Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) is used to transmit location and other real-time data over amateur radio frequencies. [Scott Miller]'s OpenTracker project is designed to encode the NMEA data from a serial GPS receiver for transmission. It doesn't have to be used for GPS telemetry though, you could hook up a weather station or any other remotely located project. Scott has boards, parts and even full kits available.
3. which makes me wonder: *has* anyone gotten their microwave oven to modulate an 802.11 signal? they're in the same band, and you could maybe tune the magnetron with some external magnets to get it on-channel for 802.11 ... agree on the PIC being like being stuffed in a shoebox with a rusty paperclip.
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by Wim L
4. quantis - google agwpe for the decoding software. there may be limits on frs/gmrs use set by the fcc - originally you couldn't run any data modes. As for 802.11b and obscene power levels, go check out the band allocations. I think they cover channels 1-6 or some such. Off the top of my head, I think there's supposed to be a 1-watt limit for spread spectrum modes without power control, but I'm not sure if 802.11b qualifies. Otherwise the limit is a truly obscene 1500 watts. also, there are no gain limits as in part 15 use, so you're free to pipe that 1 watt (or maybe 1500 watts) into a 12-foot parabolic dish if you want.
5. There's nothing that says you HAVE to transmit on 144.39 so I'm assuming picking a FRS/GMRS channel should work fine. As long as your FRS radio has a external mic/headset input your good to go. Also does anyone have a link to the software to decode using a soundcard ? - Quantis
6. great to see someone else using the HC908 series microcontrollers. i really like the instruction set, going back to pic feels like trying to build a house with nothing but a rusty screwdriver. hc908 has a great range of performance and features, all the way down to a tiny 8-pin smd with integrated oscillator, it get really hard to rationalize not using a microcontroller in every project!
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by cbm5
7. #19: Could you point me to a source confirming that licensed hams can 'legally run 802.11b at obscene power levels'? If this is really true, you may have just made my day :)
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by c
8. 802.11b at 1500 watts! just no WEP.
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by alex
9. I updated the website with some more introductory stuff. As for needed a ham callsign, that's true if you're using ham frequencies. As I understand it, the FCC is now allowing position data on FRS (a la Garmin Rino), so you could probably get away with it there, too. But it wouldn't be as much fun. Seriously, go get your ham license. It's easy and cheap. No morse code required. And you can legally run 802.11b at obscene power levels!
10. hey, just wondering what everyone else's call was. I'm kc2kvy.
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by alex
11. Hi, Your radio does not need to do APRS. This is a TRANSMITTING module.. NOT a receiving module.. so you hook it to your radio and hook a GPS to the module and it will transmit your location. I have one of these in my car.
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by Matt
12. okay, I know this is off-topic, but I've got a huge question and I figured hackaday would be as good a start as any. At school I help the new computer teacher repair the laptops for one of my classes, many of them are having a problem with not being able to find the network's domain, which would probably be an easy problem to fix if it weren't for one small problem. The old admin used caspol.exe to cripple access to the control panel, caspol, registry, etc... So we have no access to hardware profiles, network settings, etc. Is there any way to get around the caspol blocks without administrative rights, or to just disable it without them? Thanks in advance :-) -Ryan
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by Ryan
13. oh, i forgot to mention, my email is fishypants@gmail.com
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by Ryan
14. ryan, assuming you're using windows, did you try 'Policy Editor'? search the internet for poledit.exe. That's how I got around all that crap in college. Network admins hated it :) On the other hand, they WERElocking us out of our own PCs.
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by ANON
15. suggested aprs uses on the waterway http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/APRS-docs/BOATS.TXT
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by momotarosan
16. thanks #9, that sounds like exactly what i need :-)
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by Ryan
17. OK. so this just taps into where you handset plugs into your radio to transmit. What about recieving for that you need a APRS enable radio like the Kenwood TH-D7AG ? http://www.kenwood.net/indexKenwood.cfm?do=ProductDetails&ProdID=5018&Group=5 or is there a reciever component that I could build or order ? - Quantis VE3AVP
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by Quantis
19. Someone needs to get this to work so it can be installed in a car and used as a security measure.
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by Splitime
20. sorry going back to poledit.exe dose any one know were to get it the mirosoft website doesn't have it.
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by Matthew
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1. I hate to say this but in the portion of the band that is shared with non hams for 802.11 the ERP is 100watts. No WEP either. jeremy
Posted at 3:09PM on Sep 3rd 2006 by jeremy