Man oh man! Was soooo close with this on a $70.00 7" WinBook tablet that would be capable to be hand carried to a recovery site when using an EggFinder GPS tracker. The Java based YAAC program works perfect on a Linux laptop but Bluetooth is not working with YAAC in Windows 8.1 nicely. If someone has Linux experience and wants to try it, follow the instructions here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...apping-Tracking-program&p=1533449#post1533449
All the software and maps are free. If you're running Linux you probably know about ports, permissions and pairing B/T in that OS. It will get you salivating. The old MapSphere program mentioned in the EggFinder documents hasn't been supported for years though it's still out there. It will not keep track of your location and your rockets at the same time though. You could cache maps with that program but I suspect most of the map servers have gone away and no longer available.
The Android program "GPS Rocket Locator" needs a live internet connection to display maps reliably. I've tried caching but it doesn't seem to work well. Shut the program down and if there is no internet connection, when it powers up, just a grey screen and two points. That will get you to your rocket but it won't tell you what's in the way or the nearest roads you could take. Yeah, you could input lat/long into a handheld mapping GPS but that's another device to carry along.
The Winbook has a full size USB socket so a hub "could" be connected but then the attached devices will suck juice from the battery. I tried a "plain" USB EggFinder receiver and it works fine. The thing is, the fewer attached cables out in the field, the better. I can get by and "stand" a single wire from a Kenwood D72A serial jack to the secure round port on a Garmin 60CsX mapping GPS for graphical APRS tracking on a map that's easy to carry and navigate with.
Jostle a USB cable and the system would likely "freeze" hence the desire to use all B/T peripherals. Try pricing that APRS receive station and you'll see why I was getting excited. An economical station that anyone including a
non-Ham could use.
You try tracking a rocket on a portable map and you won't want to track any other way. Launch, track, pickup rocket and go back to fly some more. If you're launch windows and times are limited you have the potential
to fly more rockets rather than wondering around trying to find them. Kurt Savegnago
All the software and maps are free. If you're running Linux you probably know about ports, permissions and pairing B/T in that OS. It will get you salivating. The old MapSphere program mentioned in the EggFinder documents hasn't been supported for years though it's still out there. It will not keep track of your location and your rockets at the same time though. You could cache maps with that program but I suspect most of the map servers have gone away and no longer available.
The Android program "GPS Rocket Locator" needs a live internet connection to display maps reliably. I've tried caching but it doesn't seem to work well. Shut the program down and if there is no internet connection, when it powers up, just a grey screen and two points. That will get you to your rocket but it won't tell you what's in the way or the nearest roads you could take. Yeah, you could input lat/long into a handheld mapping GPS but that's another device to carry along.
The Winbook has a full size USB socket so a hub "could" be connected but then the attached devices will suck juice from the battery. I tried a "plain" USB EggFinder receiver and it works fine. The thing is, the fewer attached cables out in the field, the better. I can get by and "stand" a single wire from a Kenwood D72A serial jack to the secure round port on a Garmin 60CsX mapping GPS for graphical APRS tracking on a map that's easy to carry and navigate with.
Jostle a USB cable and the system would likely "freeze" hence the desire to use all B/T peripherals. Try pricing that APRS receive station and you'll see why I was getting excited. An economical station that anyone including a
non-Ham could use.
You try tracking a rocket on a portable map and you won't want to track any other way. Launch, track, pickup rocket and go back to fly some more. If you're launch windows and times are limited you have the potential
to fly more rockets rather than wondering around trying to find them. Kurt Savegnago
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