I set it up the Windows version APRSIS32 with AGWPE in sound card TNC mode connected to my Elecraft K3 tuned to 30m. The screenshot shows the position reports and beacons received. Actually this does not represent the stations received, as some of the icons are for stations that were digipeated by HF gateways on 30m.I did this more for curiosity's sake and to help test Lynn's program, as I personally don't have any interest in operating APRS on HF, whilst the lack of VHF APRS coverage in this area makes the cellular data network a more effective means of using it for me.
I am interested in investigating the possibility of using APRS on VHF as a means of detecting Sporadic-E openings on 2m. But for that I will be more interested in the location of the station that transmitted the packet I heard rather than the location of the station that originated it.
You might be interested in NG0E's VHF Propagation Maps at http://www.mountainlake.k12.mn.us/ham/aprs/path.cgi?map=world
ReplyDeleteI keep the North America footprint open in a browser window and refresh it whenever I'm wondering what's up with my VHF IGate's reception. If Florida looks white or pale yellow, I know I shouldn't be hearing from very far away. If Florida shows dark orange and my traffic rate is low, I check to see what my son (KJ4DXK) has done to my radio! (The tower is right outside his bedroom window).
Oh, and Hessu at aprs.fi has an interesting graph for IGates on his Station information page. It graphs "Monthly receiver performance" which is basically packet count vs distance heard. Based on KJ4ERJ-2's graph, I think he's actually calculating the final hop to the IGate, not the total distance from the originating station.
ReplyDeletehttp://aprs.fi/info/graphs/KJ4ERJ-2