APRS - today tracking on the Sierras

Many contests in the US have offered flight real time tracking using
SPOT.
We like amateur radio APRS tracking better.

If you would like to see why we have a preference, use this web site

www.aprs.fi

and enter the following four call signs.

Track Call Signs:

KI6RFR-7, KI6RFQ-7, KM6TS-7, KG6UNS-7


RFR-7 is Marty in 11W, his AS-W 27
RFQ is Milan P in Discus B '17'
6TS is Paul Quick in his SZD - 55
6UNS is Jim Staniforth in his AS-W 27

These pilots are all using two-meter amateur radio transmitters and
the
APRS packet reporting system.

You can expand or reduce the displayed flight time period, you can
slide the map around
with the hand tool, and change scale of map display, or delete or
include 'other or All' call signs.
There is a history function under the year display, select month and
date.

Have fun watching, as it looks like a ripping day.
We will likely have several folks flying tomorrow too.

Cindy
the tow pilot/crew

www.caracole-soaring.com

I'm curious about which radios and antennas you are using. I agree
that APRS beats Spot unless you happen to be in one of the few places
where you can't reach a repeater. Then Spot's satellite radio comes
into play. The updates, display, and information is way above Spot
maps and of course it is free.

Charlie

On Jul 6, 2:37*pm, cfinn wrote:
I'm curious about which radios and antennas you are using. I agree
that APRS beats Spot unless you happen to be in one of the few places
where you can't reach a repeater. Then Spot's satellite radio comes
into play. The updates, display, and information is way above Spot
maps and of course it is free.

Charlie


Tiny Tracker 3 is the transmitter, 10 watts out, with a stubby duckie
antenna.
A local pilot here will make them for people who already have an
amateur call sign,
and will pre-program them with Smart Beaconing ( no signal while
thermalling) and the
reporting interval you like. We choose three minutes for good
continuity and perhaps
search response to a smaller area late in the day. Handy Hams can
reprogram
through the serial port as needed.

The US repeater coverage is very good, even in the remote, wild wooly
west.

Email me privately if interested, and I can pass through a reference.

Cindy B
www.caracole-soaring.com

On 7/6/2010 7:12 PM, CindyB wrote:
On Jul 6, 2:37 pm, wrote:
I'm curious about which radios and antennas you are using. I agree
that APRS beats Spot unless you happen to be in one of the few places
where you can't reach a repeater. Then Spot's satellite radio comes
into play. The updates, display, and information is way above Spot
maps and of course it is free.

Charlie


Tiny Tracker 3 is the transmitter, 10 watts out, with a stubby duckie
antenna.
A local pilot here will make them for people who already have an
amateur call sign,
and will pre-program them with Smart Beaconing ( no signal while
thermalling) and the
reporting interval you like. We choose three minutes for good
continuity and perhaps
search response to a smaller area late in the day. Handy Hams can
reprogram
through the serial port as needed.

The US repeater coverage is very good, even in the remote, wild wooly
west.

Email me privately if interested, and I can pass through a reference.

Cindy B
www.caracole-soaring.com

If this seems like a worthwhile gadget to you, I suggest you need not be
offput by the ham license requirement.
These days, a ham test does NOT include morse, and the technical level
is not beyond what you might review online in a week or two prior to a
local test.

Brian W

On Jul 6, 8:22*pm, betwys1 wrote:
On 7/6/2010 7:12 PM, CindyB wrote:



On Jul 6, 2:37 pm, *wrote:
I'm curious about which radios and antennas you are using. I agree
that APRS beats Spot unless you happen to be in one of the few places
where you can't reach a repeater. Then Spot's satellite radio comes
into play. The updates, display, and information is way above Spot
maps and of course it is free.

Charlie

Tiny Tracker 3 is the transmitter, 10 watts out, with a stubby duckie
antenna.
A local pilot here will make them for people who already have an
amateur call sign,
and will pre-program them with Smart Beaconing ( no signal while
thermalling) and the
reporting interval you like. *We choose three minutes for good
continuity and perhaps
search response to a smaller area late in the day. *Handy Hams can
reprogram
through the serial port as needed.

The US repeater coverage is very good, even in the remote, wild wooly
west.

Email me privately if interested, and I can pass through a reference.

Cindy B
www.caracole-soaring.com

If this seems like a worthwhile gadget to you, I suggest you need not be
offput by the ham license requirement.
These days, a ham test does NOT include morse, and the technical level
is not beyond what you might review online in a week or two prior to a
local test.

Brian W- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

No problem Brian. You're correct, it isn't difficult to get. I got my
Novice license in '58 and have held an Advanced ticket for 40 years.

Charlie

On 7/6/2010 7:38 PM, cfinn wrote:
/snip/
On Jul 6, 8:22 pm, wrote:
On 7/6/2010 7:12 PM, CindyB wrote:



The US repeater coverage is very good, even in the remote, wild wooly
west.

Email me privately if interested, and I can pass through a reference.

Cindy B
www.caracole-soaring.com

If this seems like a worthwhile gadget to you, I suggest you need not be
offput by the ham license requirement.
These days, a ham test does NOT include morse, and the technical level
is not beyond what you might review online in a week or two prior to a
local test.

Brian W- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

No problem Brian. You're correct, it isn't difficult to get. I got my
Novice license in '58 and have held an Advanced ticket for 40 years.

Charlie


Hey Charlie,
I received a private note intimating that a ham license obtained or used
for this purpose might run counter to some FCC rule or other.

I don't see it. Do you?

Brian W