Alee891's Radiant Red Build & BS

http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session

 

Piss poor photos, but got the rear lights wired up tonight. Aside from the big ass tire now obstructing my view, I can actually see through the gangster tint that the previous owner had installed.

 

You should watch this..least most of it. The part where he shows how to use the radio and some of the features of APRS anyways and he kinda shows how you could use one of your handhelds as an APRS radio with APRS Droid at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7hot6_K6e4

 

I'll watch once I get to a comp!!

 

Hahahah damn that looks good but thats one hell of a huge ass tire.

 

Dat ass tho. Can't wait to see this truck in person.

 

Same size as yours bud...

 

*Edit: Just realized this is nearly a half hour long. Might as well watch it at work.

 

yah but it does not look near as big on my truck!

 

Ok - the video was very informative. So now I have a few questions to keep the discussion going.

First off, 144.390 is the ONLY frequency APRS utilizes in the US? If so, that would seem to make long distance journeys a hell of a lot easier as you do not have to bounce/scan for an open frequency.

I may have asked you this in your build thread already, but don't remember the answer due to 7 concussions - is a separate antenna needed for APRS and Coms?

The Yaeusu FT1D he uses seems a hell of a lot more complex than the cheap ol baofengs. That specific handheld model puts out 5 watts - how does that compare to your full sized radio and is it even practical to go the handheld route in this instance? I looked up the cost of the Yaesu and they are ~$300.

I'm going to see what I can do with my old droid phone and a handheld Baofeng. I know there are vidoes online specifically for baofeng and APRS via droid devices.

Now I'm getting antsy to go take the test and get my call sign haha - if I pass

 

Yes, 144.39 is the whole North American Continent. Canada and Mexico too. There are some others but no one really uses them.

I would not recommend doing APRS through the radio like how he was showing. WAY easier via the APRS app and an old phone or tablet. This video doesn't show the apps functions very well but explains APRS functions well. The app is super easy to use and is what id recommend running.

So technically, no you don't need a separate antenna. However, remember you can only transmit on one band at a time. So if you have band A set to APRS and band B to...whatever the group is running. You'll need to make sure it's on band A when you aren't talking all the time otherwise the TNC will make the radio fire and it'll send the APRS data on band B. If that makes sense. On top of that, you have no way of using the Baofeng while the TNC is plugged into it via the cable. The TNC needs to be plugged into the mic/speaker ports because that's how it transfers the data. So you would also have to unplug that every time you wanted to talk on the radio.

5w is not a ton. But you don't need a ton so long as you have a good antenna and tune. The mag mount...isn't a great way to do it. But you will still be able to get good use out of it.

I would consider running the Baofeng like how i run my GM300, as a dedicated APRS rig and get a mobile rig for the truck with dual bands for other features and functions. That way, you just turn on the APRS rig and fire up the app and go. Don't have to worry about it. But you can at least reuse the small cheap radio and have a nice small packaged APRS rig that technically is even mobile if you wanted as the Baofeng is battery powered.

 

With this in mind, it sounds like trying to utilize a handheld for APRS is more of a pain in the ass. If I am using band B to talk with the group, does that result in APRS not sending? If I'm understanding correctly, if I were to stop talking and leave the device on band B, I would eventually be clogging everyone else's radio with APRS transmitting sounds (similar to the dial-up sound expressed in the video)? Furthermore, if I need to plug the TNC and mic in/out every time just to use APRS or communicate, that would be annoying as hell.

In this case, if I were to try and utilize two separate handhelds in order to eliminate the need to swap back and forth, wouldn't I then need separate antennas? Hope my interpretation makes sense - I'm trying to keep up.

If the whole HAM thing does take of and I decide to go APRS, this seems to be the most practical route to take. I can already tell you I'm going to hate having to swap back and forth between equipment and it's purposes. Might as well get something of permanence and live with it.

 

you can get a device to run two radios off the same antenna. But you aren't supposed to be transmitting at the same time. So again, you'd have to watch the APRS radio and make sure it was transmitting when you are talking.

The other way is just use a mobile rig as it will only transmit on one band at a time no matter what. You can then just set up one side for APRS and talk on the other and you'd be good to go. But you'd only have one free band to talk with. Not a deal breaker, but to me you already have the Baefeng..might as well make a dedicated APRS rig and then you'll have two open bands on your mobile rig.

You'd want separate antennas at that point though too. Why i have two. One for each HAM and a CB.

 

Isn't that three?

 

@ebbs15 when you did your tracks how did you mount them? Just straight to the bed?

$39 Keeper - 4’ Heavy Duty O-Track - Set Horizontally Or Vertically

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C5SZUO6

 

yes..but two for HAM radios is my point lol

 

That's what I'll be doing since I have the camper shell

 

I guess my only question is whether it's strong enough to actually strap something to the track system when it's only mounted to the bed with screws?

 

Yeah that's true, I've seen a number of trucks do it. As long as you aren't strapping something that is too top heavy I'd think it'd be alright

 

It may be worth just beefing up the mounts with bolts & washers. The contact points would be a bit more rigid at the very least. I think I'm still going to do the tracks soon. Need to get my last Plano case unmounted and removed first.