HAMDig

When I first installed an APRS unit in my pickup, I wanted a display of nearby stations, and messaging capabilities.

At the time, the only thing on the market with display was the FoxView http://www.foxdelta.com/products/foxview.htm from FoxDelta. A kit item from India, running software from multiple sources (including Italy with badly translated documentation), it proved to be an interesting first attempt. I had a functional 4x20 display of stations as they came in, but very limited.

This past fall I switched it out with a TinyTrak4 in hopes of improving the displayed info. So far, I have yet to get it to work properly. The messaging capability is greatly enhanced with the ability to attach a keyboard, but the TinyTrak to display data stream seems to have sync issues and it constantly displays strange characters.

Current plans involve a complete overhaul. The 4x20 display will be replaced with a Garmin nuvi 2555. Tracker will be a T3-Mini from ArgentData. The Tracker3 line can communicate with Garmin GPS units using the proprietary Garmin Binary protocol and the Fleet Management Interface cable (FMI 45 - https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/shop-by ... 04982.html). This allows for position data being sent to the tracker, decoded station waypoints sent to the GPS, and full APRS messaging capabilities.

More updates as installation progresses.

I know both Chad and Justin have done the fleetmap/Garmin thing with APRS. To me without something like that, it's kind of a a one way radio thing and has never really gotten me excited. The older Garmins they used didn't give you the map updates, so I think that is why they later abandoned that.

The Yaesu VX-8 that Bob has is interesting, but once again it lacks onboard maps. I don't want to spend big bucks on a HT ever again, so that I can listen and talk to a whole lot of nobody. But, it's still interesting to watch the HT progress. At least the new Yaesu digital HT's have a SD card, so maybe one day when I am in a wheel chair, APRS in a HT will come to be. (After the Chinese radio guys make a cheap knock off version so that I can still afford my metamucil.)

When I saw the recently unveiled Touchscreen for Raspberry Pi for $35, I had some APRS display dreams of grandeur. Then I decided APRS isn't that interesting, till maybe someone writes a how-to for that platform.

Either way I think you are headed down the most logical approach for APRS. I'll be interested to read your specifics here, on what you picked up to make it all work.

Success.

The nuvi 2555 has lifetime map updates with it, so no issues there. Programmed the T3-mini with the onboard mini USB port and wired everything up, and... nothing. Nothing happened. Measured the 5v line on the T3-mini - something like 1.7v - nowhere close to 5. Hooked up an external 7805, now it had power, but still no communication with the GPS. After much testing, trial & error, and a couple beers, I wired in a MAX232. Instant success. Apparently the FMI45 cable doesn't like the voltage levels coming out of the T3-mini.



Drove over to work and used the warm inside space to switch out the old APRS system with the new one. Cables ran through the dash and all is happy.