[CRAPRS] Reply to Steve NA0IA

[gdbishop at rockwellcollins.com]

----- Message from gary.bishop at mchsi.com on Thu, 24 May 2007 13:44:17 
+0000 -----
To:
craprs at rf.org
Subject:
FW: [CRAPRS] APRS and Ragbrai
I don't have any explicit knowledge about the FT530, but if it has the 
usual
mic and headphone jacks, it should work. 

Tinytrak also works well with the F6A.  No need to monkey with the packet 
settings on the radio.  However, in Kenwood's usual assinine method, the
mic and headphone jacks are reversed.  Also, the mic and PTT signals are 
in 
non-standard connections on the jacks.  Finally, to finish discouraging 
hams 
from interfacing to this radio, the jacks are recessed enough that normal
RS type plugs won't fit in.  You must use molded connections, and I'm sure 

Kenwood wants those connectors to be theirs, not ones you make.  Grrr....

The F6A is a great radio, don't get me wrong.  It just has these quirks. I 

bought mine in Dayton about 4 years ago.  Liked it so much I bought my son 

one.  It has a learning curve, but the manual is good, using menus is 
better 
than 3-button-push combinations, and there is plenty of local help. 

Something to watch out for is the mic settings when changing between the 
Yaesu 
and Kenwood.  They may require different settings for the mic gain.  I 
make a 
small magic marker tic on the mic level pot inside the Tinytrak.  One has 
a "K"
on it for the Kenwood, the other has an "S" on it for the Standard.  The 
marks 
are actually quite close, and I might have gotten away with just one 
setting.

I have been working on a sort of light duty duplexer.  It is a pair of 
series 
tuned circuits for the APRS, and a pair of 'wave traps' in series with the 

radio for .52.  The series tuned circuit permits only a single frequency 
to 
pass (APRS,) while the traps block only one frequency, and permits 
everything 
else to pass.  I don't have this all put together yet, but I'm hoping to 
before RAGBRAI.  If I can pull this off, it would permit one antenna to be 

used by two radios, without blowing them up when one transmits.

A couple of items:  I have put my best antenna on APRS, because that needs 
the 
most help in making a hop to the internet.  However, 'hops' are few and 
far 
between in rural Iowa, except near populated areas.  It's a crap shoot.  I 

guess that's why this list is called CRAPRS.

Anyway, I have used a simple switch to change the antenna over to an HT 
for 
voice communications.  I have found that normal voice use is again 
concentrated near populated areas.  Or, it used to find the 'mother ship' 
of 
the trailer and half-way point oasis vehicle.  If you are in the same 
small 
town as the oasis vehicle, a rubber duck on the HT will do.  After all, 
none 
of the half-way towns has a population greater than about 2000, so you can 

throw a rock from one end to the other.  HT with a rubber duck will do 
there.

I have modelled the following antenna, but have yet to build it:  Using a 
fiberglass bicycle flag as a basis, with a small extension, build a J-pole 

with another 1/2 wave extension.  This provides considerable gain, but 
sticks 
up 6 feet above the mounting point.  Good place for a nicely visible, 
bright 
orange flag with the team logo on in.  Or a blinky light, or a strobe, or 
a ...

Might be a little awkward in tight places, and low overhangs.

As for co-site problems, you will always have desense in such close 
quarters. 
The HTs we use are not known for their sparking in-band adjacent 
transmitter 
rejection.  However, ARPS is a very low duty cycle, and I find the amount 
and 
frequency of occurrence of desense on the HT used for .52 is acceptable. 



----------------------  Forwarded Message:  ---------------------
From:    shsawyer at rockwellcollins.com
To:      CRAPRS <craprs at rf.org>
Subject: [CRAPRS] APRS and Ragbrai
Date:    Wed, 23 May 2007 20:09:48 +0000

Posting from the CRAPRS mailing list:In anticipation of Ragbrai, I am 
trying to figure out what radio to use on 
APRS. I have one dual band antenna on the back of the bike and it works 
great. I am considering adding the APRS antenna on the front of the bike. 
I would appreciate thoughts on co-site problems. Anyway to diplex two 
radios into one antenna and not blow things up?

On the radio front, I have a three Yaesu FT 530 HTs and spare batteries. 

I have been lusting after a Kenwood TH-F6A for several years and I see 
that it has a 9600 baud packet option on the mic input.

So question to the group - will the Tiny Trak 3 work with either or both 
radios?

Thanks

Steve_______________________________________________
CRAPRS mailing list
CRAPRS at rf.org
http://rf.org/mailman/listinfo/craprs


In anticipation of Ragbrai, I am trying to figure out what radio to use on 
APRS. I have one dual band antenna on the back of the bike and it works 
great. I am considering adding the APRS antenna on the front of the bike. 
I would appreciate thoughts on co-site problems. Anyway to diplex two 
radios into one antenna and not blow things up? 

On the radio front, I have a three Yaesu FT 530 HTs and spare batteries. 

I have been lusting after a Kenwood TH-F6A for several years and I see 
that it has a 9600 baud packet option on the mic input. 

So question to the group - will the Tiny Trak 3 work with either or both 
radios? 

Thanks 

Steve
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