Setting up the VX-8GR and TH-D72 for BeeLine GPS

[ksaves2]

You talking about just the tracking transmitter? I've got a TRS w/LCD RX and it's pretty cool!

Yeah, I have a couple of the 900Mhz unit. Cris now makes a 400mhz one along with the LCD receiver. I'd like to see a 100mW 400Mhz Eggfinder.
He makes it so ones callsign appears in the strings so it's perfectly legal. Kurt

 

[John Kemker]

Yeah, I have a couple of the 900Mhz unit. Cris now makes a 400mhz one along with the LCD receiver. I'd like to see a 100mW 400Mhz Eggfinder.
He makes it so ones callsign appears in the strings so it's perfectly legal. Kurt

Yep! I need to put my TRS together. Got the LCD completed.

 

[WillMarchant]

I'm using the Yaesu FT3DR and Kenwood TH-D74a for APRS these days. They're great with the Big Red Bee and Altus Metrum products.

Let me know if you want me to update the "getting started" info from earlier in this thread for these new radios.

 

[Jmhepworth]

I'm using the Yaesu FT3DR and Kenwood TH-D74a for APRS these days. They're great with the Big Red Bee and Altus Metrum products.

Let me know if you want me to update the "getting started" info from earlier in this thread for these new radios.

Please do. I have the TH-74A and have to figure it out all over again every time I use my Big Red Bee.

 

[ksaves2]

I've been taking the packets out through a connecting cable to a Garmin 60Cs or 60CsX to paint the rocket on a map with a D72A. It was doable in the Kenwood D7A(g) days. This is an example of what it looks like: https://www.locatis.eu/en/products-en/gps-cables/aprs-data-cables/aprs-data-cable-detail.

 

[DaveW6DPS]

... It was doable in the Kenwood D7A(g) days...

For some of us those days continue! Well, as a back-up now to my Mobilinkd TNC and APRS Droid. I also have a Yaesu FTM-100D mobile in my car with great built-in APRS functions.

Maybe we should post more threads to describe what we are using? And keep the older ones, since many of those older radios are still kicking around the swap meets and ham fests.

 

[ksaves2]

I’ve experimented with the Mobilinkd and APRS Droid too Dave with an F6A. Very very workable and usable too for APRS! I need to see if I can dig up some of my setup Howto‘s again. Especially the one on using APRSIS32 with the EggFinder ”like” trackers. It can place an NMEA tracker on a photomap.
About 4 years ago I found 2 Chinese tablets that were dual boot Windows/Android AND had a built-in GPS! One can’t find a tablet like that anymore. Dual booting is out there but none with a GPS chipset onboard.
I was able to use APRSIS32 to track and recover my EggFinder stuff on a photomap and it’s great.
I think I’ll be able to revisit my setups and compose a how to. I retire from the practice of medicine July 1st and once I get my house cleaned up and organized, my two small rocket workshops cleaned up and organized, I’ll have more time for rocket activities. I haven’t flown in 3 years unfortunately due to work and losing my Dad and my lovely wife.
Now I’ll have time to get my domestic chores done, take care of my adult autistic spectrum son (who in reality is at a high level of functioning. Like an 8 year old and he’s 26. No more meltdowns as he outgrew them.)
I can’t wait to get free! Kurt

 

[ether]

got the bigredbee 70cm and a TH-d74a and been able to set it up to use APRSdroid app to locate it on a map

Key steps:
Instead of APRS 12, use the KISS setting
Pair the phone with the TH-d74a over bluetooth
Under Configuration - select Interface, under KISS select Bluetooth (this will send the info out via bluetooth)

Launch APRSdroid and can see the packets come through and can be displayed on the Map and the app can transfer the coordinates to any other Map app, Google maps or even more interesting Google earth.

Provides great options

Using the TH-d74a by itself under the APRS 12 setting also works great, shows location, distance, relative location to TH-d74a on the TH-d74a LCD Screen

 

[ksaves2]

got the bigredbee 70cm and a TH-d74a and been able to set it up to use APRSdroid app to locate it on a map

Key steps:
Instead of APRS 12, use the KISS setting
Pair the phone with the TH-d74a over bluetooth
Under Configuration - select Interface, under KISS select Bluetooth (this will send the info out via bluetooth)

Launch APRSdroid and can see the packets come through and can be displayed on the Map and the app can transfer the coordinates to any other Map app, Google maps or even more interesting Google earth.

Provides great options

Using the TH-d74a by itself under the APRS 12 setting also works great, shows location, distance, relative location to TH-d74a on the TH-d74a LCD Screen

Yeah the D74A would be the ultimate but is a bit pricey. I went for a D72A when it first came out as I could get the APRS positions out on the round serial port of the D72. One wire to my Garmin 60Cs or 60 CSx and the rocket will be plotted in real time. Select the rocket icon position and the Garmin will plot a course to the last known position and one just follows the arrow on the map. The danged thing will also tell one how long it will take to walk or ride to the last known position!

One word of caution. Don’t be tempted by buying a used Kenwood D7a(G). They were good in there day but the APRS chipset goes bad over time. I bought 2 of them used 10 years ago and found out they couldn’t decode APRS packets reliably anymore. Would cost too much to repair and bought a D72a. A D74a is a nice unit but somewhat pricey. If one doesn’t mind a wire to their mapping device (as long as the mapping device can take a serial cable and interface) they can save a bit on a D72. If all the other digital options on the D74 are to one’s taste like the D-Star and bluetooth connectivity then go for it though they are running $550.00 now.

A 72A I’ve seen for $419.00 and a Garmin 60CsX for $50.00 to $200.00 on ebay. Can get free OSM maps at
http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ Used to be able to get the whole U.S. by selection but apparently that is not possible anymore so one would have to be happy with a single state at a time. Back in the day it would cost over $1000.00 minimum for APRS tracking and of course now there are NMEA trackers both on the 900Mhz unlicensed band and the 400Mhz Ham bands now. I gotta build my Eggfinder TRS on the ham band and try it out.

Kurt Savegnago

 

[ether]

Picked up the TH-d74 at ham radio outlet for $499, still up there in cost

 

[ksaves2]

Picked up the TH-d74 at ham radio outlet for $499, still up there in cost

The D72A is listed there for $439.00. If one is not interested in the D-Star digital stuff, it’s all that‘s needed to do APRS tracking with a one wire connector. I guess the D74A has bluetooth capabilities and technically it might be interfaceable to a Bluetooth enabled handheld mapping GPS but I am not certain about that or what units might work with wireless radio to mapping GPS connection. I just know that the Garmin 60Cs and CsX with the round socket connection cable and interface to the D72A and D74A for rocket APRS tracking on the 2 meter and 70cm bands.
Kurt

 

[BF Rockets]

Another APRS solution that may have been mentioned...

Altus Metrum TeleGPS $200

$30-$40 Baofeng VHF/UHF Radio, plentiful on Amazon

$25 APRS cable for audio input into iPhone (or Android phone):

https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-APRS-K1-Interface-APRSDroid-Compatible/dp/B01LMIBAZW

$5 Pocket Packet iphone app.

$15 Lightning to audio jack for iphone 7 and newer that don't have audio input.