Testing OT+ on Yaesu FT-1802 PT2

I apologise to any VK6s that might have been using 600kHz below the APRS frequency. Must check offset. Must check offset.

Testing OpenTracker+ on Yaesu FT-1802

It didn't work apparently. Nothing on aprs.fi. It appears to be TXing. Tried 5w and 10w. The audio to the mic input may be too low for the Yaesu. The OT+ website mentions this for some mobile units (but doesn't mention which ones) The OT+ has a jumper to set higher audio so will try that.
Meanwhile, got myself an Acer Aspire One D250 netbook. Pretty damned nifty. Should be even better when I set it up for dual boot OpenSuSe Linux Made an adaptor to allow the GPS16 (RS232) to plug into the netbook and power up from car battery. The GPS is the HVS model so won't operate from 5V unfortunately. Ready to start mapping for OpenStreetMap and try some nav software. And sniffing. I have a low power car to laptop adaptor I used to use to charger a cordless drill (it needed 17 volts) Now all I need is the doodad on the end to fit the netbook power. None of the normal ones fit. Looking forward to plugging it into the IC-706 using Ham Radio Deluxe as well.

Testing of GPS units

Weird plugs snipped off. DB-9 soldered to one unit. Tested as follows: GPS 16-HVS RS232 to OpenTracker+ and power from 12V 7AH SLA battery. OT+ plugged into Yaesu VX-3 and same battery. VX-3 plugged into 6V regulator into same battery. Antenna is a modified ¼ wave on a mag base on the cab roof. Modified by applying several layers of heatshrink tubing which electrically lengthens the antenna so I can cut it shorter (by about 20mm or so) and then the top 10% is bent to 90° which makes it short still, without affecting SWR and not having significant affect on radiated power. It still hits my carport, but only just. The VX-3 is on 1.5 watt and (sort of) works around the local vicinity (10 km or so) The GPS and antenna cables are taped to the car and fed through a door on the Trademate. Everything should work better when it's installed properly and a decent transmitter is used. Still debating what radio to use; probably a 5w Chinese cheapie like the Puxing 777 or a Quansheng.

Arrival of GPS units

My GPS16s finally arrived today. The sender posted them 8 weeks and 2 days ago, from the eastern states. I would just like to congratulate Australia Post for finally getting them here, presumably via the long path. The guys on the ISS must be wondering why it passed their way.
AP postal workers have just gone on strike for more pay. I can only assume they must do other things besides deliver mail. Perhaps they defuse unexploded bombs or tame wild tigers (or something equally unrelated to mail delivery) If you aren't from Au then AP is the Australian Government-owned postal service with a monopoly in Australia, and we all know how beneficial monopolies are.
Just to drag things out a little more, the GPSs don't have the RJ45 connector that the spec manual says. In fact there's no documentation anywhere in the known universe or google about this connector. It looks a bit like a PS-2 keyboard plug, but not. Luckily the the cable wires match the colours of the RJ45 wiring. Snip. Meanwhile both the adaptors I premade to work with the OpenTracker+ are not much use now. Also, no mounting brackets or mag base were supplied. I guess you get that buying second-hand-but-unopened stuff through online classifieds. No matter, I have a large hammer and plenty of pent-up rage.
And just to make my day, I was cleaning my workshop at work today when I noticed a dugite trying to hide amongst my boxes of spare parts and junk. Their venom is one of the deadliest in the world. I left. I start annual leave after tomorrow, so some underpaid smake expert (maybe one of those postal workers) better find it tomorrow.

WX station and OpenTracker

I now have in my hot little hands one Peet Bros Ultimeter 2100 weather station, as yet not installed.

Also picked up an OpenTracker + from VK6FUN which is now assembled and tested on an IC-208H transceiver. Now all I need is the GPS modules that AustPost lost and a cheapie 2m radio (like an old commercial VHF)

Not a blogger

I'm not a blogger. Just trying this thing out as a place to swap information (etc) related to radio.

While you're here, check out WARSUG the busiest scanner user group in Australia.

My interests currently lie in the following areas:

APRS: Working on it. I got suckered by somebody I bought two Garmin GPSs from that never got to me. Looking at OpenTracker. Have a Peet Bros Ultimeter 2100 coming. Using PC software from a scanner through the soundcard for monitoring
PSK31: Working on it. Receive only until I can finish building an interface.
DX: If I can get a decent horizontal antenna or two up. Way too much noise on the vertical. Something is causing a lot of QRM on 30 to 10m as well.

Any other form of digital radio. It's all good.

Looking for a couple of old working 2M FM-92s or similar if you know where I can get.