[arm-allstar] gps.conf

[Fred Hillhouse]

If the AllStar user is not involved in APRS but they would like to put their station on a map, it can be done. I don't know how. Putting the node on the map is a good way to "advertise" AllStar as well as make it seen and hopefully show how to access it. Others will have to comment on how to achieve it.

As an APRS user, there is, in my often not so humble opinion, a better way. I consider APRS a mode that should support RF communications first. Then as a great add-on, support communications over the internet.
http://www.aprs.org/localinfo.html

The APRS station doesn't need to be much more than an RPi, soundcard interface and a radio. On the RPi, run Direwolf and configure an object (frequency object) describing your node.

Conveniently, AllStar/hampvoip, includes Direwolf as part of the ham radio tools. So the same RPi running your node can also run an APRS station using Direwolf. A second soundcard and radio is all that is needed. It would be convenient for the user if the AllStar node was using a band other than 2M because a simple dual-band antenna could be used.

Why go through this trouble? If I was cruising by and was using a Kenwood or Yaesu radio and it picked up the packet, then with a simple button push, the radio can be tuned to the node frequency. I can immediately use that frequency/node. The is TUNE in the Kenwood and QSY in the Yaesu. . In theory, even radios without the QSY feature could be used with some CAT interface programming. One plus side, even without internet, APRS can still get messages to/from other operators.

By only injecting the packet straight into the APRS-IS (APRS Internet Servers), then only those with internet and mapping will see the information. And will have to program the radio before using. Don't do this while driving! So of course no one will use the node except the builder and their friends.

In my own experiences, I travel to northern NH for camping, hiking, etc., in all seasons. I always carry my D72 which has APRS and the "QSY" feature. There are several AllStar nodes that send objects to APRS-IS in some of the area I visit. My radio is deaf to them since I do not have an internet connection on my radio. My phone is also deaf because I have no internet connection. I only know of the nodes because of looking at my APRS display at home. Yes, I can program my radio in advance (and I do) but I often end up in other areas than planned.

BTW, if you read this and decide to put together an APRS station in addition to your AllStar portable/mobile node, then I recommend also sending a PHG object as well. For those that use visual displays while driving, it is easy to weed out a 2W VS. mountain top node. If you happen to be someone with a repeater site and a digipeater, please consider adding objects over APRS/RF.
http://www.aprs.org/aprsdos-pix/phg.txt

Once I get past the current upheaval in my house (shack and workspace was recently moved) I will be getting back to my portable/mobile AllStar/APRS node.

Best regards,
Fred N7FMH


-----Original Message-----
From: arm-allstar [mailto:arm-allstar-bounces at hamvoip.org] On Behalf Of "James R. Pilgram via arm-allstar"
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2018 6:28 AM
To: arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
Cc: James R. Pilgram
Subject: [arm-allstar] gps.conf

Aloha All,

I was poking through the modules.conf files and this one caught my 
eye.....  noload=app_gps.so  ..... I went to 
http://docs.allstarlink.org/drupal/node/14  and did some reading. Is 
APRS and GPS usable on the raspberry pi3 builds? Seems like this might 
be a nice thing to have on a portable/mobile node. I looked in  
/etc/asterisk/ and didn't see the gps.conf file but I was thinking all I 
need to do is copy it from the above link and fill out the things that 
need to be changed, plug the USB GPS puck I have into the pi and comment 
out noload=app_gps.so and restart asterisk .

I didn't see anything in the how-to's so thought I'd inquire from the 
forum. I did a little Google search and found some info. Any thoughts?

Jim NH6HI

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