[HSIS] [Fwd: Re: Cheap APRS Tracker Solutions]

[Matt]

Forwarding on. We need to get a ham on our team or get our ham licenses.
Next test should be on May 1, so I'm going to look into that and start
studying.

#matt

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Cheap APRS Tracker Solutions
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 05:23:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: Gary N. Dion <garydion at yahoo.com>
To: me at garydion.com, wb8elk at aol.com, Matt <brimstone at the.narro.ws>


Hi Matt,

   Glad you could join us on Saturday.  I hope you received your payload
back in good condition.  The balloon yours was on was not one of the two
I helped retrieve, so I didn't get the opportunity to see it.  Sorry to
hear the cellphone didn't work too well.  So did you get some cool pictures?

   I'll let Bill weigh in on his tracking solution, as he is currently
building a turnkey solution with the GPS receiver, microprocessor, and
radio all on one board.  It really is an elegant design, and it's
exactly what you need.  He can fill in the details of cost.

   I haven't taken advantage of the hardware Bill has been developing
yet, so my last tracker came in over the budget you are currently
looking at.  I found my transmitter on ebay for $40, and the GPS
receiver was $80.  Bill's solution is MUCH cheaper (and better!) than
this now - just harder to solder.  And while I made boards for the
WhereAVR, I believe the microprocessor circuit could be made on
perfboard for well under $10, leaving $90 for a radio and GPS.  I
haven't been through the code in a while, so regardless of if you want
to go this way, I'll be going through it to freshen the design and make
it easier to customize.

   Most importantly, is there an amateur radio operator in your group so
you can put your tracker on the air?  If not, it really isn't difficult
for you to get a license given your predisposition for things technical.
 Beyond a smattering of electronics knowledge, you just need to know a
few regulations.  I can point you to some online resources, and local
exams are given regularly.

73 (ham radio jargon meaning "Best Regards")
-Gary, N4TXI


--- On Mon, 4/12/10, Matt <brimstone at the.narro.ws> wrote:

> From: Matt <brimstone at the.narro.ws>
> Subject: Cheap APRS Tracker Solutions
> To: me at garydion.com, wb8elk at aol.com
> Date: Monday, April 12, 2010, 8:32 PM
> Hello!
> 
> First, thanks for letting us hitchhike on one of the
> balloons this past
> weekend. It was quite learning experience. One of the big
> items we
> learned is that we really need to get an ARPS based tracker
> and not a
> cell phone.
> 
> Looking around online it looks like this isn't going to be
> as cheap as
> we'd like. Do either of you know of a cheap radio,
> microcontroller, and
> GPS solution for less than $100?
> 
> Thanks for your time!
> #matt
> 
> 




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