Started fiddling with APRS and learning what it can do. Minimal investment to get up and running with a handheld, and the idea of being able to communicate and get weather reports even in an area with compromised communications infrastructure is neat.

Quote from: airballrad on July 22, 2025, 10:01:09 PMStarted fiddling with APRS and learning what it can do. Minimal investment to get up and running with a handheld, and the idea of being able to communicate and get weather reports even in an area with compromised communications infrastructure is neat.

I played around with APRS last year enough to get signals decoded using DireWolf and PinpointAPRS. Transmitting was a whole another issue. That's still a work in progress.

I have been using both Pinpoint and Direwolf on my PC, but also the aprs.fi app on my phone. I am lucky enough to have multiple gateways and digipeaters nearby so I don't have to troubleshoot around that. I can get over 50 miles in two hops, so the chances of getting a message out that way during a disaster aren't bad.

Quote from: Skidjit on July 25, 2025, 05:58:13 PMI played around with APRS last year enough to get signals decoded using DireWolf and PinpointAPRS. Transmitting was a whole another issue. That's still a work in progress.

Picked up a Radtel RT-880G handie-talkie.  I'll need extra batteries for it, and the flap over the USB C programming/charging port is the cheapest piece of crap I've ever seen on a radio, making the ones on Baofengs look positively first-class in comparison.  I've had the thing all of two hours now and already it refuses to stay locked down and sticks out just enough to constantly irritate your hand.  I'll probably tear it off at some point, possibly within the hour. But I do like the rig so far.

The radio does have a functioning APRS mode with a GPS, so it has that going for it.  My VGC HT will also do APRS but has to link to my phone to do it.

Inverted V HF antenna I threw together last weekend. 23' painter's pole from Home Depot, 16ga speaker wire, cheap 1:1 balun, and knockoff Anderson Powerpole connectors from Amazon. Some paracord, S-clip biners, and zip ties I had laying around. Probably $100 all told for components (the painter pole was $40 and the balun was $30). It is segmented with the Powerpole connectors to work on 10m, 20m, and 40m (with bonus 15m). I was making contacts all over the US and DX contacts into Europe with it. It is also portable since it does not need a tree to set up.

Picked up a Radtel RT-817A HT (18W), and a Radtel RT-950 Pro (APRS works on this one, unlike on my RT-880G)

Been trying to get my three new Radtel radios (RT-880G/RT-817A/RT-950 Pro) programmed and ready to use but fucking Radtel can't seem to decide on a standardized programming cable; can't get their shit to be CHIRP compatible; can't get the Chinese spyware out of their software and firmware; can't write a decent, readable, comprehensive manual to save their miserable hides; and it's making me a bit grumpy.

In other news, I got the 817A semi-programmed, enough to be able to use the local repeater and 2M Calling. 

Updating firmware, charging batteries, repairing antennas, and programming new frequencies on most of my HTs today and tomorrow.

CQ POTA CQ POTA CQ POTA; I just hunt and peck P2Ps and usually get activated in an hour or less.

Just bought a Digirig and cables to hook it up to most of my HTs.  I've always had an interest in digital modes but stuff changed so quickly the past 10 years that it would have been a full-time job to keep up.  Now that things have stabilized and slowed a bit this seemed like a good re-entry point.

Looked up my GMRS call sign.  No, I am not WSHW 99.7 the voice of Purdue, I'm WSHW908.

Just need to order the fuse block, radio, and get it installed in my Tacoma.

Bought a pair of LoRa nodes to experiment with.

Picked up a set of 6 aH LiFePo - size of small 'exit sign' batteries.  Super-super low self-discharge rate.  Has an internal BMS.

Just the thing for my portable rigs power owing to very light weigh.

Santa brought me a Xiegu G90 HF radio, so it will now be easier for portable amateur HF operation. Hopefully at some point I will pick up an antenna that will allow for mobile operation on those bands as well.

Also scored another portable 100W solar panel set, so I can now have two of those running into my battery bank for off-grid radio operation.