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ka9vnv  
Site Admin


Joined: 08 Jun 2004
Posts: 152
Location: Woodstock, IL

PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 1:28 am    Post subject: Welcome to the forum! Reply with quote

Welcome to the new home for what used to be a formal group known as the Northern Illinois APRS Network. While the group hasn't had a meeting in more than 5 years, the idea behind it remains. This discussion board is my attempt to keep it alive!
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Robbie  



Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Posts: 32
Location: Buffalo Grove, IL

PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your efforts.. I would like to see more join in and get things active again.. Maybe some small steps to start with and then the activities will improve!

Signed
Robbie, wa9inf
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ka9vnv  
Site Admin


Joined: 08 Jun 2004
Posts: 152
Location: Woodstock, IL

PostPosted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, Robbie - little steps. Like the sysop showing up daily... Smile

Over the last year, we've lost a couple of digipeaters, either completely, like Gene's in Rockford, or partially, like mine in Woodstock. I went from a 170' to 140' to (now) 30', losing 5db of antenna gain during the transitions. It's now back up to 50' and 3db of gain, but that makes the coverage in McHenry County suck.

As part of fixing that, KD9PK has put a digi up between Harvard and Hebron, albeit only unity gain and just above the ground, relatively (it's mounted in a low spot).

Let's see if we can grow it back to and beyond it's former glory!

Signed
Jeff Brenton KA9VNV

---
"It is not at all simple to understand the simple." - Eric Hoffer
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Robbie  



Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Posts: 32
Location: Buffalo Grove, IL

PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:53 pm    Post subject: Great steps Reply with quote

Well its great to see that there are the little steps being made..
Don, kk9h and myself made a trip down to the w9az-15 site and helped the sysops make some needed parameter changes and stepped back on id path and a couple other changes that seemed to help the group. They seemed very eager to do good and what a terrific site! It is being run by the KARS group, that just celebrated their 80th anniversary!

Congratulations!

Robbie

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Robbie, wa9inf
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ka9vnv  
Site Admin


Joined: 08 Jun 2004
Posts: 152
Location: Woodstock, IL

PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As they say - if you don't do something, nothing gets done...

I'm trying to get as much of what WAS on the old, rarely-updated, non-interactive site up and available in this new format. I've even contemplated making groups using strictly list-based approaches, like TAPR/APRSSIG and Xastir, aware of this board's existance, because I think it might serve a purpose for the non-developer portion. Partly, moderation of posts, to keep some of the CRAP out, not using SMTP to distribute so that it doesn't get caught in spam filters, the easy access to older threads, etc.

We've had great luck with this communication method for the Northern Illinois Jeep Alliance and a few closed groups, less luck with others.

Only time will tell!

Signed
Jeff Brenton KA9VNV

---
"It is not at all simple to understand the simple." - Eric Hoffer
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KB9ONN  



Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 7
Location: Aurora, IL

PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I woud like to introduce myself to the forum.

My name is Mike Pfeifer, and I have had my call since 1996. I have bee out of the hobby for a few years, but I am getting back into it again. I have had an interest in packet for a while, but never had the chance to get into it. So, I have no idea what I'm doing. Very Happy Any way, my station is very small at this point, but I may upgrade it later on. Depends on how much I will use it. Right now I have an Alinco dual band HT with a 5 foot telescoping antenna, a Kantronics KPC-3 Plus, and my computer (WinXP.) I don't have a GPS unit, but i do know my grid square and lat/long. I am able to monitor the APRS stuff in my terminal program, but I have not installed any APRS software yet. So, as you can see, I'll probably be on here quite a bit trying to figure out how to do things.
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ka9vnv  
Site Admin


Joined: 08 Jun 2004
Posts: 152
Location: Woodstock, IL

PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome, Mike!

You've got a good start on equipment for APRS. GPS isn't strictly necessary, unless you're planning on going mobile. Of course, your post here indicates that you're thinking about that, so... I guess you need a GPS.

My first recommendation is to read the documentation that comes with DOS APRS. Either download a copy of it, or you can read it on the Questionable Web page, under heading of (strangely enough) "DOS APRS documentation". Smile

The README files that come with DOS APRS explain a lot about the system that other programs assume you know. For example, the WinAPRS documentation talks about how to use POS files in WinAPRS... without telling you why you might want to have a POS file in the first place.

Your next choice will be a GPS unit, and what you chose depends upon your budget, desires, and APRS-compatibility. The last one is easy - you need to chose a unit with NMEA output, and any cable necessary to get it to your computer or TNC. Some of the newer "hiking" units don't have outputs, because that drains battery life; not a big concern in a car.

Oh, that brings up another thing - you'll want to make sure that the GPS is compatible with 12V power. Garmin, for example, makes several units that are intended to be powered by 3-6V power, and require adapters to be used for 12V. Other units will accept 10-40V input, making it easier to wire up a portable tracker that is fed by a single 12V source.

Signed
Jeff Brenton KA9VNV

---
"It is not at all simple to understand the simple." - Eric Hoffer
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ke4con  



Joined: 19 Oct 2004
Posts: 22
Location: Woodstock IL, McHenry County

PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:01 pm    Post subject: Hello Reply with quote

Hi Jeff,

Didn't know you got this board up and running. Smile Hopefully this will drive some interest.

Any luck getting the digi up again Question

Jim
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ka9vnv  
Site Admin


Joined: 08 Jun 2004
Posts: 152
Location: Woodstock, IL

PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, the digipeater is operational, but it isn't up, as in "high in the sky". Smile

It's across the street from your soon-to-be office, at 50' in the air. Still looking for a better location.

As for the board, I've been rather quiet about it, other than the beacons. I mentioned it on the Xastir board, but I haven't said anything on APRSSIG. I did make sure that "nian.aprs.org" worked to get here, because there are a lot of links out there that have that version of the address still.
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