New VX-8G owner

[Sberfield]

Hi all,

Pretty new to this hobby, and totally new to the Yaesu VX-8G. I have never before seen a manual that needs a manual! I will likely post a few really stupid questions here. Please bear with me.

Has anyone used this radio with a serial connection to a gps handheld to display an APRS location as a waypoint?

My primary use will be tracking high powered rockets and weather balloons using Beeline GPS transmitters and it would be great to be able to have the location just magically end up as a waypoint on the Garmin that I could then navigate to.

Scott

 

[Qwazyone]

Hi all,

Pretty new to this hobby, and totally new to the Yaesu VX-8G. I have never before seen a manual that needs a manual! I will likely post a few really stupid questions here. Please bear with me.

Has anyone used this radio with a serial connection to a gps handheld to display an APRS location as a waypoint?

My primary use will be tracking high powered rockets and weather balloons using Beeline GPS transmitters and it would be great to be able to have the location just magically end up as a waypoint on the Garmin that I could then navigate to.

Scott

You really wouldn't need another GPS. When you receive your APRS packet from the rocket/balloon, the 8GR can display distance and direction from your current location when you select a station from the station list

 

[Brlux]

You really wouldn't need another GPS. When you receive your APRS packet from the rocket/balloon, the 8GR can display distance and direction from your current location when you select a station from the station list

Sorry, as a fairly new owner of a VX-8GR who purchased it for high altitude balloon tracking and recovery I have to disagree.

The radio its self has no useful navigation functions. It will show you a gimmicky picture of a compass that will give you an idea of the direction of the station from your location with respect to north, not with respect to the direction you are headed. I wish it at least told you the bearing to station. Also the minimum resolution for distance it will display is 0.1 miles. So if you are anything less than 0.1 miles then it shows 0.0 miles.

I have not gone on a balloon launch since purchasing my GR but I have done some playing with hooking it up to a GPS to ensure it will work in the field. I am pleased with the operation in conjunction with a hand held GPS. I use either a 60CsX or an older Etrex Vista with the serial port (the current ones for sale have a USB port). I have found it only works with Garmin GPS's that support the loading maps. It would not work with my original yellow Etrex. You need to set the GPS serial port for NMEA in/out and the radio serial port for output way.p.

I have made up a custom cable about 3 feet long that has the radio connector on one side and and an Etrex connector on the other. It works great.

Worst case you have the lat/long on the radio screen and have to manually type them in to the GPS.

 

[Brlux]

FYI

Here is a place to buy ready made cables. The VX-8GR serial port connector is the same connector/pin out as Kenwood serial port. Though the hole for the dust cover is fairly deep and narrow, You may need to widdle down the rubber over molding slightly to get this cable to fit in.

http://www.rpc-electronics.com/kenwood.php

 

[Sberfield]

thanks

Thanks. That's good news. The Etrx I have has serial and NMEA in (have used it with a Tinytrak successfully). Good to hear I can make it work with the new radio.