APRS over radio

[w5eut]

I cannot get my APRS to work over a serial port to my TNC.  I am using and KPC3Plus.  I need to communicate with someone that can help.

Thanks, Jim

[w5eut]

I have the same problem that CAP was having with the schedule for APRS over Internet.  The Test button sends the WX via APRS IS, but nothing goes out on the schedule (automatic).

I have the APRS button on, Internet is on (my web page upload works fine).  I cannot check the use WD ftp as it is greyed out.  I use the WD FTP for everything that WD does.

ANy help?

Sorry, I just got one to go through, maybe it is my Internet Connection.

Thanks Jim

[WB3CVN]

Howdy,

I just got into this stuff though I've had a wx station at the house for a while now.  I, too, have had trouble getting the program to send weather strings to the TNC though my info's been FTP'ing to findu.com just fine.  I don't want to depend on the web to get this info out, since I want to set up a remote site that has no hope for internet service.

My first problem was that I had to place the TNC in converse mode for strings to broadcast at all.  Much hair-pulling until I fell across that one.   Then, while the TNC will now broadcast something, findu.com doesn't display the info unless I have the internet (cat-5) wire plugged in so that it'll use that route rather than the RF route desired.   What I did find, is that somewhere along the line I'm getting a free carriage return where i don't think it belongs.  Being fortunate to have an extra TNC, radio and PC with which to monitor outgoing packets (and digi-returns of the same), I notice that the outgoing text is like this:

WB3CVN-7>APRS,W3UD-3:
@141330z3936.91N/07542.51W_283/003g008t084r000p000P000b10104h78

WB3CVN-7>APRS,W3UD-3:
@141345z3936.91N/07542.51W_190/005g009t084r000p000P000b10103h76


The above is exactly as it comes across - there's a [CR] after the address/route portion and before the @[time/latlon/wxnowinfo] as seen here. 

I tried ordering the TNC's CR and LF off, one at a time and both at the same time; no effect.  If I take the data by itself - @141345z3936.91N/07542.51W_190/005g009t084r000p000P000b10103h76 - and manually cut & paste it to the terminal program and send it, then it's readback shows all the stuff on the same line, without a carriage return.   And it appears to make it to the servers out in the world, best I can tell.

Might this be in the way the WXNOW.TXT info transfers to the comm port, or the format of that text file its self where there's a date, cr, then the weather data?   I wonder if others are seeing this. 


73,

Ted
CAP DE0041

[Weather Display]

hi
ah ha
i do add a CR and LF there
I will not do that if its going out via the com port
I will upload a new 10.28 zip version now to stop that
download that in about 1 hour from now

[WB3CVN]

...i do add a CR and LF there
I will not do that if its going out via the com port...

Good evening,

Thanks for that, Brian!  I'll give it a whirl.  I'm using the evaluation copy at present so hopefully I'll be able to try your new patch. 

This is truly a great program.  I intend to upgrade to the paid version right away after I see it work on amateur radio. I'm experimenting with WD on the weather station on one floor of the home which uploads to Wunderground.com, and another copy downstairs on a second PC on a LAN where [but for the aforementioned] the data are forwarded to the TNC and radio.  What an outstanding service you've created.  Will my site license allow multiple PC's to run the software, so I can do this permanently?

Best regards,

Ted

[Weather Display]

Will my site license allow multiple PC's to run the software, so I can do this permanently?

yes, all though some people do pay for a extra copy if its alot or versions....but thats user choice
you will need to register each copy though

good you found the problem

[WB3CVN]

good you found the problem

Well,  not yet in it's entirety.  I downloaded the revised  ".exe" file and tried a manual TNC unload, and, the same transmission error exists from whatever the cause.   
 
WB3CVN-7>APRS,W3UD-3:
                     @161000z3936.91N/07542.51W_022/000g000t073r000p000P000b10161h80       ...is exactly as received.

Noting that, I removed the program (Windoze remove process). I then deleted the directory and did a clean install of  V.10.28 yet all the settings from the last install are still there - Client setup from "server" PC upstairs, my call sign, upload schedule....   In a way that saves work but one has to wonder, if these settings are saved from a deleted install, is there other unwanted material  still in there someplace?    The FAQ's may have suggestions on working the .ini file or some hidden storage for settings; time didn't allow as of this writing but i wanted to keep you abreast of developments after your thoughtful version upgrade on my account.

I'll post again after doing some more exploration.  Thanks again for your good work in this area, and for your attention.


73,

Ted
WB3CVN

[Weather Display]

it might be that you dont have the updated version
so i will get a new version number version uploaded

[WB3CVN]

it might be that you dont have the updated version
so i will get a new version number version uploaded

Hi,

I just downloaded the new version with the bug fix (beta.exe) since the 10.28a locked up and shut down the first few times I tried to run it.  Here's what is sent from the build that is installed.  It looks to me as if there's info that doesn't need to be there, for instance, the bold text:

WB3CVN-7>APRS,W3UD-3:0b10130h09@161609z3936.91N/07542.51W_0-0/000g000t034r000p000P000b10130h09@161609z3936.91N/07542.51W_0-0/000g000t034r000p000P000b


...and here's an example of a known, working string looks like off the air compared with what my transmission would look like if the extra stuff was not there:

N3OBQ>APS215,N3XJT-1,W3GXT-2*,WIDE3-1,qAo,N3GXH-1:@161809z3934.38N/07604.29W_093/000g000t070r000p000P000b10168

WB3CVN-7>APRS,W3UD-3:@161609z3936.91N/07542.51W_0-0/000g000t034r000p000P000b10130h09



I'll download the latest again and reinstall to see if the lock up was on my end - installing and uninstalling several times now.   Thanks again for your time and interest.


73,

Ted

[Weather Display]

humm, the data seems to be getting a bit muddled up
i will check on what i have done

[Weather Display]

Q:
what do you have set as far as positionless data option goes?

[WB3CVN]

Q:
what do you have set as far as positionless data option goes?

Sorry, I'm not sure what your're asking for.  -ta

[Off Track]

Ted and all

Been running APRS over the radio for near 4 years here. I am running an old TNC. Kantronics All Mode (1989 ver.) I too am a slow learnon this computer stuff. Never had a problem with it till 10.28 it is now sending the data string 2 times and that makes the APRS send out long and it gets lost in the system as APRS needs to be short data strings.

KB7DZR>APRS,COLDSP,SNOBNK,SHAFER,WIDE2*,qAo,KE7AFZ:00P000b10151h72@171525z4523.37N/11714.25W_009/000g000t057r000p000P000b10151h72@171530z4523.37N/11714.25W_009/000g000t058r000p000
KB7DZR>APRS,TCPXX*,qAX,KB7DZR:@171530z4523.37N/11714.25W_009/000g000t058r000p000P000b10151h71.WD

Note the top APRS data is from the radio sent side and the bottom is the internet sent side.

How I set this all up to send the data I use a USB to serial port adapter then connect the TNC to that. I have it set to send the data out every 5 min. Keep in mind this is an older TNC I use and it has no place for Lat/lon. You could run a new one this way. Run it so is just sends the data out WD sends to it in convers mode.


1. You need the keep the TNC in convers mode for WD to send your data out. The TNC will then just parot that out over the radio.

In the TNC's command mode
2. In my Btext (becon text) I have the Lat/lon set like this...  !4523.37N/11714.25W_>JOSEPH OR WX & APRS RELAY KB7DZR
3. Set the be (becon every) to 30
4. Unproto is set to APRS VIA COLDSP,WIDE2-2 If you know your local node you can set it like this APRS VIA COLDSP,WIDE2-2 (colds is the node name.) If you do not know the local node for you APRS VIA WIDE2-2 will work.
5. Set Alias to on
6. Set Myalias to WIDE1-1 This makes your station a realy for others if needed.

Hope this helps any I will be happy to help more.

Here is a very helpful link also
http://www.nwaprs.org/fixedstationsettings.htm

Scott

[WB3CVN]

Hi,  Scott.

Tnx for the suggestions.  Actually, I'm running a KPC-3 on my end with a re-burned EPROM using Ver. 6.X for the APRS upgraded capacity.  Here's what I'm doing so far, compared to your setup: 

The TNC is on converse, no problem.  How about AUTOLF or CR, etc?  Do they matter?   Not sure if BTEXT of lat/lon is necessary since the Weather-Display program inserts that for me under the CWOP page.  I've seen people BE for sending extra info, i.e. physical locaton, club affiliation, nearby ARES repeaters.

Path-wise, I'm direct to my local node (W3UD-3) but the suggestion's well taken since this project may move farther away from a straight hop.  And, I can see changing the ALIAS to WIDE1-1 rather than RELAY as I have it. The concensus seems to suggest that my way is antequated.

What's your UNPROTO set for?

On the matter of your data going out in duplicate on the same radio string, that may have changed with the rev. 10.28.  Brian was looking yesterday for my extra carriage return, whether on my end or on the software end - which may have prompted in part the revision.  To recap that experience,  my station was sending (and W3UD-3 repeating back to me) something like the following:

WB3CVN-7>APRS,W3UD-3:
                      @161609z3936.91N/07542.51W_0-0/000g000t034r000p000P000b10130h09

Were you getting anything like that with V. 10.27 or earlier?  What you see is, everything after the colon on a new line and tabbed in a little.  If I copied the info beginning with the @-sign and pasted it to Hyperterminal - to - the - TNC, it worked as designed.  And, if I restarted the WD software and forced a TNC port upload,  the string would go out as it should on the first transmission but not on subsequent transmissions.  Interesting.   Also, on a lot of "sucessful" stations' strings seen on FindU.COM, they have an "!" rather than an "@". What's the meaning, if any? 

Tnx for the input, as I look forward to hearing what else may come of all this. 

73,

Ted
http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KDEBEAR1
 

[Off Track]

Ted

Setting the lat/lon in the bt will keep your position showing even if your WD has stopped sending the data to the radio with an old TNC like I have as it never heard of APRS. Also WD sends the lat/lon out over the data string, so setting your TNC to just relay that and not to add its own lat/lon might help. My TNC is not up to-date and will just send out what ever WD sends it and its worked very well for years and as a relay

Looks like the CR needs to be off that may have been your problem as I never have had that on and never had any problems till 10.28 with the APRS output. AUTOLF should be on. Now this is how I have it set and may not be the same for you but it most likely should be that way I would think.

My Unproto is set at "APRS VIA COLDSP,WIDE2-2" This sends the data out to the COLDSP node then 2 hops after than, if I understand it correctly.

I enter it just like this in the cmd mode of the TNC  "UN APRS VIA COLDSP,WIDE2-2 seems to have been working for a long time and that first hop is about 48 miles at 10 watts with a 5/8 mobile whip on the shop roof.

Not sure what the ! is for I do know it has to show up in the part of the BT message in my TNC for it to show up on the findu site.


Hope that helps

Scott
KB7DZR