[OZAPRS] HF mobile - why not?

[Richard Hoskin]

Hi All,
 
I think VK3MYs -3 & -4 support HF digipeating with the use of ECHO.
 
So you should be able to test your HF station using the path of APRS via
ECHO
 
This will not gate your POSITs to VHF or the Internet but it will allow
for tuning of your HF station.
 
Using this as the normal mode of operation is Definatly NOT recommended on
HF.
 
I can not test this but if someone can verify it please let me know the
results.
If ECHO is not enabled we may be able to switch it on for HF testing.
 
Cheers
Richard
VK3JFK
 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Brian  <mailto:bbeamish at bigpond.net.au> Beamish 
To: ozaprs at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au 
Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 9:24 PM
Subject: RE: [OZAPRS] HF mobile - why not?

The things that hold me back are:

1) Availability of a suitable tracker module.   The Tigertrack is under
consideration, but the hassles in getting one have to be addressed.   An
Australian dealer would overcome some issues here.   
 
Brian.> As mentioned previously we had no problems at all dealing with
Tigertronics direct.

2) An lack of immediate feedback as to whether the station is working.....

This issue is not unique to HF - it exists on 2 metre operation as well,
however local knowledge gives a pretty good indication of whether one's
beacons are getting out.   Monitoring 145.175 also gives one the chance to
hear one's beacons being digipeated -  all fairly reassuring.

However on HF, I get the impression that there is no feedback available to
the mobile operator as to how the station is operating if indeed at all.

Is it possible to consider the acceptability of brief voice communications
on the aprs frequency to allow the mobile's operator to see if anyone is
receiving his beacons?    Features on the Tigertrack unit almost suggest
that this is a reasonable and normal mode of operation, however I've not
heard of it being done in my HF listening. 

Or is there some other way out?   It seems a pretty pointless and
unrewarding exercise otherwise.  Why would one bother if there's no
feedback whatsoever?   
 
Brian> I agree with all especially on HF with the lack of feed back
although saying this I have in the past few months travelled some 6000 kms
away from Brisbane and been tracked virtually all the way and whilst I
could hear the beacons of  the gateways there was no way of really knowing
that I was getting through myself. When ever I got to a computer I did
check on FINDU which give me some indication that I was getting into one
or other of the gateways and the odd SMS from Des VK4DMI also helped. The
uncertainty of actually knowing that one is getting into a gateway can be
a bit of a worry. I have found, particularly on 30m, that if one is on
frequency and any where with range of either both or one of the at present
two 30m Gateways one will get in the majority of the time.
 
To check that I am on frequency when home I just connect to the net and
see my beacons from my mobile parked outside being gated to the net by one
or other of the gateways and indicated on my map. Findu will also give me
a good indication.
 
I have 30m very reliable as I have had only a little experience on 40m I
cannot say the same yet, I did have a problem on 40m, not 30m, with RF
getting back into my gear.
 
I guess it is okay to get a brief voice feed back but considering most
gateways are unattended most if not nearly all the time this may not be as
practical as it sounds.
 
B C N U
Brian VK4BBS
 






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