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Interesting APRS transceiver with built in GPS & Bluetooth

Moleculo

Ham Radio Nerd
Apr 14, 2002
9,194
1,674
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While looking around on eBay, I came across this listing for an inexpensive all-in-one VHF APRS transceiver:

eBay item #181447762355

The compact unit features a 1 watt transceiver, integrated GPS, batteries, charger, USB serial port, a bluetooth interface, and even a thermometor. The bluetooth interface is perfect for connecting to a tablet of phone to use the unit as a KISS TNC.

This might be the perfect device for those thinking about dabbling in APRS but don't want to spend a ton of money, or for those that simply want to add a small tracker to their vehicle, bike, or backpack.
 
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wonder how it fairs against the byonics systems...

Dunno, but just looking at the specs on products from Byonics, I can see that the eBay version is a lot cheaper, and I didn't see anything from Byonics that included Bluetooth support for interfacing to PCs, tablets, mobile phones. There are probably several other differences...
 
yeah, it's been years since I looked at equipment, so I looked them up. I thought they had a little more going on. You're going to spend at least twice and then still have something shoved into a small pelican case...

So, I'm reading that this thing will interface with my Android via bluetooth to tx/rx aprs messages like I'm in a chat...? ...or does it just tx what is in the comment and status text boxes? There is a button for power and tx. It will tx your call there? I am guessing the auto trans will beacon, and the period setting (what they call delay time, not to be confused with the other delay time) is in seconds.

Even as just a simple beacon, I might try it. It looks like once you set it up, it will go automatically so I can turn it on, just toss it in the backpack and hit the road...

Hmm... anybody buying one? I'd like to see what Android software looks like too...

I'd like to see what Android software looks like too...
 
I might buy one. APRSDroid is the android software you need. I don't see why it couldn't work with something else like APRSIS32 on Windows, as well? I don't think there is anything for iOS that's worthwhile...not sure?
 
So, I'm reading that this thing will interface with my Android via bluetooth to tx/rx aprs messages like I'm in a chat...?

Well...sort of like chat. With APRS you can tx/rx APRS messages, as well as email. It's not quite the same as "chat" but it's close.
 
OK, I know a guy that has a weakness for ham gear. He bought one so I'll have some second hand reports coming up, that is unless I can't keep my own finger off the trigger...
 
OK, I know a guy that has a weakness for ham gear. He bought one so I'll have some second hand reports coming up, that is unless I can't keep my own finger off the trigger...

How about inviting him here to give us a report?
 
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Unfortunately, he is a ham junkie, not a forum junkie. It is likely I will end up with one too...
 
It's in, but have not figured out all the kinks. It will beacon, we just cannot get it up on aprs.fi. I ordered one yesterday.

I know the marketing bills this as a transceiver, so I guess it should receive and decode APRS as well. That we'll have to test.
 
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I saw data came over last night some time. He had it Wide1-1, 2-1. I'm not that familiar with all. I won't get a chance to talk to him till Thursday. I think I'm going to get one of those cheap SDR receivers, the one that goes 100k to 1.7G.
 
It works great. A little hard to install, had to manually register dll and ocx files, then had to flash the firmware of the device before an upload would stick. BT works well with APRSDroid and shows the received packets or nodes, etc.
 

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