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9600 APRS on UHF coming soon.
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ka9scf  



Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 34
Location: Lombard

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:06 pm    Post subject: 9600 APRS on UHF coming soon. Reply with quote

Hi All,

Just going to test some 9600 APRS with spare parts. This will be a long term test as the antenna (6dbd gain) on the tower (80 feet) is unused and won't be likely needed by any other project.

This will be a Kantronics D4-10 on 441.075 (the old Aurora TCP/IP LAN) with an old computer running Xastir on Linux with a Gracilis PackeTwin card. The power will be 10 watts and will not expect anything usable mobile for more than 5 miles based on what I've read. If you have a D700 or a D7A in the Lombard area, give it a shot. It will respond to WIDE1-1 and be connected to APRS-IS as WB9WLS-1. I would stick this in the existing WB9WLS computer but it doesn't have ISA slots! Anyway, when you see WB9WLS-1 on APRS-IS, give it a shot. Let me know if there are problems with this. I'm wondering if the frequency is an issue. I can use 430.55 if there is conflict with 441.075. I have a broken KPC-9612 (won't power up) that I would have used but Kantronics can't fix it (The IC's aren't made anymore).

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.
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ka9scf  



Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 34
Location: Lombard

PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:38 am    Post subject: 9600 operational Reply with quote

Hi All,

I have 9600 setup on 430.55. I had a problem with receive on the other D4-10 (the one that had 441.075). The problem is that the power output seems to be only ~120 mw[1]. The coverage area[2] on TX is small and limited to Lombard only. I'm trying to make it an NSR style digi so that if it hears someone, it'll send the packets into APRS-IS[3]. KA9SCF-10 is the on the air callsign. I'm trying to feed 144.39 to the 9600 but haven't found the right set of parms to do it 100%. That's it for now.

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.

[1] A bird watt meter with a UHF 5 watt element measured this
[2] The stations is running on a 6db omni at 80 feet.
[3] The computer is a P233 with a Gracilis PackeTwin card running BPQ over ethernet to KA9SCF-15/WB9WLS.
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ka9scf  



Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 34
Location: Lombard

PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 6:45 am    Post subject: 430.55 9600 update Reply with quote

Hi All,

I found the right set off parms to make it repeat anything it hears. It's neat because the dupe checker actually prevents the repeating the packets over and over again. The range is very limited. When in Lombard, it works great but otherwise it will have to be a fixed station with an outside antenna to be able to get in or hear it. The best I could do is 7 miles with the HT, not moving.

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF
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AB9FX  



Joined: 31 Jul 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Chicago, IL

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just for some testing I run on your freq. 430.55 WX packets with 9600. Test is mainly for new project of weather converter (Ultimeter/Kantronics). Previously, I tried it with KPC3+ on 144.390, also with KAM XL on 10.151/300bps, now I've connected wx converter to KAM XL with 144.390/1200 and 430.550/9600. TNC is configured to send wx every 5 minutes, weather status (3hour pressure change, max/min temperature) every 10 minutes and to pass packets from one band to another. Alias for gating UHF/VHF or VHF/UHF is GATE. My station on both bands as AB9FX-1.
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ka9scf  



Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 34
Location: Lombard

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:35 pm    Post subject: 9600 test pulled months ago Reply with quote

Hi Andy,

I pulled that equipment out because of poor performance (I had to fish for a spot to hear it). The antenna was only a 6db and there was 200 feet of feedline so the loss was high. The PC that had the 9600 capability was painfully slow so I removed it and operate it at home now for testing purposes. I might be able to run the 9600 stuff at W9BGX (Northwestern University). They have better feedline and a high profile location (closer to you as well) if the antenna can get on the 45 foot tower that's on the Tech building.

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.
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AB9FX  



Joined: 31 Jul 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Chicago, IL

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pat, I think with any Kenwood D7, D700 you are able to check the 9600 data, immediately. Also, I've added digi abilities on 430.550 as WIDEn-n and ILn-n. Just for testing and no body is affected only profits of seeing 'MY POSITION'
73
Andy
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ka9scf  



Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 34
Location: Lombard

PostPosted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:04 am    Post subject: Tried 9600 in your area. Reply with quote

hi Andy,

I tried to posit on 430.55 when at Touhy and Gross point stationary and didn't hear anything coming back. This is as close as I get to your place on my commute home. I will try again on the way in on Monday or if the traffic is aweful on 294 and deside to drop down to Touhy before getting on 294.

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.
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AB9FX  



Joined: 31 Jul 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Chicago, IL

PostPosted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pat, for a week there was no traffic, so I turned it off, yesterday...
Now, is on again.
73!
Andy
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KK9H  



Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 40
Location: Northfield, IL

PostPosted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:15 am    Post subject: 9600 baud APRS Reply with quote

Pat and Andy, it looks like you were ahead of the curve with respect to 9600 baud APRS. There is a lot of discussion on the aprssig reflector right now on this subject. We should watch and see how it develops around the country, if at all. The first step will have to be to come up with some sort of nationally agreed upon frequency and the second step will be for the manufacturers to come up with affordable equipment that is as much "plug-and-play" as possible. If 9600 baud APRS begins to evolve, it could be fun to put some digi's and gateways on the air in the area. Time will tell.....

73, Don KK9H
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ka9scf  



Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 34
Location: Lombard

PostPosted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 9:47 pm    Post subject: 9600 problems Reply with quote

It looks like the 430.55 radio was off frequency a good 5kc. I'm playing with it at home and it plays nicely at 430.555. Perhaps this is why I had poor performance when I played around with it before. I don't see myself putting the station at my dad's house anytime soon because the computer requirements are special. For 9600, I use a Gracilis PackeTwin card which is an ISA card and no one makes ISA anymore. The best computer I can use with this is a P233 MMX system that has it's memory maxed out at 256megs. This is sufficient for server ops but it's lacking any desktop functionality in this day in age. I'll decide later if I want to play around with it further. I could put a system up at Northwestern University but would like to know who all is interested. I can't compare the operation before because of the frequency problem. I'll see about getting the radio with the 441.075 working. The antenna on the tower is tuned close to that.

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.
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AB9FX  



Joined: 31 Jul 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Chicago, IL

PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was surprised when I did some tests on 430.55 with base APRS station and TH-D7. My TH-D7 seemed to be deaf. Switching to 440.975 my D7 was listening to and decoding. So, I think we can use some frequency around 440 like 441.075 with success. If there is any need I can run additional port on my AGWPE for 9600 and do igate, digi, crossdigi and send wx when my Ultimeter comes back from repair.
I think we should make some choice for frequency without big QRMs.
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ka9scf  



Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 34
Location: Lombard

PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:08 pm    Post subject: 9600 on 441.075 Reply with quote

I've been playing around with the Kantronics D4-10 on 441.075. It has a power out problem. I can transmit almost 100% of the time (repeating all traffic with 4,8, and 9 callsigns) without the radio getting warm at all. The other D4-10 (the one that transmits on 430.555) is transmitting full power. I can hear it 2 miles away in my mobile setup (D7A with comet dual band mobile ant) with only a rubber duck on the D4-10. I haven't done a field test with the 441.075 radio but my initial tests showed it to be deaf. I would probably want to change the xtals over to the other radio but I don't have access to the equipment I did 13 years ago when I bought these radios. There will be more testing but I can't put this on an antenna system that would enable anyone outside of Lombard to hear it for now.

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.
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KA9FLX  



Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 13
Location: Palos Hills, IL

PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 1:01 pm    Post subject: UHF & 9600 Reply with quote

Pat.

Local group here in the Oak Lawn area just put up a fill digi on 144.39, but might be interested in UHF at 9600. Are you planning on staying with the 441.075 Frequency?

BTW: UHF Packet frequencies per the IL Bandplan are:

440.9000 445.9000
440.9250 445.9250
440.9500 445.9500
440.9750 445.9750
441.0000 446.0000
441.0250 446.0250
441.0500 446.0500
441.0750 446.0750

In any case, please let me know as if there is to be a build out of APRS on UHF, it would be nice to coordinate activities so that we akk benefit from the extended coverage.

73,
Bob - KA9FLX
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ka9scf  



Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 34
Location: Lombard

PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:32 pm    Post subject: I have Xtals for 441.075 Reply with quote

441.075 is where I'm going to attempt to stick something up. Again, I have to move the xtals from one D4-10 to another and that'll take time. I wonder if we will even have a path between us. I'll have to see if we have a 2m path right now. What kind of antenna system is the UHF stuff going to be on?

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.
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KA9FLX  



Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 13
Location: Palos Hills, IL

PostPosted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:01 pm    Post subject: UHF Digi Reply with quote

Pat,

We have not yet even discussed it as a group, but I do know there would be interest in it. More interest if there is already an existing system such as your's established. This is why I asked if your setup was going to remain in that frequency.

I will raise the question this week with the local group to see if they are interested. We have in the past discussed a RX only gateway from my UHF repeater to 144.39, so that the guys cold user their Mic-E trackers while in QSO, and have the locations show up on 144.39.

The idea of a full digi on UHF for APRS is not much of a stretch from there. I'll keep you informed.

Thanks & 73,
Bob - KA9FLX
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