In article , VHFRadioBuff
says...
Hello all. I've been surfing the web, reading about APRS but I am confused
about one thing. How does the GPS play into the whole thing? Can anyone give me
a webpage with a good explanation of how everything links together (planing on
using a Handspring Visor Prism with my KPC-3 and a cheap 2m mobile rig)? If
anyone can suggest a specific GPS unit, that would be good. Email replies are
welcome.
The usual scheme is that the GPS receiver feeds its data to the
TNC (in my case, a Kantronics KPC-3+), and the TNC interfaces with the
radio involved to move the data. APRS, as its name implies, is mainly
for position reporting.
Also, does anyone sell a Palm pilot mount for the car?
Have a look at
http://www.smc-corp.com -- That's where I got my
console mount and pedestals for the 'TechMobile'
(
http://www.bluefeathertech.com/kc7gr/thevan.html).
Choice of GPS receiver is entirely up to the individual's finances
and requirements. I got lucky with a bunch of surplus hardware, and
locating some good deals on OEM modules, and ended up investing a little
under $250 for a fairly high-end GPS setup that's WAAS-enabled.
That figure included the antenna, which I got from a fellow who
was selling them on Ebay a while back, and a DC injector (which was
needed due to the antenna's bias voltage requirements -- 12V vs. 5).
HOWEVER -- keep in mind that my setup was built specifically for
high accuracy in a mobile environment, and took a lot of work to put
together. It uses an APRS-dedicated single-channel transceiver (a
converted Motorola Mitrek).
In short: If you're looking for something in a handheld, my
solution would not be a good one for you. ;-)
Good hunting.
--
Dr. Anton Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, KC7GR)
kyrrin a/t bluefeathertech d-o=t c&o&m
"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (Red Green)