are trying to convey more information. Even still, you will want to limit how frequently you send packets so you don't "hog" the frequency.<br />
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HF is a completely different system from the usual VHF APRS network. If you are listening to HF traffic, you will only see the stations that are also on HF. In order for your packets to appear on the VHF network, an iGate that has the ability to transmit must be setup to forward nearby HF stations that show up on the internet side and beacon them as objects to local VHF stations. Unfortunately there isn't an iGate setup with this capability near me. (Perhaps this could be a good future project.)<br />
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Even though APRS on HF is much slower, I've found it to be very reliable. You can use the same features on HF as you do on VHF. A good example is the ability to send email messages. The only downside is you shouldn't expect a response as traffic originated from the internet is not supposed to traverse the HF APRS network. (If you need two way messaging, you should probably use <a href="http://winlink.org/" target="_blank">Winlink</a>.)<br />
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APRS on HF is another tool to put in your ham toolbox. I think it's something that could be used more and it would be nice to see more of an interconnect between the HF and VHF networks.Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-54987556647801291732017-08-30T09:13:00.001-07:002017-08-30T09:15:18.998-07:00Mag Loop Tuning Aid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/08/mag-loop-tuning-aid.html"><span id="goog_1583375043"></span><span id="goog_1583375044"></span><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61l08XNr4K1kSW5HX-8Ee37yqWJfc6Fvs8fD-5kWvXbcXFeR3qX4fQ6xk_Qtk7rleJGHG5gnS5RZ6KaJHuKNReI2z7FVWh0minKxD1mZybgch5Glr8xMh_MNt7pphl-S-WN4_NtZziEo/s200/20170827_192055%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Since the HF transceiver I use doesn't have an SWR meter, I went in search for a way to ensure my mag loop antenna is tuned properly without any extra equipment. So, I built this little tuning aid.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I remember seeing somewhere online recently a user posted a picture of a LED soldered to a loop of wire and then run through a snap-on ferrite core. They then clipped it onto an antenna wire and when they would tune for best SWR, the LED would get brighter. I thought that the idea looked perfect for my STL antenna.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuning Aid Getting brighter when transmitting.</td></tr>
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I use LMR-400 for my loops main element and I didn't have any snap-on cores big enough for that. I did happen to have a regular solid core that was big enough to slip on over the coax connector. I also wound up using an incandescent bulb instead of an LED, but it works the same. I wound the wire only two turns through the core and wired them to the light. When transmitting on my lowest power setting and turning the tuning knob back and forth slowly, you can see the light get brighter and dim out depending on how much power is being emitted by the loop. This also corresponds to how good the SWR match is at the transmitter. </div>
Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-52064272092639645642017-08-30T08:49:00.000-07:002017-08-30T08:51:52.956-07:00Small Transmitting Loop (Mag Loop)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/08/small-transmitting-loop-mag-loop.html"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cQt7PNGT47QMONAOUCdkgT5LlqILfKsJNeFXybq1xrRC9bybafhurEeRR9wmR2R8eC9N5dCeZKvRewssl7ozNlVFNGmq45fI15rUISbhV-FzARTtGH1eVfcAxpuuYNheVBVJHIDol8I/s200/20170125_192543.jpg" width="200" /></a><span id="goog_1583375009"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1583375010"></span></div>
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I've been seeing a lot about the small transmitting loop, or magnetic loop, antenna lately. An extremely small and portable antenna that still has similar performance of a wire antenna. From all the articles online and YouTube videos, it looks like the bees knees. I've decided to give it a try and find out exactly how good they really are.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I stumbled across the antenna design shortly after getting my license. After studying all about wire antennas, I have to say it looked like a bunch of black magic to me. The first examples of the design I saw were from commercial manufacturers selling them on the basis that they were the best emergency communication antenna around. They were selling them for a high price too.<br />
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Of course I take all the stuff I see online with a grain of salt, especially when the reviewer states they were given the antenna by the manufacture. Give me a $500 antenna and I'll "review" it too. But after doing much more research and seeing several do-it-yourself creations of loop antennas, I decided to build my own and experiment.<br />
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It seems like two manufactures in particular have cornered the online presence with their designs. One is AlphaAntenna who makes the AlphaLoop, the other is Chameleon Antenna which makes the CHA F-LOOP. Both are very similar in their design and this was the same design I wanted to follow.<br />
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Each utilizes a Faraday loop to couple with the larger loop and a small variable air capacitor in a weather resistant box. The large main loop is constructed of LMR-400 type coaxial feed line in both designs as well. After looking closely at these antennas, they looked easy enough to duplicate. But, how do these things work exactly?<br />
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After doing a little research I have found the following:<br />
A small transmitting loop uses the magnetic portion of the electromagnetic radio wave as opposed to the electrical component. If mounted horizontally and higher than 1/4 wavelength above the ground, it radiates in a figure 8 pattern much like a dipole. Of course, if used vertically and closer to the ground the low-angle figure 8 pattern will tend to become more omnidirectional and should be very suitable for NVIS.<br />
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In short, an STL antenna is a single turn air-core RF transformer.<br />
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<b>My STL Build:</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJB0X-7VxzILAZOFIUjEqYDD95vozugkAviUjNfkQmNY_7ApAbtRtcl1a1nDxItHpFJu5gaQN8FDnG7jkeSMjgVZS_RZo2X4B3nE_pnBwpYrrk7JENH9nGhalnZtPlec0k0NKhN86uNs/s1600/20170125_192543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJB0X-7VxzILAZOFIUjEqYDD95vozugkAviUjNfkQmNY_7ApAbtRtcl1a1nDxItHpFJu5gaQN8FDnG7jkeSMjgVZS_RZo2X4B3nE_pnBwpYrrk7JENH9nGhalnZtPlec0k0NKhN86uNs/s320/20170125_192543.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">8' STL Antenna</td></tr>
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I built my loop using the two major manufacturers designs as a starting point. Since both their products advertise covering 40 through 10 meters out of the box, I was hoping to modify mine to at least cover 80-40 meters since this would be the more common bands utilized to pass traffic via NVIS in an emergency.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrih8zLPEv_rRIwv7ab4qmazhLZroVcsGHLaRGsis20ohY6eBfkQGa0_KhdXwFFfAcT8bQJd-KtmtLNJGtb5T2md6dwvF6H2m2g8ZsMUvHnsuJsXhKGAqAXPkBaP-yN_SjisJPj1LHs8/s1600/20170829_211232%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrih8zLPEv_rRIwv7ab4qmazhLZroVcsGHLaRGsis20ohY6eBfkQGa0_KhdXwFFfAcT8bQJd-KtmtLNJGtb5T2md6dwvF6H2m2g8ZsMUvHnsuJsXhKGAqAXPkBaP-yN_SjisJPj1LHs8/s320/20170829_211232%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LMR-400 Loop and Faraday Loop</td></tr>
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I already had some LMR-400 coax laying around, so I constructed my radiating loop from an 8 foot long section. It is terminated in the standard PL-259 connectors and could be used as a jumper if needed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZooPBUmN57MgLuq7E19i_Bki1dgZSJ9NDV2igemlLEgs340tahn8eRMSjEBxEYCIwHuib8w7HVYKXJm2H5WmXAskbeAy76y_uD5RYpROxKXB3X8ASwMszaFbct8si0sH5yuE5wW6EUM/s1600/20170829_213504%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZooPBUmN57MgLuq7E19i_Bki1dgZSJ9NDV2igemlLEgs340tahn8eRMSjEBxEYCIwHuib8w7HVYKXJm2H5WmXAskbeAy76y_uD5RYpROxKXB3X8ASwMszaFbct8si0sH5yuE5wW6EUM/s320/20170829_213504%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faraday Loop</td></tr>
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The small Faraday feed loop is made from a piece of 12 gauge solid core wire and soldered onto the center and shield connection of an SO-239 chassis connector. This loop needs to be cut to 1/5th the size of the radiating loop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWW9D-MD9_2qkomvUdDH159H2oO-ll9-BEmAAJVcdCpNNbjl3W_FujSBsgwllRBAm9a49nwDCbTpp_p5uzwksqMC-dOfgb7seNE_SMXk3NJWmyHlDv0-J1xMA0K7abaP75er-QPkZNBQ/s1600/20170829_213418%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWW9D-MD9_2qkomvUdDH159H2oO-ll9-BEmAAJVcdCpNNbjl3W_FujSBsgwllRBAm9a49nwDCbTpp_p5uzwksqMC-dOfgb7seNE_SMXk3NJWmyHlDv0-J1xMA0K7abaP75er-QPkZNBQ/s320/20170829_213418%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Variable Air Capacitor</td></tr>
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I'm not sure about the specs of my tuning capacitor. I found mine inside an old busted signal generator. It consists of four gangs and seems to offer a lot of capacitance. It also had a built in reduction gear to make fine tuning easier.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojWt6KxAH4b1XCpIja_V_DubQN6ucTfGTEN26zQHLPJBpA4Qb_O1WToS34kxHLHCtbBYpxLy_HJJm-vdPK7YhIggScrRpK8ytx6nkhTyPQo-YwnNldkhL3iy0Ox6rmEoAypuubX9dT5E/s1600/20170829_213431%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojWt6KxAH4b1XCpIja_V_DubQN6ucTfGTEN26zQHLPJBpA4Qb_O1WToS34kxHLHCtbBYpxLy_HJJm-vdPK7YhIggScrRpK8ytx6nkhTyPQo-YwnNldkhL3iy0Ox6rmEoAypuubX9dT5E/s320/20170829_213431%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open Loop Tuner Box</td></tr>
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To put it all together, I found a marine junction box big enough for the capacitor to fit inside. I then mounted an SO-239 chassis connector to both sides of the box to attach the big loop to the capacitor. I soldered the center and ground connection of each chassis connector together an then put the capacitor in series with them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgj_vUb577px4s7D6G_JQCvrs10Xxx4tt8aXzmP52Qu-Pw8xO-Bd7nCK7f3xVvUq-pLqRXLY6eQM5iHsOUHyDsRfOq0qIpEOdLwpaiawQvcnLtQVh9OLzQtUahgETXhbNCY3-KnP_Hl4/s1600/20170125_192617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgj_vUb577px4s7D6G_JQCvrs10Xxx4tt8aXzmP52Qu-Pw8xO-Bd7nCK7f3xVvUq-pLqRXLY6eQM5iHsOUHyDsRfOq0qIpEOdLwpaiawQvcnLtQVh9OLzQtUahgETXhbNCY3-KnP_Hl4/s320/20170125_192617.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Switch to add or remove capacitance.</td></tr>
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After some initial experimentation, I found there was enough range in the capacitor to tune the 8ft coax loop from 80 through 30 meters. This was great because that was my initial goal, but I decided to see if I could modify it to work even higher frequencies. I added a switch that would allow me to select only a single gang of the capacitor. This simple modification allows the additional tuning range of 40 though 15 meters.<br />
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<b>Performance:</b><br />
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It was simple enough to make, but is the performance on par with what is advertised?<br />
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With the loop sitting on a desk in my shack on the second floor of my home, I made the following observations.<br />
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Initial testing showed that the maximum power I can use with this particular capacitor is around 35 watts. Beyond that, it will arc over the plates. This isn't a big deal, since I tend to use 25 watts or less on digital modes anyway.<br />
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The antenna is also very narrow banded and touchy when it comes to tuning. I'm glad the capacitor I found has a reduction drive already, otherwise it would be almost impossible to hit the sweet spot for a particular frequency. I've found being this narrow banded is both a pro and con. It acts as a filter to eliminate interference, but the antenna must be re-tuned often while moving within a particular band.<br />
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After using the loop for a month long period, I've discovered that it has very good NVIS propagation on 80 and 40 meters. I have been able to reliably use Winmor to connect to stations within a 300 mile radius. While I wouldn't recommend this for DX work, I have also been able to make some PSK31 contacts with stations 800+ miles away on 40 meters.<br />
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Comparing the STL with my 72ft end-fed antenna, signal reports on the FSQ digital mode were only down a couple of s-units on the STL. Reception is also very similar, but the STL antenna seems to have a lower noise floor.<br />
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I used WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter) to test the effective range of the STL. I tested the antenna using 5 watts of power on each band from 80 through 15 meters. I tested day time propagation for the 40 through 15 meter bands and also tested night time propagation for 40 and 80 meters. Here are screen shots from the test.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg714KiCbN-KQDfLJteNg8JC6uWkh6FX0dKDiyfWEkNQV6SGMTBIEtAg3anf8zQVZS8ofKSm6qLoujZQu8Gs834pD9peOayEa9PpVV4N106IHULfXZV2Mf_pdnaeJei2FBcn0_G3O7xVHc/s1600/15M_Day.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="15 Meter Day" border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg714KiCbN-KQDfLJteNg8JC6uWkh6FX0dKDiyfWEkNQV6SGMTBIEtAg3anf8zQVZS8ofKSm6qLoujZQu8Gs834pD9peOayEa9PpVV4N106IHULfXZV2Mf_pdnaeJei2FBcn0_G3O7xVHc/s320/15M_Day.PNG" title="15 Meter Day" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">15 Meter Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTwxsRDQBbkF-v9POKh8bC0H4t1ZfUGsf3vhN8pQDoRXbYZi_C2hQ0EoUrfCdT8ebZLzn9lKrNjXDuwCgNEDbs0XVQpZp1eYr6RktxQsYCUvy-jCrJy6hcs8w5r2pyaEdbgarHorVfbc/s1600/17M_Day.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="17 Meter Day" border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTwxsRDQBbkF-v9POKh8bC0H4t1ZfUGsf3vhN8pQDoRXbYZi_C2hQ0EoUrfCdT8ebZLzn9lKrNjXDuwCgNEDbs0XVQpZp1eYr6RktxQsYCUvy-jCrJy6hcs8w5r2pyaEdbgarHorVfbc/s320/17M_Day.PNG" title="17 Meter Day" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17 Meter Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="20 Meter Day" border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnv38-h_BZ0u51fuNv9aipyYGFGo9nFFOVfFoIC_fMIA3nLZh_p1D9oaT7JsPjaqCVGP7qKLZ8C5_LbzzKm2IINM5R1hREdruQwGHfImOEJ6JJaCp2gFuBkrpZebNCMDIXP1eEO5fxNc/s320/20M_Day.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="20 Meter Day" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20 Meter Day</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnv38-h_BZ0u51fuNv9aipyYGFGo9nFFOVfFoIC_fMIA3nLZh_p1D9oaT7JsPjaqCVGP7qKLZ8C5_LbzzKm2IINM5R1hREdruQwGHfImOEJ6JJaCp2gFuBkrpZebNCMDIXP1eEO5fxNc/s1600/20M_Day.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnv38-h_BZ0u51fuNv9aipyYGFGo9nFFOVfFoIC_fMIA3nLZh_p1D9oaT7JsPjaqCVGP7qKLZ8C5_LbzzKm2IINM5R1hREdruQwGHfImOEJ6JJaCp2gFuBkrpZebNCMDIXP1eEO5fxNc/s1600/20M_Day.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFrV_sPSyciQaJSRXuBymM6xEQMWhLE5MX37PagWjQDN9u6BOb5BCVrGNbsiRD5wXr9DCctqlxwB2p1gt_DfEyZfLD2Za9cOvrvOSi42qkJnHCtSfEGA7hvMcrdtXrml2ayNKkInYn2U0/s1600/30M_Day.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="30 Meter Day" border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFrV_sPSyciQaJSRXuBymM6xEQMWhLE5MX37PagWjQDN9u6BOb5BCVrGNbsiRD5wXr9DCctqlxwB2p1gt_DfEyZfLD2Za9cOvrvOSi42qkJnHCtSfEGA7hvMcrdtXrml2ayNKkInYn2U0/s320/30M_Day.PNG" title="30 Meter Day" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30 Meter Day</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="40 Meter Day" border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ixtrhSlDByInoY7M98ETw2HCOLyeGad3XzZ9xjwCCwnpjK3ZYiNWX5JFRuhVwfmLqa2E3SH_ww97uVIOY-INzGN4UtBBFxJsF-vLceRlzUPV6_IB8n8r01m4QjxHODO5ViIkc27dPfc/s320/40M_Day.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="40 Meter Day" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">40 Meter Day</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ixtrhSlDByInoY7M98ETw2HCOLyeGad3XzZ9xjwCCwnpjK3ZYiNWX5JFRuhVwfmLqa2E3SH_ww97uVIOY-INzGN4UtBBFxJsF-vLceRlzUPV6_IB8n8r01m4QjxHODO5ViIkc27dPfc/s1600/40M_Day.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ixtrhSlDByInoY7M98ETw2HCOLyeGad3XzZ9xjwCCwnpjK3ZYiNWX5JFRuhVwfmLqa2E3SH_ww97uVIOY-INzGN4UtBBFxJsF-vLceRlzUPV6_IB8n8r01m4QjxHODO5ViIkc27dPfc/s1600/40M_Day.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispS_bshdBALMqxWCBOtgAL7nvJv7bYEQ0m3CN8r1QDW0zsR3ocIXmb8DQREFX2caZsZY9puxV0l50FKGFEaJl9AyBvdXwB8Lj-nudInpiuWIznk58BvQP4GQ19OLoY9YiNlTm2c8y1IQ/s1600/40M_Night.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="40 Meter Night" border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispS_bshdBALMqxWCBOtgAL7nvJv7bYEQ0m3CN8r1QDW0zsR3ocIXmb8DQREFX2caZsZY9puxV0l50FKGFEaJl9AyBvdXwB8Lj-nudInpiuWIznk58BvQP4GQ19OLoY9YiNlTm2c8y1IQ/s320/40M_Night.PNG" title="40 Meter Night" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">40 Meter Night</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0O5_avusmH1CspxhFSlpd8G704NrZgxURXv7H3zc5GylWQSwnekZZbC0sd84O-s1LdqTL7V_HgnvBSXDUFJ66_4eHKr4pnemmhX-2NZlRb4PE3mFFaug_G7QHG_5v3R_C0kmxk0q7H90/s1600/80M_Night.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="80 Meter Night" border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0O5_avusmH1CspxhFSlpd8G704NrZgxURXv7H3zc5GylWQSwnekZZbC0sd84O-s1LdqTL7V_HgnvBSXDUFJ66_4eHKr4pnemmhX-2NZlRb4PE3mFFaug_G7QHG_5v3R_C0kmxk0q7H90/s320/80M_Night.PNG" title="80 Meter Night" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">80 Meter Night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br />Conclusion:</b><br />
<br />
Even though it seemed like a bunch of propaganda and black magic, the small transmitting loop actually works! I think it does fit the niche for a small quick deploy-able antenna for emergency use. It would also make an awesome antenna for those operators living in restricted spaces and cannot erect a larger wire antenna. I will defiantly keep using it and keep it near my go-box in case I need to take it for portable operation.Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-21866366458553121832017-07-24T18:38:00.001-07:002017-07-24T18:47:49.420-07:00ISS SSTV Event Results (July 2017)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/07/iss-sstv-event-results-july-2017.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="640" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgT0IMm4YLkfSWMW0WO5ozK8Tj7AhqQIKwy4crlOlHO_g7jSjOf5PixeewQ4sd9it-IxRZbEdXdASVzQ1O77OYe9wET2EwVwcEnYr1zHW-LUUylOVPMWfZ9HSQEcLfspC84b2aK3pG4E/s200/12of12.bmp" width="200" /></a><span id="goog_910381856"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_910381857"></span></div>
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To celebrate the 20th anniversary of amateur radio aboard the International Space Station, the ISS transmitted SSTV images all weekend long. I tried a couple methods to capture these images with varying results.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Out of all the satellites buzzing around in the sky, the most interesting one in my opinion is the International Space Station. Equipped with amateur radio equipment on board it brings a new aspect to the hobby. Not only do they use the equipment to make voice contacts on the ground, you can also utilize the ISS as a digipeater for APRS traffic, and on special occasions you can even receive pictures from them.<br />
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For the ARISS 20th anniversary, the ISS was transmitting SSTV images all weekend, using 25 watts, and pausing for about 3 minutes between images. I've played around with receiving these images before so I had a good idea of what I was doing, but I decided to experiment with a couple different ways.<br />
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<b>FYI: You don't have to be a ham radio operator to participate in this activity. You can easily grab an old scanner tuned to 145.800, install the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiWy5napKPVAhWGNj4KHQgTDksQFggoMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fplay.google.com%2Fstore%2Fapps%2Fdetails%3Fid%3Dxdsopl.robot36%26hl%3Den&usg=AFQjCNGcRzS9NI21j05YRfH5iFqJDoB2Sg" target="_blank">Robot36 app</a> on your phone and hold it close to the speaker. It's really that simple.</b></div>
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The first method I used was with the new Baofeng Tech APRS-K2 cable. I connected my UV-5re HT and a NA-771 whip antenna to my Galaxy S7. I used the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiWy5napKPVAhWGNj4KHQgTDksQFggoMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fplay.google.com%2Fstore%2Fapps%2Fdetails%3Fid%3Dxdsopl.robot36%26hl%3Den&usg=AFQjCNGcRzS9NI21j05YRfH5iFqJDoB2Sg" target="_blank">Robot36 android app</a> to decode the images as they came in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCn-ck4rAT8IfE3YnGX-j-ag-sUr-LOwWzknXbslIk1zwJ66Ppg_seGHTD41qdbaYduOzyipfvT2JAqQIOdVqyDX-qebhoYk25Fnp03KZhVgDWolL0radXap4DVpHVuLCM4AxpyiU8lRA/s1600/20170720_230200_1519257297.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="640" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCn-ck4rAT8IfE3YnGX-j-ag-sUr-LOwWzknXbslIk1zwJ66Ppg_seGHTD41qdbaYduOzyipfvT2JAqQIOdVqyDX-qebhoYk25Fnp03KZhVgDWolL0radXap4DVpHVuLCM4AxpyiU8lRA/s320/20170720_230200_1519257297.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ARISS SSTV Image Captured with HT and Cellphone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlwqUHMjQs4Kzr_Cd3FoKGAISlBS1XEU6-Mrc1NlLT17FR8zcaA9BErtErNlZf9xQgyW1XGokfOOiPjCtUyn5ybuBwnl0KdKJMHs-WNSqdCetu5axlbhWz91Fn8BHsXZXhDXrG5VaaN4/s1600/20170721_070723_1440045119.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="640" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlwqUHMjQs4Kzr_Cd3FoKGAISlBS1XEU6-Mrc1NlLT17FR8zcaA9BErtErNlZf9xQgyW1XGokfOOiPjCtUyn5ybuBwnl0KdKJMHs-WNSqdCetu5axlbhWz91Fn8BHsXZXhDXrG5VaaN4/s320/20170721_070723_1440045119.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ARISS SSTV Image Captured with HT and Cellphone</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRuVGoPUEKCa_FUtAKQgGWegPnIfPm3pI8ojf7TVnunuEfTOXd0Krdv_VxDjM-pGnJnCHeUYPbByTVqyYEL8l90UQa3jmmDfucJ5JGTuH9Q5-O96oA-Vcz_F08qjSFM3w8066csqEq1g/s1600/20170721_221154_1340793845.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="640" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRuVGoPUEKCa_FUtAKQgGWegPnIfPm3pI8ojf7TVnunuEfTOXd0Krdv_VxDjM-pGnJnCHeUYPbByTVqyYEL8l90UQa3jmmDfucJ5JGTuH9Q5-O96oA-Vcz_F08qjSFM3w8066csqEq1g/s320/20170721_221154_1340793845.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ARISS SSTV Image Captured with HT and Cellphone</td></tr>
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As you can see, the results were just okay. I think the three times I tried with the handheld, the ISS went too far over the horizon and I got nothing but static toward the end. This happened because of bad luck really. I had a good pass each time, but the 3 minute delay between transmissions meant that by the time my phone got the signal to start receiving the image, the pass was already halfway gone. But, it's still exciting to watch images coming from space through my phone and a basic handheld radio.<br />
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The other method I tried was simply using my home station. I have a Kenwood TM-281 connected to a 2 meter j-pole antenna on a 30 foot mast. I've got the radio connected to a desktop computer with a sound card and ran the <a href="http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php" target="_blank">MMSSTV program</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fUPX6GyPflbdZV_dmhEAFdOeS7AHYTkJT3TBNQfyBh_3MdVzntfNySPVVs5EtOJF7aSSNhffQcwxojT6xCS-KiTuuHYDRWVfFpdxyeKWuT73qxA0ISQvZbplXvgi2_BapXQUGGlGDGc/s1600/Hist31.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="640" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fUPX6GyPflbdZV_dmhEAFdOeS7AHYTkJT3TBNQfyBh_3MdVzntfNySPVVs5EtOJF7aSSNhffQcwxojT6xCS-KiTuuHYDRWVfFpdxyeKWuT73qxA0ISQvZbplXvgi2_BapXQUGGlGDGc/s200/Hist31.bmp" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyY80wRRqpIO0SvsKo4VOV4VmvJ50FDMTbmonry0S6Hv-fHJcAbtrAQHyvNuhhtbGGOdP5vlLxfjz1fNZDrlhaG7Ks1UNbUXyylkH0rc9ZewfVNEC1eDM6m3CGMUW4S_oB92VYvWp7YA/s1600/Hist26.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="640" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyY80wRRqpIO0SvsKo4VOV4VmvJ50FDMTbmonry0S6Hv-fHJcAbtrAQHyvNuhhtbGGOdP5vlLxfjz1fNZDrlhaG7Ks1UNbUXyylkH0rc9ZewfVNEC1eDM6m3CGMUW4S_oB92VYvWp7YA/s200/Hist26.bmp" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7dG6olJ236-OfXtGK362Wuyb_kaw3KdKNTySsgRer6yvNgKRfM_w2PQwEcn5foN01YDKiVQxH4TP3SngIvqZmd-r0kvL6t6M3YF8Ewc-QHrS4vU14GaOmTGfj8O6DDwsk_eezzGTplo/s1600/Hist23.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="640" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7dG6olJ236-OfXtGK362Wuyb_kaw3KdKNTySsgRer6yvNgKRfM_w2PQwEcn5foN01YDKiVQxH4TP3SngIvqZmd-r0kvL6t6M3YF8Ewc-QHrS4vU14GaOmTGfj8O6DDwsk_eezzGTplo/s200/Hist23.bmp" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDUD7QLARZtOW25JFs4iIIhktH0tUJBAjaGYArjN4FKzS4VA5sut6YUBsYnnh11kKAHUCBSekby2IVP9cAAj6qeQs0t2JsdxX5XBwrXKSEHfJXppTrAdnzWnc2nUeiKuXgNqPQQEzye0/s1600/Hist8.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="640" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDUD7QLARZtOW25JFs4iIIhktH0tUJBAjaGYArjN4FKzS4VA5sut6YUBsYnnh11kKAHUCBSekby2IVP9cAAj6qeQs0t2JsdxX5XBwrXKSEHfJXppTrAdnzWnc2nUeiKuXgNqPQQEzye0/s200/Hist8.bmp" width="200" /></a></div>
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This method was a lot more successful. Mainly because it was setup to continually listen all weekend long. I had more images than what is shown above, but they were not very good copies. </div>
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The j-pole at 30 feet did a great job at my home station. Since it's elevated above a lot of the surrounding trees and terrain, I could start receiving an image when the ISS was just a couple of degrees in elevation. It also helped that the ISS was using 25 watts of power. </div>
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One thing I did notice was, the best results were when the ISS was passing between about 5 and 45 degrees in elevation. This is because the j-pole directs it's gain closer towards the horizon and not straight up. So even though you might think a high pass directly overhead would be best, it really isn't.</div>
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In conclusion, this was a fun weekend project. I liked using my phone and a handheld radio to receive the images even if the quality wasn't perfect. It was also great to be able to leave my station at home listening 24 hours a day to catch every single pass too. I could walk over to the computer and browse through all the new images it was able to pickup. I greatly suggest giving this a try next time they have an SSTV event!</div>
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Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-12419557650927754932017-06-22T09:46:00.001-07:002017-06-25T18:27:21.655-07:00REVIEW -- Baofeng Tech APRS-K2 TRRS Cable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/06/review-baofeng-tech-aprs-k2-trrs-cable.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzgiLhgeMqBlO1yZ7zicraKjirJ2o_rRr901FbtEgX3JcQa90hTHguXiZnNxzR2GGFmc1PwWLVd4QCfO0LutFlWxD09-4E2-heGzSbrXLGalMVXgSbuUe60gbDYPoKUi9A_N0A3J4b2s/s200/20170621_231151.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
As interested in APRS and packet operations as I am, I had to try out this new cable from Baofeng Tech. The APRS-K2 cable allows you to connect any cellphone to any radio using the two pin Kenwood style mic cable and VOX to enable easy access to packet radio operation. Let's check it out!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The APRS-K2 cable is advertised as a true plug and play solution. Just grab an old cellphone or tablet and an HT that supports VOX and you're set. The cable has a standard two pin Kenwood style connector on one end and a TRRS phono plug on the other.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">APRS-K2 Cable </td></tr>
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I picked mine up from Amazon, but you can also find it at the official <a href="https://baofengtech.com/" target="_blank">Baofeng Tech site</a>. The cable comes packaged neatly in a ziplock bag along with an instruction sheet and a CTIA/OMTP adpater, just in case the TRRS pinout doesn't match your device. </div>
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The cable is of very good quality. The rubber exterior seems to be very heavy duty and the connectors used are also high quality and are molded on to the cable. It's also long enough to allow you to store your HT in a cup holder or backpack and keep your phone handy. </div>
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Now comes the important stuff, does this thing actually work? You bet! If you follow the included instruction, you shouldn't have any issues. I was up and running on APRS in about 5 minutes. There are some quarks we will discus later though. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">APRSdroid Map View</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">APRSdroid Decoding </td></tr>
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<br />For my first test, I used a Samsung Galaxy S7, so my app of choice is <a href="https://aprsdroid.org/" target="_blank">APRSdroid</a>. I paired it with a Baofeng UV-5re. I did not need to use the CTIA/OMTP adapter with this configuration. </div>
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Almost immediately the app was decoding APRS packets. There is a wide area digipeater within receive range and I was able to pickup several stations through it. I was worried that the cheap HT would not open the squelch fast enough and clip packets, but that wasn't the case. </div>
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Transmitting also worked well. From my shack, I can't seem to make it into the digipeater with the HT. So, I setup a two meter rig at my shack as a receiver and drove around the area to test the cable out. I was able to reach my test station just fine and I did get digipeated a couple of times. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phone connected to UV-5re</td></tr>
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Playing around I did notice that while the squelch on the HT opens quick enough for decoding packets, the VOX doesn't "let go" quick enough. Watching the waterfall inside of my SoundModem software, I noticed the radio stays in transmit a full 5 seconds after the packet is sent. This poses some problems if a digipeater attempts to send you an acknowledgement and you may miss packets waiting for the HT to switch back to receive. This is obviously an issue with the radio, not the cable, but I imagine most folks who buy this cable are going to be using it with similar rigs. </div>
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For a second test, I grabbed my laptop which has a TRRS type connector. This time I did need the CTIA/OMTP adapter. I used the UZ7HO soundmodem and Winlink Express software. I was attempting to connect to a local RMS gateway to pickup messages. The VOX delay issue made this impossible. Listening in, I could hear the gateway trying to respond back to my connection requests during the 5 seconds it was taking my HT to switch back to receive.</div>
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I switched from Winlink Express over to APRSIS32 and tried using APRS with the cable. This worked pretty well. I got the same results with the Windows based software as I did with the Android app. </div>
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In conclusion, the APRS-K2 cable is a good product for getting started in APRS. The VOX delay issue in my HT limits the use to only APRS and not general packet operation. For anyone wanting to take the next step I would suggest either<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/02/behold-super-easy-digi.html" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/02/behold-super-easy-digi.html" target="_blank">putting together a sound card interface</a> or trying out the <a href="http://www.mobilinkd.com/" target="_blank">Mobilinkd TNC</a>. </div>
Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-58661579304018454832017-02-14T07:07:00.000-08:002017-02-14T07:24:26.387-08:00Behold the SUPER EASY DIGI!<br />
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<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/02/behold-super-easy-digi.html"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJmY8tQXHtwd0oLx2O-bZa3uP09QcWPsQvHlknNYu1TspiXskdjabxe22_-KNSEZjca6McOrsGb_AmTljdAik7UEjnXD2ikd5MC8nIQjzAwfjcw0e8h9wDbMujRtJWE3rQxoldiu3kaE/s320/20170114_223621.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I know you might be tired of seeing posts about the Easy Digi interfaces I've been playing around with. But, I promise this one is the best iteration so far. I was recently contacted by another ham who wanted a cheaper alternative to a Signalink USB, while keeping the plug and play ease of use. This is what I came up with.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The Easy Digi boards are a great kit for those who want an easy project. I've done a couple other posts about them and if you want more details click <a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2016/08/easy-digi-interface-review.html">here </a>and <a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2016/08/finishing-easy-digi-kit.html">here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMs57ouGRxPI5Tp-P2WuasElZLqGAK8eUyXAmtOxiqL9qNkv5veIbfiRiuyEGEsvYEazwE9WUc02klZ1mb7aKPSjc1LLLBnwnHahrAPV4xJYS6vlmdifGG9IdQu9pRWvNKzxFq4IdH3Ls/s1600/IMG_1248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMs57ouGRxPI5Tp-P2WuasElZLqGAK8eUyXAmtOxiqL9qNkv5veIbfiRiuyEGEsvYEazwE9WUc02klZ1mb7aKPSjc1LLLBnwnHahrAPV4xJYS6vlmdifGG9IdQu9pRWvNKzxFq4IdH3Ls/s320/IMG_1248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st Easy Digi Interface</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The last kit I assembled was with the goal of making it as compact and modular as I could. I believe I succeeded, however you are still going to need a serial port (either a good old fashioned COM port or a USB/Serial adapter) and a sound card (the one already in your computer or a USB version). So even though the interface itself is very small, you still need a few peripherals and cables to make it work.<br />
<br />
This time the goal is simplicity. I needed to create an interface that has one USB connection to the PC and a modular plug for connecting to a transceiver. That means I have to cram all the components into a box and try to keep it compact enough you can easily throw it into your go bag.<br />
<br />
You need three major components to make this interface work. You need the Easy Digi circuit, a serial device to trigger the PTT, and a sound device. Fortunately today all of these components are relatively cheap and easy to get.<br />
<br />
For this project I picked up (Total $38.83) :<br />
<ul>
<li>Easy Digi Interface Kit ($12.55)</li>
<li>USB to DB9 Serial module ($5.95)</li>
<li>USB Sound Card ($5.28)</li>
<li>4 Port USB Hub ($1.98)</li>
<li>CAT5e RJ45 M/F Panel Mount ($5.95)</li>
<li>ABS Plastic Project Box 3.5 x 3.5 x 2.24 inch ($7.12)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDhnm5KVnx-dRfjg5U468BD370YvHapAZUJfqKj8cST1rtvBWY0mnGtqaK0V14UexaErNJp9iqGvBDfzcZmN_zEkDSVWT56U6WkyJg_sWYZ8b2byb43AJCqUBL1FSi32k5KLHi9Q8RwE/s1600/20170207_214739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDhnm5KVnx-dRfjg5U468BD370YvHapAZUJfqKj8cST1rtvBWY0mnGtqaK0V14UexaErNJp9iqGvBDfzcZmN_zEkDSVWT56U6WkyJg_sWYZ8b2byb43AJCqUBL1FSi32k5KLHi9Q8RwE/s320/20170207_214739.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy Digi Assembled</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The first step is to put the Easy Digi kit together. I won't go into detail for that here, the instructions with the kit are very easy to follow. </div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFbO123_uMqUPlpLqxsYrtt1UazIyQ0HFOnb0W9-I568R8ab_vHU-mSTKeGKkj4wSsNHiqC9vMY1T_Grd_yeFuIAiLDvLBsknDfXVclHnHy1zzrorzcqNMKar46sTNy7vbOhzMXvSoBo/s1600/20170207_214715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFbO123_uMqUPlpLqxsYrtt1UazIyQ0HFOnb0W9-I568R8ab_vHU-mSTKeGKkj4wSsNHiqC9vMY1T_Grd_yeFuIAiLDvLBsknDfXVclHnHy1zzrorzcqNMKar46sTNy7vbOhzMXvSoBo/s200/20170207_214715.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB Serial Device</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPJh-8YNFHWY8LC18VY1tlKNvsxspGwWJTzjLHPU2qdGH0aauN48eb0U4Ko7XiwRPCqsTbU0e873NvmC7U86JeMauq6Fle28qqoo0V6GRd4D5ul6_R21g_wqrgYXxbLeAEzs92G3pH8o/s1600/20170207_214614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPJh-8YNFHWY8LC18VY1tlKNvsxspGwWJTzjLHPU2qdGH0aauN48eb0U4Ko7XiwRPCqsTbU0e873NvmC7U86JeMauq6Fle28qqoo0V6GRd4D5ul6_R21g_wqrgYXxbLeAEzs92G3pH8o/s200/20170207_214614.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB Serial Device without case</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0cQ0rbu260xL86jz9mrdAkPtDei6WxT5uOYJt8on65CoVxlnYFOeQmy8LMs8CEAxF_Sm25BBEA3Kb4bd86qjzaCBOnompaFVUWxR8u6ZWp1WcP7aG5bixLbT-SHczmkpNxOlWJk8VfU/s1600/20170207_214622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0cQ0rbu260xL86jz9mrdAkPtDei6WxT5uOYJt8on65CoVxlnYFOeQmy8LMs8CEAxF_Sm25BBEA3Kb4bd86qjzaCBOnompaFVUWxR8u6ZWp1WcP7aG5bixLbT-SHczmkpNxOlWJk8VfU/s200/20170207_214622.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB Serial Device with DB9 removed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
After that I started taking plastic cases off all the stuff I ordered so everything would fit in the project box. Luckly the enclosures were all just fitted together and not glued, so they just pulled apart. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a3SlTmdMgqEafkhjQDMfsyISq18Yvi8P3LSzCkL2EgMHWGxVfrdkr7xWWgBEJ7fjcU9nHXyqWWso7oFYawFAbXNqMLUmXzTFGl79Yx0qvfqVz3qUiHVfulmuI3NQOs04iLduqCHiua8/s1600/20170211_200542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a3SlTmdMgqEafkhjQDMfsyISq18Yvi8P3LSzCkL2EgMHWGxVfrdkr7xWWgBEJ7fjcU9nHXyqWWso7oFYawFAbXNqMLUmXzTFGl79Yx0qvfqVz3qUiHVfulmuI3NQOs04iLduqCHiua8/s320/20170211_200542.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB Hub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9uRPhjkM3eaVtSP7AfxpY2Cok3qS1fZeqOSxsVbpAoFAvZi0QcJ6_yVCbbqH4WuQvFq-_6pvBjW3jddV9IlkUbXMkNcFbal3vVuMdbReBahZEhcEcMYbZKRzsa8Q485-_m5r86H70zE/s1600/20170211_200842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9uRPhjkM3eaVtSP7AfxpY2Cok3qS1fZeqOSxsVbpAoFAvZi0QcJ6_yVCbbqH4WuQvFq-_6pvBjW3jddV9IlkUbXMkNcFbal3vVuMdbReBahZEhcEcMYbZKRzsa8Q485-_m5r86H70zE/s320/20170211_200842.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB Hub without Enclosure</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27QXP20mpE9gL9q0mZIVZR2vREsowbf7PY4aKaSSjAJByqBrVrtgACble2O-XQ2TpNoQ-NAdknb1KAuplOXwRTrwZVqM_EniDvrnVhT0O1EhLFkHiwU_5kdgSm90WnET965T27D_KM5Q/s1600/20170208_201132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27QXP20mpE9gL9q0mZIVZR2vREsowbf7PY4aKaSSjAJByqBrVrtgACble2O-XQ2TpNoQ-NAdknb1KAuplOXwRTrwZVqM_EniDvrnVhT0O1EhLFkHiwU_5kdgSm90WnET965T27D_KM5Q/s320/20170208_201132.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB Sound Device</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dwSpcrKNDfI3lipS-I8Kfqg4735MK-Cyib6u8Ue7GOfVW4Yko5BGC4ugNj_RabYwJur97WDfq2EUJWRVaJqWYnYkHDQF2EoRwOLTy3OPYajtq8gZDBtFiI7UhqUT96adz3Q328baSU8/s1600/20170208_201157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dwSpcrKNDfI3lipS-I8Kfqg4735MK-Cyib6u8Ue7GOfVW4Yko5BGC4ugNj_RabYwJur97WDfq2EUJWRVaJqWYnYkHDQF2EoRwOLTy3OPYajtq8gZDBtFiI7UhqUT96adz3Q328baSU8/s320/20170208_201157.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB Sound Device with case removed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I decided to wire the USB sound card directly to the Easy Digi. So, I pulled out the solder sucker once more and got the 3.5 mm jacks off the sound card. This left nice through hole soldering connections for the wires to run to the Easy Digi.</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CyXEIL2lXzXJrOEz7_wRFZAwq44ObHopEiDRYxfzTuIpr8u3ynaWEtsMQtakC_s55r4dN3mLX0N-Cs9ey4bz7Wkjd6R7aa6epeEjL4Kt9wlObp9wNhWgkTqJeEKPvJJp_X1W0Uot4hc/s1600/20170208_205700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CyXEIL2lXzXJrOEz7_wRFZAwq44ObHopEiDRYxfzTuIpr8u3ynaWEtsMQtakC_s55r4dN3mLX0N-Cs9ey4bz7Wkjd6R7aa6epeEjL4Kt9wlObp9wNhWgkTqJeEKPvJJp_X1W0Uot4hc/s320/20170208_205700.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB Sound Device and Serial Adapter wired to Easy Digi Board</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
Next I needed to attach the USB serial device that controls the PTT circuit. There needs to be a connection from the DTR, RTS, and ground pins on the serial device to the corresponding solder pads on the EasyDigi board. Note that when looking for a USB serial device, you need one that presents the correct voltages. I've found that usually the adapters that actually have a DB9 connector on them provide the 5+ volts necessary to operate the optocoupler for the PTT. Don't bother trying to use the cheap UART devices.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicaJ3vZNjeG8n9uqy4-_SfpN50gvZVKAmGVRQ8Ft7WryVL2MuQyh3l1hthgOFC1eLu79tZzlCodmMcNFpwhc-ztVgj3cQMKG35oHxh7glgoFtMRaErGTFTdpKZ6SAFqV6J6toV-LmeSqA/s1600/20170208_211341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicaJ3vZNjeG8n9uqy4-_SfpN50gvZVKAmGVRQ8Ft7WryVL2MuQyh3l1hthgOFC1eLu79tZzlCodmMcNFpwhc-ztVgj3cQMKG35oHxh7glgoFtMRaErGTFTdpKZ6SAFqV6J6toV-LmeSqA/s200/20170208_211341.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RJ45 Panel Mount</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQGkh3E9Z6-OcFVV0bg3KOxLRQUv2_S7nZ2nvmDkkBDqX89-aohdlWpERzMu6uPaooO5Qq_QyuZWQ8Q_Eup8DpMQa1wu06x67gwxUfN1_CQGbKkgRHmmcpP4-RvWS7Ly075tau81XihQ/s1600/20170208_211358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQGkh3E9Z6-OcFVV0bg3KOxLRQUv2_S7nZ2nvmDkkBDqX89-aohdlWpERzMu6uPaooO5Qq_QyuZWQ8Q_Eup8DpMQa1wu06x67gwxUfN1_CQGbKkgRHmmcpP4-RvWS7Ly075tau81XihQ/s200/20170208_211358.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RJ45 Panel Mount wires exposed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oENLtf_MdvAMt5KUOcxiT8vrMzec6r32GJK_UOXddunJ1HLRHl8IC2pAndnyaLM-usgXdm7GfWwDPnfOZ4RfAomjjGo2f1kLabOdkts2dlys8FbvO771TBr_gKxHH2uHd0Foi-ziaHc/s1600/20170208_213343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oENLtf_MdvAMt5KUOcxiT8vrMzec6r32GJK_UOXddunJ1HLRHl8IC2pAndnyaLM-usgXdm7GfWwDPnfOZ4RfAomjjGo2f1kLabOdkts2dlys8FbvO771TBr_gKxHH2uHd0Foi-ziaHc/s320/20170208_213343.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RJ45 Panel Mount wired to Easy Digi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
After that, I needed to install the RJ45 panel mount that will connect the device to the radio. I chopped the plug end of the panel mount cable off and wired it to the board using the following pinout. This assumes the panel mount is wired as a T-568B standard, starting with the orange/white, orange wires. </div>
<div>
<br />
PIN Color Function<br />
1 Orange/White RX Audio<br />
2 Orange RX Audio<br />
3 Green/White MIC In<br />
4 Blue MIC Ground<br />
5 Blue/White PTT High<br />
6 Green PTT Ground<br />
7 Brown/White Not Connected<br />
8 Brown Not Connected</div>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbx6syDh9zuWX0LB1o91iuTGaxw4i5jxNhZAYveRz42pY3f37BcfjhMwWn4jgRTta2CQ0ek2nS-PL462YSeDcmQuxUxS9eOTYbhe4NDzyG6pbmzOD3mj-kiHDo8snsjxKDsaowutOpuWY/s1600/device+install.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbx6syDh9zuWX0LB1o91iuTGaxw4i5jxNhZAYveRz42pY3f37BcfjhMwWn4jgRTta2CQ0ek2nS-PL462YSeDcmQuxUxS9eOTYbhe4NDzyG6pbmzOD3mj-kiHDo8snsjxKDsaowutOpuWY/s320/device+install.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windows Installing New Devices</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now that is all connected, it's time to plug it in for testing! It does take a few minutes for Windows to install the three USB devices and it may ask for a reboot. </div>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ASgvfbHXWjIYLFgh6ICEsLRzPh06DwINLv5L87gt6GT9pkcez3v7QBshYBAg3NboBgdy4JdooIAOji2y3oMuT7RiXEUVHUXbRAEbbDwvYGzR9Gf0_LUXzI-fwkWJ-oXUt3zGbYWqCUg/s1600/Device+Manager.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ASgvfbHXWjIYLFgh6ICEsLRzPh06DwINLv5L87gt6GT9pkcez3v7QBshYBAg3NboBgdy4JdooIAOji2y3oMuT7RiXEUVHUXbRAEbbDwvYGzR9Gf0_LUXzI-fwkWJ-oXUt3zGbYWqCUg/s320/Device+Manager.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Device Manager showing new devices</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOsBuhVMcNewStKU33C2PIFXvfvSjEHFefwbGO7dr9IG2GOZVmX8wEUpPC-2Vj9K6ktuvYaimkf6FLW2TeW6NJrLW_MPoD-yrsFVZtfv1tCrMM7HwY8y1h30FpRUVxx6GJ1YSL8uDIgk/s1600/Prolific+Driver.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOsBuhVMcNewStKU33C2PIFXvfvSjEHFefwbGO7dr9IG2GOZVmX8wEUpPC-2Vj9K6ktuvYaimkf6FLW2TeW6NJrLW_MPoD-yrsFVZtfv1tCrMM7HwY8y1h30FpRUVxx6GJ1YSL8uDIgk/s320/Prolific+Driver.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Install Old Prolific Driver if needed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You can look at the device manager and see the new devices installed. It should have installed a new PnP USB sound device, a new COM port, and the USB Hub. Hopefully Windows found all the drivers automatically. If not, there will be an error symbol next to the device in the list. If that happens, it's most likely a driver issue and you may need to install a driver manually. The USB serial interface I found had a fake prolific chipset on board, so I had to install the old driver version found <a href="https://www.pyramidtimesystems.com/Customer-Content/WWW/Technical_Downloads/Win_Driver_Prolific_3_2_0_0.exe" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yCLi8rSFdkyXyDuUk6kJqc7R7Ct11_fKmFTs-Bmh2QAwQ7em8epO-WwMwMFaZQrniVYPO4j5DCB7PXyGXWjSIqKVcWvrXB6xjCobCBuCW7HD4bEHPu1kpA3FO_ZxuLEX6-kTh-CwqeI/s1600/SoundModem+Settings.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yCLi8rSFdkyXyDuUk6kJqc7R7Ct11_fKmFTs-Bmh2QAwQ7em8epO-WwMwMFaZQrniVYPO4j5DCB7PXyGXWjSIqKVcWvrXB6xjCobCBuCW7HD4bEHPu1kpA3FO_ZxuLEX6-kTh-CwqeI/s320/SoundModem+Settings.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UZ7HO SoundModem Settings</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUt10lLy7W6nvmYUIaR34qTFGFMgdZ5uh1a-JoiwVQ6Rx4nwsxtj9wUSr-gxPajRfABId-a1SFdHM4VlGjEAWPfNadHto9fXBqhgHebiJqNjvgNjEgO7qkLo3iaOgHYTP1_h5Wla_lQNc/s1600/WinlinkExpress+Settings.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUt10lLy7W6nvmYUIaR34qTFGFMgdZ5uh1a-JoiwVQ6Rx4nwsxtj9wUSr-gxPajRfABId-a1SFdHM4VlGjEAWPfNadHto9fXBqhgHebiJqNjvgNjEgO7qkLo3iaOgHYTP1_h5Wla_lQNc/s320/WinlinkExpress+Settings.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winlink Express Settings</td></tr>
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Running the UZ7HO soundmodem software and Winlink Express, I test my connection using the interface. Once I'm sure the components are working correctly, I installed them in the project box. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxVIcJRMUsG0NwkdakzQBs-iuBPpPp4YoRLl5LO2ZRcy9WXMZ5JYF1smSIp-Te6k1xOKh5aJk-Vz-AdREyn9_JEMVU_6GuboVDb1Bv6AdSQJtn_BPHOq5auRR_KqNXmfaKMwTUUwELp8/s1600/20170211_203156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxVIcJRMUsG0NwkdakzQBs-iuBPpPp4YoRLl5LO2ZRcy9WXMZ5JYF1smSIp-Te6k1xOKh5aJk-Vz-AdREyn9_JEMVU_6GuboVDb1Bv6AdSQJtn_BPHOq5auRR_KqNXmfaKMwTUUwELp8/s320/20170211_203156.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside a finished Super Easy Digi</td></tr>
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To install the components in the box, I used double sided foam tape. This stuff does a good job of holding the components to the project box without drilling or screws. All the components fit nicely in the project box with a little room to spare. </div>
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To route the cables out of the box. I used a rotary tool to cut a notch in two of the sides of the box. One for the USB hub cable to come out and one for the RJ45 jack. Luckily the USB hub cable has a molded strain relief still attached and I was able to reuse it with the box. The RJ45 jack is held in place by the lip of the enclosure. It pinches the cable enough that it takes quite a lot of force to either pull it out or push it into the box. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvX5DRJrN0Xz319T0HSRD00xe-83VuCiH8za41f-MDtq1rErHmpGZu6A0c4FGtZocxVni_k_yrb0e2ye90Wrmj8IllDP73LUQJq25qSAZp3wxQakxlGS2SrtcMTTJIoqvhuOiHIo8Wos/s1600/20170114_223621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvX5DRJrN0Xz319T0HSRD00xe-83VuCiH8za41f-MDtq1rErHmpGZu6A0c4FGtZocxVni_k_yrb0e2ye90Wrmj8IllDP73LUQJq25qSAZp3wxQakxlGS2SrtcMTTJIoqvhuOiHIo8Wos/s320/20170114_223621.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete Super Easy Digi</td></tr>
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As you see, the completed project is still a fairly small size and is very convenient to use. Not only will this interface work for getting on packet radio, you can utilize it with any of the sound card digital modes as well.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this project! 73</div>
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<br />Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-52040967587067711732017-01-23T07:37:00.001-08:002017-01-26T09:15:54.466-08:00Winter Fury SET and Mobile Digipeater<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2017/01/winter-fury-set-and-mobile-digipeater.html"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFn-7GSESWa4-xHYlXEFKYa8OXD4i2fKS8PaiOjy6E5MX9b5DJmDaq-vMofMMyhqrrA4ETARQs5Sek7PilHARn2IMQRQkBZfs0N43r0qpP2rW2crBwNXYyaiTk2TixW-5P3Nev1ve9GHw/s200/20170121_085044.jpg" width="200" /></a><span id="goog_1385974227"></span><span id="goog_1385974228"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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Here's a good overview of my experience participating during this winters simulated emergency test Winter Fury. This SET simulated a massive winter storm in our area that closed all major roadways and caused a vast amount of chaos including interrupting normal modes of communication. Don't worry though, ham radio to the rescue!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This years winter SET simulated a snow storm that dropped a ton of snow quickly over the Blue Ridge mountains of Southwest Virginia and North Carolina. This cause all roads, including the two major interstates near by to become difficult to traverse or impassable. For a more precise description of the SET, have a look at W4GHS's webpage about it <a href="http://www.w4ghs.org/Winter-Fury-Operations.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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We had a lot of agencies participating. Everyone from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to local search and rescue groups and hospitals. This years SET was well attended.<br />
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As part of our AUXCOM groups RED Team (Rapid Emergency Deployment), I was assigned the local hospital as my served agency. The hospitals in this area are part of an organization called SWVAHPC or Southwest Virginia Hospital Preparedness Commission who have a Emergency Operation Center setup to handle hospital resources during a disaster. This would be one of my main contacts during this SET, along with my RED team leader and VDEM.<br />
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The hospital I was assigned had gear that was purchased quite a while ago and included a commercial Motorola transceiver connected to some kind of two meter antenna system on the roof. I could tell it hasn't been used much.<br />
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Most of the traffic to be sent was going to be Winlink messages since this is a quick, easy, and reliable way of sending messages back and forth. However, I knew I wouldn't be able to rig the commercial radio to work for this task in the time specified for the set. I decided to try a few new things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXzA-pxEOTvEqPyVgRwOlvMizHUtbJ7D5DUFoWlHjmMqW-jGmevcjQjy_8MRGVvvy6Ubr7F8FKX6kdBA9msJFGcgtSrCi1ucrbF14J0-2BB5At4hUVF22HsFsU5Gqq655IXmjIYzIW3M/s1600/20170121_085044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXzA-pxEOTvEqPyVgRwOlvMizHUtbJ7D5DUFoWlHjmMqW-jGmevcjQjy_8MRGVvvy6Ubr7F8FKX6kdBA9msJFGcgtSrCi1ucrbF14J0-2BB5At4hUVF22HsFsU5Gqq655IXmjIYzIW3M/s320/20170121_085044.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mobile Digipeater</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnS3jiaUakWhI-ruz6cFmDQLWzT3cAZWd5stmUAYXsVdteUEwnNoilN8jAtrossNxdtWXJJkZemwYEWOLrnrUWV1owxzi-6zfKuuY3aV-ZuHqI7TcXDYkZ4gIlyowv2gYOexfIicvy9Eo/s1600/20170121_085054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnS3jiaUakWhI-ruz6cFmDQLWzT3cAZWd5stmUAYXsVdteUEwnNoilN8jAtrossNxdtWXJJkZemwYEWOLrnrUWV1owxzi-6zfKuuY3aV-ZuHqI7TcXDYkZ4gIlyowv2gYOexfIicvy9Eo/s320/20170121_085054.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tram 1185 Mag Mount Antenna</td></tr>
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I was exited to try out a mobile digipeater concept I had been thinking about. In the above photo you can see my Kenwood TM-281A connected to a small laptop with a sound card interface and running UZ7HO sound modem software. I had a battery box to run the rig so I didn't drain my truck's battery and the laptop has a good run time of about 6 to 8 hours which was plenty of time for the SET. I also had a Tram 1185 magnet mount antenna on the roof.<br />
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My original plan was to leave the hospitals existing equipment untouched and use it to participate in the voice net while using my primary laptop connected to an HT to send Winlink messages through the digipeater in the truck. This didn't work very well. Even though I had parked the truck in close proximity, the walls were still too thick to allow my handheld's signal through.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq31naKy58L6viUocEWvAOplNZ1jxVkwiMKwsamXeBYjzuyZOPpu1Tz70P3pPZBseRnu2u1Tr7eWgHwdIH39x9rUxNEmCOz5p-jKJFA7MiYS5TF_SYmcXm3BT2b9x0zGWxFR_v22Z9vGk/s1600/20170121_100802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq31naKy58L6viUocEWvAOplNZ1jxVkwiMKwsamXeBYjzuyZOPpu1Tz70P3pPZBseRnu2u1Tr7eWgHwdIH39x9rUxNEmCOz5p-jKJFA7MiYS5TF_SYmcXm3BT2b9x0zGWxFR_v22Z9vGk/s320/20170121_100802.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baofeng UV-5re with Easy Digi Interface</td></tr>
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So, off to plan B. I gave up on the idea of using voice for now, since it would be very slow to pass all the traffic I needed to pass and most would need some kind of relay to get to the proper agency. I quickly disconnected the antenna and connected it to my HT. I was surprised to find I could connect to two RMS packet gateways. One using 1 watt of power, the other using 4 watts. I left the HT in place and figured I would see how it would do and if it's battery would hold out through the 5 hour SET.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dV6-jwbZOePoAfgraSpRX_zMQiGMhd_R1Ul-aA8E_6el2vbFuwHQcpzRxKDfBF8GaTQCP17ttLq4jFW302kTGLqBPhrM26Qw69SKVYwklOC-kCQ3ZrF0-_wjiXbAKxeYErqzgWqNMlQ/s1600/20170121_100757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dV6-jwbZOePoAfgraSpRX_zMQiGMhd_R1Ul-aA8E_6el2vbFuwHQcpzRxKDfBF8GaTQCP17ttLq4jFW302kTGLqBPhrM26Qw69SKVYwklOC-kCQ3ZrF0-_wjiXbAKxeYErqzgWqNMlQ/s320/20170121_100757.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laptop running Winlink Express and UZ7HO Sound Modem</td></tr>
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This setup worked very well. I was able to send and receive messages every 10 or 15 minutes for the entire SET. I switched between the two reachable packet gateway throughout the day. I figured if there was a situation where phone and internet services were down, it's good to have choices.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0wD08_qOYBLWSwFDQK9E7IozbG3gn4TddQm5NTM4Xq9u6lx4tGONT0WAEFuXcKA8Z_ILbcO07KHQcae5QtNzg4iANo3ojwXQbHUoiaMfD7yIHwMkwF0aDc99daIdIN_m3ymieJo3Aqc/s1600/20170121_100709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0wD08_qOYBLWSwFDQK9E7IozbG3gn4TddQm5NTM4Xq9u6lx4tGONT0WAEFuXcKA8Z_ILbcO07KHQcae5QtNzg4iANo3ojwXQbHUoiaMfD7yIHwMkwF0aDc99daIdIN_m3ymieJo3Aqc/s320/20170121_100709.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KM4AZW</td></tr>
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When all was said and done, the battery on the HT still showed full scale. I was able to pass traffic all day and eventually the imaginary snow melted. It was a good experience and I took away some good information from it.Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-50222155236975418062016-09-22T09:02:00.000-07:002016-09-22T09:02:14.221-07:00Get on Winlink Cheap! - VideoHere's a video I made to present at the Virginia Emcomm Association meeting about using the Easy Digi sound card interface, the UZ7HO Sound Modem software, and Winlink Express to get onto the Winlink system.<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VGpfQuorKN0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VGpfQuorKN0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291252391098955437.post-74109469900933137502016-08-30T09:07:00.001-07:002016-09-07T06:51:12.800-07:00Finishing the Easy Digi Kit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2016/08/finishing-easy-digi-kit.html"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-Qb5RR2hnmMzfQGBxnke3Ct8ShMYo0Jd_Q_DtQohoszt7pkYzzpO1C4MAj44gefSOdURjQIK6_JStToxVyLNA8YkW_ay2nLX5XyE9vi6EZLG5r-ZIFM5b77RX0dzau4x6Sa70aRB_xU/s200/IMG_1248.JPG" width="200" /></a><span id="goog_2125108939"></span><span id="goog_2125108940"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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I was wanting a sound card interface that was small enough I could throw in my bag and take with me while being modular enough to work with all my radios. Below I will give some details and show you how I accomplished this.<br />
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This is actually the second Easy Digi kit I've assembled. The first didn't look quite so nice since I just used random junk I had laying around to make all my radio and PC connections. This time I planned out the process a little better. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90CTcQGsun6Q3akejFMTWaUz0g-xlZUzRzaJossd2a9U9R3iOOG_oVRZHRboHWKPSn8nRQrs5l8G270iolonPmr2bw2QHV7c0ivfY9staR2AOLlzMnJ9ZdeUoV3vLtvOOfFyJgg0gxXY/s1600/IMG_1185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90CTcQGsun6Q3akejFMTWaUz0g-xlZUzRzaJossd2a9U9R3iOOG_oVRZHRboHWKPSn8nRQrs5l8G270iolonPmr2bw2QHV7c0ivfY9staR2AOLlzMnJ9ZdeUoV3vLtvOOfFyJgg0gxXY/s320/IMG_1185.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy Digi Kit</td></tr>
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The kit is easy to assemble and I wrote about the basic kit that cost me around $12 <a href="http://www.truehamfashion.com/2016/08/easy-digi-interface-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Once the board is assembled, I wanted to have the smallest enclosure I could find to fit it. Playing around on <a href="http://aliexpress.com/">aliexpress.com</a> one day, I found the perfect enclosure for the project. <a href="http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Waterproof-Case-Enclosure-2-56-x-2-28-x1-38-Plastic-Electronic-Project-Box-VEC30-P/32593569605.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.83.G3ThZ2" target="_blank">Here's a link</a>. It's a Waterproof case that measures 2.56"x2.28"x1.38".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDCFzQuEjDkD3KrX6jlNpx4WTCzDEW0UbCK_miIVu6d-GcrKXZ4-4VkFtws_rZBM8a76jAtdN8eTUUs77za8JtugUrm3ABAY5W3H2mWzg4xbRrJ635RflykiFIPCUZKCabTP_kamw0Hc/s1600/IMG_1254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDCFzQuEjDkD3KrX6jlNpx4WTCzDEW0UbCK_miIVu6d-GcrKXZ4-4VkFtws_rZBM8a76jAtdN8eTUUs77za8JtugUrm3ABAY5W3H2mWzg4xbRrJ635RflykiFIPCUZKCabTP_kamw0Hc/s320/IMG_1254.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy Digi Ear Chopped off</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqusRu8tQaIOcEGcIMQARa58Lz8rq0byqYnNnXVk22X0bBC9UIxnUYWBMen0D4cStZl_IaqnFihRf-TZNjLh-s5MJXJcH3FyuUQS6ktHwYzX1FCwPUyFYBnaY6C6gyGk1PnA4r5ATN_Q/s1600/IMG_1253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqusRu8tQaIOcEGcIMQARa58Lz8rq0byqYnNnXVk22X0bBC9UIxnUYWBMen0D4cStZl_IaqnFihRf-TZNjLh-s5MJXJcH3FyuUQS6ktHwYzX1FCwPUyFYBnaY6C6gyGk1PnA4r5ATN_Q/s320/IMG_1253.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy Digi Enclosure fit</td></tr>
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Now it wasn't a perfect fit as the threaded posts the top screws down to get in the way slightly. I did find that the Easy Digi board has two "ears" on the corners for screwing the board down. These ears can be removed and the assembled board slides perfectly into the enclosure.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUwIFMRiB7v7PKI2iVU3wZAXoDq6HV2LVcqIci2ggMIwhqRPYiS8fsP0ODTYvIBpfZvVLoPjqaKyC8QF4gyI2V_-BIopOjFb4ouyIHtrfVy0DC7ktYzq5sYKhIjkcq_uK0Y7YrQk3WTM/s1600/IMG_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUwIFMRiB7v7PKI2iVU3wZAXoDq6HV2LVcqIci2ggMIwhqRPYiS8fsP0ODTYvIBpfZvVLoPjqaKyC8QF4gyI2V_-BIopOjFb4ouyIHtrfVy0DC7ktYzq5sYKhIjkcq_uK0Y7YrQk3WTM/s320/IMG_1249.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut-out for cables</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On three sides of the enclosure, I cutout a small notch to allow cables to feed into it. I also use small zip ties around the cables on the inside of the enclosure to help keep the cables from being pulled out.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRamoDK879UmclxAMSUIkPAKEy3iuSi5DagH2zSo2_b5fCmO7rLOU01A-tVQMsALPG-RP86Gn-Z9DeNCeyG-6I54xn1feP3WK-H2AMGEuwVL8KvvRPSTwKcb44ZUVrC0L8p82DlKlVNo/s1600/IMG_1255%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRamoDK879UmclxAMSUIkPAKEy3iuSi5DagH2zSo2_b5fCmO7rLOU01A-tVQMsALPG-RP86Gn-Z9DeNCeyG-6I54xn1feP3WK-H2AMGEuwVL8KvvRPSTwKcb44ZUVrC0L8p82DlKlVNo/s320/IMG_1255%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3.5 mm Plugs for PC Audio connections</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next was time to make the PC audio connections. I have a lot of Cat5 cable laying around, so I decided to simply use some of this to fabricate my TO and FROM PC audio connections. The wire was solid core which is easy to solder to the board, but does not bend quite as easily as I would have liked. If the wires eventually break, I will replace the solid core Cat5 with stranded wire. If you don't have a spool of Cat5 type cable laying around, you can always look for a network cable and hack it.<br />
<br />
PC Audio Pin-out: <br />
Audio TO PC: Orange -> Tip, Orange/White -> Ring, Green -> Shield<br />
Audio FROM PC: Brown -> Tip, Brown/White -> Ring, Blue -> Shield<br />
You only need to solder the Orange and Green connections to the "AUDIO to PC" on the board and the Brown and Blue connections to the "AUDIO FROM PC." You could skip using the Ring connection all together.<br />
<br />
To connect to the audio jacks, I knew I would need some 3.5 mm audio plugs. While I was making my order from aliexpress, I went ahead and found some of those too. <a href="http://www.aliexpress.com/item/WSFS-Hot-10-pcs-Black-Plastic-Housing-3-5mm-Audio-Jack-Plug-HeadPhone-Connector/32651649485.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.70.G3ThZ2" target="_blank">Here's a link to those</a>. I will say that these audio plugs are made very cheap, but they worked well for this project.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtouiFRiA2SblJt5ITN0Kml0g2wHtJakesQxIdjmK7MO-sUGqVYWRNYfVU8wq-4C-l8b5-h0Q70Rmjedb2f_C4yn6V56NnuMbAxDTWKdzHjXNyD-rNCoBvDl40YLi4d1U-LGRSZXlxoyk/s1600/IMG_1250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtouiFRiA2SblJt5ITN0Kml0g2wHtJakesQxIdjmK7MO-sUGqVYWRNYfVU8wq-4C-l8b5-h0Q70Rmjedb2f_C4yn6V56NnuMbAxDTWKdzHjXNyD-rNCoBvDl40YLi4d1U-LGRSZXlxoyk/s320/IMG_1250.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RJ-45 Jack for Radio Connection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once the PC connection is made, it was time to figure out how to make the radio audio connections. I wanted it modular so I can use the same interface with multiple radios. I decided to use an RJ-45 jack. That way, I can make cables for any radio by simply changing the pin-out to what I needed.<br />
Again, I found an RJ-45 jack with short cable at aliexpress. <a href="http://www.aliexpress.com/item/30cm-1M-RJ45-Male-to-Female-Screw-Panel-Mount-Ethernet-LAN-Network-Extension-Cable-1-3FT/32502986958.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.62.G3ThZ2" target="_blank">Here's the link</a>. Not sure what the actual purpose of this cable was supposed to be. It's just a short jumper with a chassis mountable jack. I was just interested in the jack, so I cut the cable to the short length I needed to get into the enclosure and make the connection on the board.<br />
<br />
Here's the Pin-out for the Radio Connection (Wire colors of the Aliexpress cable are different, so please use pin number to connect to board.):<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuLbcIEpfLy0NErkaEBGQVCw1Wt63Zx5yzcV4Php5mwkOsLAI-c6hcnYMuzU2LUwQQZTolhHo8CxMmBUCrrxqTf_ZT_gbBUbxhWEXwUijJP6DucRbRpLpoel9bZ3FzwElTpoipBB6ey8/s1600/RJ-45PINOUT.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuLbcIEpfLy0NErkaEBGQVCw1Wt63Zx5yzcV4Php5mwkOsLAI-c6hcnYMuzU2LUwQQZTolhHo8CxMmBUCrrxqTf_ZT_gbBUbxhWEXwUijJP6DucRbRpLpoel9bZ3FzwElTpoipBB6ey8/s320/RJ-45PINOUT.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RJ-45 Radio Audio Pin-Out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-RCS6HiFZ0c7C54sdg54DUKjBrzaAfMpHFlhDwnsK1TspjtQO10_XNPJbR47s6cHVxDnjJfO6V9dTUrP2wURzF39s8AmDBjHmh2PHG0vwf9iTNtupiG8Ig0d7BBmggn2iNlm4padaYE/s1600/IMG_1256%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-RCS6HiFZ0c7C54sdg54DUKjBrzaAfMpHFlhDwnsK1TspjtQO10_XNPJbR47s6cHVxDnjJfO6V9dTUrP2wURzF39s8AmDBjHmh2PHG0vwf9iTNtupiG8Ig0d7BBmggn2iNlm4padaYE/s320/IMG_1256%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Serial Cable</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The one last connection that needed to be made was for the PTT circuit. For this connection I used an old female serial cable I had laying around. I just cut one side of it off and soldered the connections to the board. In case you don't have one laying around, you can also find it at aliexpress for about $.60 <a href="http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Female-to-Female-SERIAL-DB9-9-PIN-RS232-Data-Cable-HDPE-Insulation-Design-UL-Standard/2036054003.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.40.i7aSZ0&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_0,searchweb201602_3_10057_10056_10065_10037_10055_10054_301_10059_10058_10032_10017_107_10060_10061_10052_414_10062_10053_10050_10051,searchweb201603_9&btsid=b304f772-bbdb-4c53-a442-cff39693ad7f" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
PTT Pin-out:<br />
PIN Board Connection<br />
4 DTR<br />
5 DIG GND<br />
7 RTS<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-Qb5RR2hnmMzfQGBxnke3Ct8ShMYo0Jd_Q_DtQohoszt7pkYzzpO1C4MAj44gefSOdURjQIK6_JStToxVyLNA8YkW_ay2nLX5XyE9vi6EZLG5r-ZIFM5b77RX0dzau4x6Sa70aRB_xU/s1600/IMG_1248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-Qb5RR2hnmMzfQGBxnke3Ct8ShMYo0Jd_Q_DtQohoszt7pkYzzpO1C4MAj44gefSOdURjQIK6_JStToxVyLNA8YkW_ay2nLX5XyE9vi6EZLG5r-ZIFM5b77RX0dzau4x6Sa70aRB_xU/s320/IMG_1248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete Easy Digi Package</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After all that, the interface was done. Now to make cables for my various radios. I have three radios I use regularly. A Yeasu FT-840 HF rig, a Kenwood TM-281a 2 meter mobile, and a Baofeng UV-5re Plus handheld. Each of them have a different type of plug and pinout.<br />
<br />
Kenwood TM-281a:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QYf0nMdklSJpMPQIclMMYYV4kL5QjkSC9yfrsQcIplSNT18Ebpjs6zt8xdgwppTpn8q32d8-LJO9Cux4Z7Feg9C11o5qnM2uLeTIlK_Lk5EWkzok6wbwxx0XYwQUDlFaIPdw_bWB5TI/s1600/IMG_1257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QYf0nMdklSJpMPQIclMMYYV4kL5QjkSC9yfrsQcIplSNT18Ebpjs6zt8xdgwppTpn8q32d8-LJO9Cux4Z7Feg9C11o5qnM2uLeTIlK_Lk5EWkzok6wbwxx0XYwQUDlFaIPdw_bWB5TI/s320/IMG_1257.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TM-281a Cable</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The TM-281a has an RJ-45 mic jack on the front where you connect the audio in and the PTT control to. In order to get audio out of the radio, you need to use the external speaker connection on the back of the rig. While thinking about the pinout on the Easy Digi RJ-45 connection, I decided to align the pin-out with this 2 meter rig, since it's the one I primarily use. You can connect straight through with the exception of the two wires that need to connect to the speaker out.<br />
<br />
Yeasu FT-840:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-GtZ6SEOLMsgy1QlwYMkv4K0uhBZZI1w09x1yNinf5VMiTV_cWyvOWEdb1gyO5WK7IPhN4VjpYhP5r8FD8dcA9szqE8hemKX3bs3iRQR9oDfbLamXbgVWjX03C75HpBqTpfzOKHbcc4/s1600/IMG_1258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-GtZ6SEOLMsgy1QlwYMkv4K0uhBZZI1w09x1yNinf5VMiTV_cWyvOWEdb1gyO5WK7IPhN4VjpYhP5r8FD8dcA9szqE8hemKX3bs3iRQR9oDfbLamXbgVWjX03C75HpBqTpfzOKHbcc4/s320/IMG_1258.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FT-840 Adapter / Uses TM-281a Cable for connection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The FT-840 has an 8-pin barrel connector for the audio in and PTT control. Actually, if you look at it, there is a PTT control on the back. But to make connecting it simpler, I chose to use the mic connection. There is also both a external speaker and AF out connection on the back. Of the two, the AF out is the better option for connecting the interface. If you don't have an RCA plug handy, you can get by with using the speaker connection. Instead of making a whole new cable, I made a short adapter that converts the 8-pin barrel to an RJ-45 plug. This will allow the use of the TM-281a cable to connect to this rig also.<br />
<br />
Baofeng UV-5re Plus:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPL6tppwCgMV1EScatIyx0SGlRmSq7LcQtoSfkIUZ1RspeUIrw3y-MFb1q-1x4R8TJK43oF26DsscDkitydABiwgMD3J5dj4FZBJ8aVqKobo9gUH6Ilc8rsKBfqN3hYVU1ZhxRg20gdTU/s1600/IMG_1259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPL6tppwCgMV1EScatIyx0SGlRmSq7LcQtoSfkIUZ1RspeUIrw3y-MFb1q-1x4R8TJK43oF26DsscDkitydABiwgMD3J5dj4FZBJ8aVqKobo9gUH6Ilc8rsKBfqN3hYVU1ZhxRg20gdTU/s320/IMG_1259.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baofeng/Kenwood Cable with 2.5 mm Adapter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Baofeng UV-5re shares the same pin-out among many models including some Kenwood handhelds. So, this cable will probably help a lot of people. I used an RJ-45 plug to connect into the interface and two 3.5 mm TRS audio plugs to make the connection on the radio. Note, on the handheld the speaker out connection is a 2.5 mm jack. You will need an adapter to convert it, unless you buy some 2.5 mm plugs to construct your cable. The trick is the PTT control. PTT is activated by shorting the shield of both the speaker and mic connection on the radio. In order to make this happen, you will need to splice the PTT ground and PTT HI wires onto the shield of the mic and speaker plugs.<br />
The Pin-out is:<br />
PIN Plug Connection<br />
1 RX Audio Tip<br />
2 RX Audio Shield<br />
6 RX Audio Shield<br />
3 MIC Ring<br />
4 MIC Shield<br />
5 MIC Shield<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EGFPgs38BoC0wNWReiY6AAZWV5UHA3OAWH7tJsY-F8Zqx1aEIpuoDaM3uP2j2mpJ0MDaXRuO7HMLSRvONQoGIbXi__i_2UHCXgZW_krLnz9NT8VdJGlFU1thUxwnGxcpOhKsNxgFOjU/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EGFPgs38BoC0wNWReiY6AAZWV5UHA3OAWH7tJsY-F8Zqx1aEIpuoDaM3uP2j2mpJ0MDaXRuO7HMLSRvONQoGIbXi__i_2UHCXgZW_krLnz9NT8VdJGlFU1thUxwnGxcpOhKsNxgFOjU/s320/IMG_1251.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TRRS to TRS adapter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GbJ1sudhLrOf2M8AQjgcPVL0RzCSYkCG2OfLCxyyzArH4v52BPLcngwLCS0JqIlwSKE5xMijOF3lSwNbBNVwa1kmtffGe9_1pOJRIrdxos7ffCj1mKTJwykJKCk4DP-Jbk6KPkNhW6s/s1600/IMG_1252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GbJ1sudhLrOf2M8AQjgcPVL0RzCSYkCG2OfLCxyyzArH4v52BPLcngwLCS0JqIlwSKE5xMijOF3lSwNbBNVwa1kmtffGe9_1pOJRIrdxos7ffCj1mKTJwykJKCk4DP-Jbk6KPkNhW6s/s320/IMG_1252.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USB to Serial Adapter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Some other things you may need to consider while setting up. Modern computer no longer have old fashioned serial ports anymore. So, you may need a USB to Serial adapter to make the PTT work. Also, I've noticed that PC's are starting to omit the separate mic and speaker jacks and instead use a TRRS type headset jack. This again will require an adapter if you don't make a special cable to wire into your kit. Note, the pin-out of TRRS jacks and plugs can vary. So, be sure to figure out the actual pin-out of your equipment to save frustration.<br />
<br />
I used a lot of parts from the Aliexpress website. They are in China. So parts are cheap and shipping is free, but be prepared to wait at least four weeks for everything to show up at your door. If you are in a hurry, Amazon might be a better option for finding these components.<br />
<br />
Per request from another HAM here is the shopping list and a list of prices for both Amazon and Aliexpress. Note that there is a huge difference in the total price.<br />
<br />
<b>ALIEXPRESS (Total: $8.79):</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Project Box - $1.81</li>
<li>3.5 mm TRS Plugs - $0.91</li>
<li>RJ-45 Panel Mount - $1.26</li>
<li>3.5 mm TRRS adapter - $1.13</li>
<li>DB9 Cable - $3.68</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>AMAZON (Total: $24.57):</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Project Box - $2.96</li>
<li>3.5 mm TRS Plugs - $5.97</li>
<li>RJ-45 Panel Mount - $6.89</li>
<li>3.5 mm TRRS adapter - $6.39</li>
<li>DB9 Cable - $2.36</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Josh Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453686639226940708noreply@blogger.com2