I was in a local club with Bob WB4APR in Annapolis Maryland. I can only hope that someday I will know a fraction of what he forgot. Truly a brilliant and humble man, whose mind never stopped thinking of things in such a unique way. I have never met anyone like him in my life. I could tell you stories about a few projects he did that were completely mind blowing. I have since moved to Florida but sure grateful to have cross paths with Bob. It was a great club and pushed me too. Get my general license. Thank you for the shout out to Bob at the beginning of your video. Class act.
Not many solid videos out there about setting up and using APRS on the ANYTONE 878UVII PLUS. I bought 2 and haven't figured them out yet. I bet many people would like a video on that. Thanks for the great info here.
I have that radio. I was watching the guys at Bridgecom show how to set it up and even they had to follow a printed out list of steps to get the initial setup done. It just seems incredibly cumbersome to me. I also have the FT5DR and I'm hoping to use that. Maybe I'll use both. I don't know. Sadly my mobile rig is an Icom which doesn't play APRS.
Beside APRS messaging and SMS messages, messaging also has the "command" function allowing you to modify how an authorized digipeater is configured. I use to run very remote (80 miles / mountain terrain) digipeaters coupled with weather stations. Once... a wildfire broke out and the Alaska Fire Service was monitoring my APRS weather stations to gather wind direction/speed data to hep their helicopter support units. From over 800 miles away, I used messaging and changed the weather station transmit time period from 60 minutes to every 10 minutes to give them better/more relevant information. APRS is underrated and under used.
I don’t think JVC Kenwood is doing so hot financially. However, amateur radio departments can be like how AT&T had Bell Labs - a place to experiment on small scale, leading to large scale commercial innovations later. But that’s not easy to budget for in lean times. Remember, Japan began their GFC in the early 1990s, not 2008 like the West.
@@seanwieland9763 Kenwood seems to be doing really well in the commercial radio market, at least around here. They seem to own 80% of that market. I suspect there is much more money to be made in commercial market because many more customers. Wish they would look again at the amateur market.
It's a pivotal time for hams. As Kenwood and others aren't really producing radios (or at least quality radios), will you go to Baofeng or commercial radios? You can get commercial Kenwoods on ham radio just like you can Motorola. I have a D710 and yeah it's pretty good for ham radio but man the receiver stinks. Also the APRS isn't as robust as many want to believe. Hook up a wx station to it (as it is advertised to do) and read the packets that get sent out - many valuable variables are left out.
I run an FT5DR and I like it a lot. Is it the best APRS radio ever? No. Does it get the job done? Absolutely. The thing I like about the Yaesu is the water resistance. I'm constantly in the woods, and here in upstate NY it likes to rain. A lot. With no warning. Having an APRS capable radio that is also rugged is a must for me, so Yaesu it was.
Thanks for the video and info on APRS with HT's. As a map geek (hence my callsign), I've been using APRS extensively since getting my license for tracking my location. However, I now primarily use it for SOTA spotting. My vehicle has a Kenwood TM-D710G setup as a digipeater, and I carry the Anytone AT-D878UV Plus on SOTA activations to send SPOTs via the APRS2SOTA service and the higher power Kenwood since there are not many iGates or digipeaters here in Colorado to pick up my low power HT signal out in the mountains. 73 de KN0MAP
Thank you for another great informative video! I was interested before, but now even more! There definitely needs to be more radios with the TNC capabilities built in! Let's get with the game Kenwood, Yaesu & Icom! Thanks again & keep up the incredible work!
Thanks for another good video. Have had a D74 for about 3 years, Never really got around to using it. Was thinking about selling it, but now you got me rethinking. lol
Nice video. I have learned somethings I didn't know. I have the Kenwood TH-D72 and to go with it I also have the TM-D710GA and love them both. So much you can do with them.
Great summary. I picked up an FT1DR used earlier this year solely for its APRS capabilities. I’ve found messaging on it to be wicked klunky, but for beaconing it’s been the bomb.
Thanks Josh, great video with excellent clarity on APRS! It's sad that the industry seems to be letting APRS go by the wayside. Now when I'm out of range I'm relegated to my Garmin In-Reach since I can connect it to my phone through bluetooth and easily send or receive messages using that. It can also track my location on a map open to the internet. It costs for the satellite service, but it's more reliable for me and less expensive than upgrading to a new HT when I only pay monthly as needed. Mobilinkd has been out of stock for some time now, or that would be my next option. I'll use my Yaesu radios and their clunky interfaces when I have nothing else, so yes, if Yaesu is watching...please make APRS a priority in future radios.
Still rocking my Kenwood TH-D7A from 2001! Doesn't have internal GPS but works amazing. And rocking a D710 in my car for a bit more features. Great video my friend! 73s K8OTY
Good video, no idea how I stumbled upon it, but I watched the whole thing. I'm glad I bought my THD-72 when I did (about a decade ago) because, and surprisingly, it's a one stop shop. One of my buddies had the THD-71, which required an external GPS unit to beacon location and the 72 solved that issue. I liked the 74 but thought D-Star was a silly add-on for the radio when Kenwood pushes NXDN heavily for commercial use and DMR at the time was becoming very popular when the 74 was introduced. I guess I missed out, but I do enjoy using the 72 when traveling and especially at Hamvention. 73's.
Excellent video. One thing I would note is to completely separate digipeters and igates as concepts. You can have any combination as they are separate operations however works best when combined. You can have just a digipeter, just an igate (rx only or bi-directional), or a combination digipeter and bi-directional igate as mentioned in the video. I suppose you can also have a combination digi/igate/wx/telemetry station as I have an example of that here in Oregon. A fun project many hams can do with an SDR is play around with RX-only igating for APRS using Direwolf or UZ7HO soundmodem software TNCs. That could make for a fun video.
@@Impedancenetwork Thx. I changed the wording as what I was trying to get across is they're not mutually inclusive or exclusive. They can be combined into a single box or be completely separate.
I have a APRS project on the bench. It will be a mobile install running a VHF 50w mobile, signal link and a Pi zero 2w. Essentially I am putting a screen in the mobile so I can interface with APRS via the Pi. Think APRS Droid but with a lot more features including direct winlink client access via pat winlink.
Agreed Josh! I don't know why APRS is so out of sorts because it is great! I use it when moving about town and my repeater let me beacon APRS packets through my Brandmeister DMR repeater in my local area!
There is one other production radio that will do APRS messaging, as well as beaconing and receiving messages. The Anytone D878UVII-Plus. I have one and can confirm, analog APRS in and out do work. Sending messages is a little clunky, but workable. Honestly it’s the only reason I keep it around anymore, I’m not really a fan of DMR. Bought this radio to try it out and I use it more on analog than I do on digital.
Ensure you're running latest radio and TNC firmware on the 878UVII-Plus. Only issue I've found is when replying to a station with a >9 SSID, it formats the reply header incorrectly.
I find it much easier to send APRS messages with the AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus vs my Yaesu FT3DR, due to the physical buttons, which is much faster for me. I also like that you set a frequency for transmitting APRS, so that you don't accidentally transmit APRS packets over a repeater. Also, if you're just beaconing and don't care to receive APRS packets, you can have the radio monitoring two different channels/frequencies (say, a repeater and a simplex frequency) and your APRS beacons can still be transmitted on 144.39 MHz. So you can send packets without actually monitoring that frequency. A big reason I got the AnyTone was that I wanted a second radio capable of APRS messaging and it was significantly cheaper than getting another Yaesu. It also gave me the opportunity to play with DMR a bit.
The way my local club uses APRS is when doing comms for an event. basically the command post will have a nice 42" TV monitor on the wall of the CP RV that has a big map display showing the locations of all the radio operators because *all* of them are using APRS, either built-in to their radios or a separate APRS transmitter on their vehicle or motorcycle. I have one set up on my 2003 BMW F650 GS motorcycle because I'm usually tasked for the more non-vehicle friendly parts of the route. That way when I call in for assistance or a medical emergency they know *exactly* where to direct help and can hand off lat/long and/or 10-digit MGRS grid coordinates to emergency responders.
Crater Lake National Park has very limited cell service, but I've hit a digipeater 60+ miles away to get an SMSGTE message out to the family to let them know I'm OK. Very useful when you need to communicate with non-hams or when a standard voice repeater isn't in range.
I have had so much frustration with APRS, but then I bought the FT--5DE, and best of all it allows me to send spots/messages to the SOTA reflector when I'm doing a SOTA activation. I have also managed to ping the International Space Station several times just using the stock antenna! About a year ago I bought the Anytone D878UVII Plus, really showed a lot of promise, it was the APRS capability that sold me it, fairly basic but an APRS FW update allows you to send SMS messages, I didn't get that far unfortunately as there was a CPU FW update that created a conflict, so the radio has been unused for months now, I was hoping the 3.0 FW update would get the radio back working properly, however, I am now hearing that this particular FW update is doing something to stop APRS working. The other thing is I have seen 'How to' blogs on setting the radio up and a couple mention inputting the ISS APRS frequency into the memory, the only problem here that I can see is would the ISS hear you? For example, in the FT-5D you have to change the Digi-path to send APRS packets to the ISS, I haven't actually seen anywhere that you can actually do that on the Anytone D878UVII Plus so what is the point of putting the ISS APRS frequency in the memory? I did try another route into APRS and that was by purchasing the Mobilinkd TNC, however, I have never been able to get it to work and I think the problem isn't with the Mobilinkd itself but with the APRSdroid software, my pet hate is when someone develops an app and then cannot be bothered with updating it so it continues to work! I do have a new cable for it so it can be used with a Yaesu FT-818 however unless I can get the APRS droid working correctly then it may be that I will just sell the Mobilinkd and the cable. Going back to the FT-5DE, it is a great little radio, really pleased with the Fusion and APRS capabilities, I have had it working on WIRES X as well, so my advice to anyone who wants proper APRS capability is to buy a proper radio like the FT-5D and avoid the cheaper Chinese radios.
I'm onboard with getting KISS via BT in future HT's - that is something to strive for (like the D74a). Otherwise, I treat the HT as a view-only window for the most part.
If Kenwood produced a successor to the TH-D74, it would sell like hotcakes. People have realized what they are missing by not having bought a TH-D74, when they were available. So if an upgraded one were produced with a bigger screen, Kenwood could charge a premium and they would be a massive hit. I'm one of those, that did not buy the 74 when it was available, and am kicking myself now. I'm still rocking my old Kenwood TH-D7A for handheld APRS. I would buy a new Kenwood 74 successor in a heartbeat. I bought the FT-3D last year, but not happy with it's UI and small screen. Kenwood have nailed the UI
I enjoy the APRS functions of my Anytone 878UVII+, and used my Kenwood TM-D710A (GPS puck soldered for location) to use SMSGTE to message loved ones while camping. APRS is the shit bruh
Great video, Josh! You covered all the bases, hitting every point perfect! I love APRS and use my D74 and FT3DR all the time. Hoping the other manufacturers get in the APRS game soon. Oh, and Aprs, not DPRS. Anytone is trying to get into APRS but it's cumbersome and not user friendly at all.
I brought the Kenwood TM-710 GA last year, a full power dual band mobile with full ARPS and TNC, which came out in 2013 and is not too available today. Mine was new in the box, and cost a bit 73 de W2CH Ray Peekskill New York 😊
The D72 is really special because it has a full TNC. Both the D72 and D74 are real gems that it is a shame aren't available anymore. If only ICOM would get on board with APRS they'd have the perfect handheld.
Great video but I've noticed that on a few of them you're referring to the ft5dr as an ft3dr other than that awesome video keep up the great work you also did that on this video LOL
I have a Kenwood D-72 and also a D-74 (and a TM-D710). I previously owned a D-7. The D-72 can be configured to be a digipeater, but I don’t think the D-74 has that capability (correct me if I am wrong), which is unfortunate. I heard that the D-74 was removed from production due to the chip shortage, so hopefully when that is resolved Kenwood will get back into the APRS business. I use APRS all the time mobile with an AvMap and run an I-Gate from my home QTH. Love this mode! Tnx for the video. WA4YYM
Well done and agree about the need for better APRS hardware. Was just looking at my old FT1XD and thinking the key pad one this one may be better than the newer ones? I know the screen on the FT2D is terrible and the FT1XD is just a tiny screen - they all have their issues. Maybe if Yaesu could add back the alpha/numeric keypad but then again, someone will always complain about something. Would a 5D with keypad help? Yeet yeet!
This video and I'll view your others are just what I need! Thank-you. I'm just getting to grips with APRS and your videos are just the job. Will you be covering APRS mobiles? Is the TM-710 the way to go if I can find one? It may be the same in the US but in the UK many people buy APRS handies and are daunted by the technology, selling them soon after. I was lucky enough to buy a D74 which was a few months old for $565 with a bundle of accessories. Two weeks later the D74 was withdrawn and the prices rose. I'm not usually that lucky! Hence, the story.
My first radio was a TH-d72a that I bought at HRO in Las Vegas around 2012. Still have it. Just ordered the Yaesu. Very surprised that a decade later, there are so few options for APRS equipped HTs.
I used to involved a lot of races, marathon, supporting using Ham radio back in Utah. most of communications on voice were, sending, or NET control asking each locations. so after that they start to require everyone to have APRS. that cut down large portion of voice comm. people who use cell phone, often call to ask where they are also. if you listen to aircraft communication on HF, most are position , fuel status reporting. AG6JU
I really enjoy running an iGate for my local community and have a LANCHONLH HG-UV98 that your video really helped me in setting up with APRSdroid. I also have a couple of AllStar nodes as well.
Found a new battery for my Yaesu VX-8G. Added a Diamond SRH 771 ant. Good UHF antenna so I send APRS on 70cm simplex to my home, X band Alinco out on APRS VHF frequency. Do bike rides or walks all around my district with good coverage.
I'm watching your video because 1-I have the ft-5dr and 2-I have some interest in aprs on it But let's clarify something. APRS doesn't stand for Automatic Packet Reporting System! How do I know this? I spoke with Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, of Glen Burnie, MD when he first invented APRS. I remember playing with an original prototype Motorola GPS and using the APRS software to generate a position on a simple green screen type of map. The text file contained periodic latitude and longitude information. Eventually I picked up a different GPS that worked better mobile. But back to my talk with Bob. He specifically stated that people invented all kinds of acronyms for his software, but simply, his call was WB4APR, and he thought WB4APR(s), hence APRS. Just a piece of history.
8:37 - Does the person with the cell phone get confirmation the message was delivered and seen to the radio? I'd love to do more with APRS, but afraid to set something up wrong with the server settings and cause issues with the whole network in my area.
Not only is there no confirmation on the cell phone, but in at least some cases you may not receive the reply message so let your sms contact know that in advance if possible. I know that I have failed to receive sms replies when the igate has not heard my beacon. If I just turn on aprs and send a message without beaconing the igate won't publish the reply over RF. It is also possible that if the igate only received my aprs message after being digipeated that I may not get the sms reply. So it is still very useful for getting messages out, but if you are in an area with sparse igate coverage you may or may not receive a reply. Perhaps Josh can do a followup video on operating a digipeater and igate and cover this aspect of APRS in more detail in that context.
@@CraigMullins1 It won't break anything so no need to fear. Just be aware that in some cases the communications may be one-way only and in those cases you might not be able to do anything about it. Do be sure that you beacon your location before you send a message out via APRS.
I impulse bought a Yaesu FT5DR with APRS when I had some extra cash available to me, hoping to get better results on APRS than I am able to get. This past weekend, I traveled from Sault Ste Marie Michigan, down to London Ontario Canada. I was beaconing out every 2 minutes on 5 watts on a magmount 5/8 wave VHF antenna. The results were pretty poor for the area that I was traveling through. I calculate that in the 13 hours of travel (we weren't in a rush and took our time) , I beaconed out about 380 times, and was only heard about 25 times - only about 6.5% of the time. 5 watts of power I don't think is enough for APRS in less populated areas.
Great video! Mobilinkd is at the bottom of my list. I have the TNC2 which is acting up and all the links to that one on the site are broken. No docs, no firmware upgrades, etc. Sad to say but In other words it's a throw away item.
I really wish there were more Kenwood like radios on the market. From my researching APRS Kenwood are the King, they have some special sauce on the proformance of there TNC. Everything i have read Kenwoods receive packets were others are deaf. I personally can't test that.
Very glad I have bought the D74! A couple of years back! Much better UI than FT-3D and its brothers! Why is APRS messaging so underused? Because only a few people own actually capable stations. Compare message typing on Kwd and Yaesu and it's obvious what's usable. I ype on my FT-3D too, but it requires a strong love for APRS. Kenwood does all better: Message reading, browsing, typing, packet browsing. And it can tune to a frequency info in a packet (used for repeater announcement in my area, great, but available in a very few regions in Europe (out of those I traveled to)). Finally... Kenwood is much more capable of decoding not-so-perfect signals. This makes an actual difference everywhere further from a digipeater or for direct or SAT comms! The only problem here is battery, if there was a 6AA battery pack, it would hold D74 working for ages. The original battery is quite weak, especially after 4 years of using it. It is still quite usable, considering the age and all the places I have taken it to, but it's a problem to buy a new one. The 6 AAA pack is nice, but AAA cells don't have enough power... If there was a D74 successor, I'd be definitely interested! Also considering the wideband RX, including VHF/UHF SSB/CW, the D74 is still unbeaten feature-wise. Neither ID52, nor FT5D have the feature set that rich!
I seen an 1800mah D74 Lithium Ion on ebay the other day. Bigger than the original and way better than NiCad. It was expensive though at $180 Australian dollars. There is a local D74 for sale here at $700 Australian dollars, I hope to get it soon if it doesn't sell before I have the cash.
Yes, 1000 times yes, that Yaesu needs to open up their TNC on the FT5D. It's redonk that I can use APRS right out of the box just fine, but can't use Winlink for example. It feels silly to use a separate TNC with that radio for other packet modes. Also, it's a dang shame that Mobilinkd is out of stock.
I know little about APRS but the new Kenwood TH-75 looks interesting. Wish the Icom ID52 did APRS. I’d like to replace my 22 year old TH-F6A with something a bit more modern and larger than a postage stamp so I guess I need to wait for the TH-75 to hit the market.
Great Video! I would love to see some followups on this, maybe looking at APRS smartphone apps and internet APRS map sources. I love my D74 and FTM400 for shack APRS.
Great overview Josh! I have the FT5Dr. It's nice. But, it could be nicer 🤣 Why do you think current manufacturers don't make their radios with the capabilities of the old Kenwoods? I don't think it's the end price point. Hams drop the money. Same goes with a 857 replacement. It just doesn't make sense to me 🤷♂️
Hello. Great Videos as always! Thank you very much! It is 2024 and still i am confused about which is the best... The only mode i am active is APRS. I am between a used TH-D74, new TH-D75 (when i save enough money), or a used FTD3R. I want full access to TNC and the most easy interface for messaging.. Right now i am using an HG-UV98 with APRSDroid and a MicroSAT Voyager in the car.
Even with cellphones that used the "old school" texting, they eventually got an autocomplete feature that would allow you to select words from a dictionary that updated after you typed the first few characters. There is no good reason why that feature isn't available in both the D74 and 5DR radios. For now I think I will stick with my mobilinkd tnc3. It does mean having to carry extra devices and requires extra battery power for those devices but gives me full keyboard capability along with the maps. I just recently picked up a kantronics tnc at a hamfest so I'm looking forward to seeing up a digipeater and igate at my qth (we don't have very good coverage in my area). That might be an interesting topic for a show sometime and you could also look at packet bbs functionality.
APRS is what got me into HAM radio, and your channel! I'm looking at the Ailunce HD1 with GPS and APRS. Thoughts on this radio? I've seen some people say the APRS SMS only works with a hotspot and not a repeater. I want to be able to use it for sharing GPS location and SMS messaging on hikes. Thank you!
I was looking for a Kenwood TM-V71A at Pacificon (wanted cross-band repeat for a mobile pack), and it seems more and more like Kenwoods will be unobtainium "classics" soon. It's a shame, Kenwood had such forward thinking in their rig design.
I use the FT5DR and my issue with APRS is this: In Australia the mode isn't much in use, except for beaconing positions. I always send messages to stations I pick up and have NEVER had a reply back. I am always left (after the mission of using the radio's display to type a message) feeling I am wasting my time. But I intend to persist in hope ....
I really want a th-d72! One day it will be mine!!! Or perhaps Kenwood will come out with a better, faster, stronger HT in the future, with T9 predictive text APRS messaging or something... 🤞
The D74 is my favorite radio with APRS but I like using an app on an Android phone or tablet with a radio or a Mobilnkd and radio due to the better UI.
will you please let us know if/when a new radio comes out for APRS? This is one of the main reasons I've become interested in HAM radio. I like the idea that a couple of people can go hunting (example) and text each other silently while hunting. That's probably the only scenario I'd use for the silent communication. Otherwise, out riding ATV's and hiking, talking is likely more preferred. THAT is in addition to the points you made around letting your family know. However - Where we go into the mountains, there is no packet repeaters anywhere near. So that isn't likely gonna happen for us.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse By the way - Love your videos. I just barely took my exam last Saturday for Technician. Waiting for my Call sign. Your video's have really helped launch me into radio options. Not just options on which radios, but what you can do and how you can just operate these handhelds. Anyway, I'm so new, that I'm not even new yet. :)
Do you have a video on building a digipeater? I would love to build a nice WX station/digipeater for a remote installation, but I'm not finding any great information on best gear to use, compatible weather stations, tnc, etc.
The FT5D and it’s predecessors are decent. I don’t enjoy the messaging though. I use a Mobilinkd TNC3 and the iOS or android app when I plan to use messaging. It’s just easier.
i bought a hp 8 and it has never work right. so now i wondering some one tell me which is a good handheld ham with out going broke and will work the best. i farily new to ham so i lost what to choose next
Looking for my first radio and an APRS handheld checks one of my boxes but to even get into APRS looks pretty expensive. So unless cheaper radios can be made, I can’t join the club right now. 😢
@@HamRadioCrashCourse I have an 878UVII Plus, it does do APRS messaging just fine. Every version that isn't the UVII Plus can only send APRS not receive it which is beyond confusing, I admit.
the 878UVII can indeed do messaging, both send and receive. At launch it couldn't but it's there now. Idk if I would recommend it, it's a ton of work to get it working, but it does work.
Apparently the HG-UV98 firmware has been updated (about a year ago) so that you can access the TNC via KISS/Bluetooth. That's according to a UA-cam video I just saw. Worth checking out? If it works, that would be so cool.
What do you recommend for off-roading or overlanding. I don’t know the name for the size but units that mount in vehicle and receiver is connected to unit like a cab.
I picked up a ysed TH-D72A for $250 and consider it best "bang 4 buck," especially if you wanna connect to tablet or pc. Granted, not as handy as the 74's bluetooth connection, but for the $$ saved I dont mind using a usb cable! Having said that, I picked up a used FT3DR for the trail.
I really regret selling my D74 back to ML&S. The plan was to put the money towards an IC-705, but that still hasn't happened, and my only radio is still a £30 Baofeng 😟
Great video. Ready for more. Please tell me what antenna you had on the D74 ? Was it a tri-band ? Been using the diamond sma mount antenna but can tell it's not as efficient as the signal stick which only gets me the two bands and not 220. Thanks again Josh always enjoy your stuff.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse unfortunately it doesn’t. I like it better than the FT 3D when it comes to sending messages/typing. Still works with the microphone and camera combination to at least send and receive pictures. Viewing them of course only on your PC or phone with SIM card reader.
Man great APRS info! I kind of did stall a bit after doing a deep dive about 5 years ago but never knew about the sms!!! I do a lot of hiking in the Sierra where the sms connectivity would fun and a handy backup to the Spot/Garmin. I have a Kenwood 72 and an FT1. Which do u think is better? 73 KG6KXD
Just listening to your take on APRS radios. Have a couple of VX8DRs with GPS on SpkMics and I didn't here you say much about that version though I suspect they are fine. Just getting APRS started on them so wife can report position when dog sledding. Any comments?
Anybody know how the DMR-6X2 pro or equivalent anytone radio model does on APRS? Getting access to both digital and APRS in one radio upgrade made it a strong contender for my next radio, but if the APRS just sucks...
I agree, the FTD3 aprs decoding isn't as good as previous models. The VX8 or the FT1DR decode more packets, I once did the test with those radios right next to each others. Don't know about the latest models...
Saying Bob became a silent key was prob the nicest way of stating somebody passed away. Nicely done, sir
I was in a local club with Bob WB4APR in Annapolis Maryland. I can only hope that someday I will know a fraction of what he forgot. Truly a brilliant and humble man, whose mind never stopped thinking of things in such a unique way. I have never met anyone like him in my life. I could tell you stories about a few projects he did that were completely mind blowing. I have since moved to Florida but sure grateful to have cross paths with Bob. It was a great club and pushed me too. Get my general license. Thank you for the shout out to Bob at the beginning of your video. Class act.
Not many solid videos out there about setting up and using APRS on the ANYTONE 878UVII PLUS. I bought 2 and haven't figured them out yet. I bet many people would like a video on that. Thanks for the great info here.
I have that radio. I was watching the guys at Bridgecom show how to set it up and even they had to follow a printed out list of steps to get the initial setup done. It just seems incredibly cumbersome to me. I also have the FT5DR and I'm hoping to use that. Maybe I'll use both. I don't know. Sadly my mobile rig is an Icom which doesn't play APRS.
APRS is the reason I got my ham license. My VX-8 is challenging to type on but it works great.
Beside APRS messaging and SMS messages, messaging also has the "command" function allowing you to modify how an authorized digipeater is configured. I use to run very remote (80 miles / mountain terrain) digipeaters coupled with weather stations. Once... a wildfire broke out and the Alaska Fire Service was monitoring my APRS weather stations to gather wind direction/speed data to hep their helicopter support units. From over 800 miles away, I used messaging and changed the weather station transmit time period from 60 minutes to every 10 minutes to give them better/more relevant information. APRS is underrated and under used.
Great job Matt! I agree. More APRS usage is needed!
Sure wish Kenwood would get back into Amateur Radio mobile and handheld markets
my d710 is an amazing radio
I don’t think JVC Kenwood is doing so hot financially. However, amateur radio departments can be like how AT&T had Bell Labs - a place to experiment on small scale, leading to large scale commercial innovations later. But that’s not easy to budget for in lean times. Remember, Japan began their GFC in the early 1990s, not 2008 like the West.
@@seanwieland9763 Kenwood seems to be doing really well in the commercial radio market, at least around here. They seem to own 80% of that market. I suspect there is much more money to be made in commercial market because many more customers. Wish they would look again at the amateur market.
It's a pivotal time for hams. As Kenwood and others aren't really producing radios (or at least quality radios), will you go to Baofeng or commercial radios? You can get commercial Kenwoods on ham radio just like you can Motorola. I have a D710 and yeah it's pretty good for ham radio but man the receiver stinks. Also the APRS isn't as robust as many want to believe. Hook up a wx station to it (as it is advertised to do) and read the packets that get sent out - many valuable variables are left out.
I have a Kenwood and had trouble with getting a new battery for it so I bought a Yaesu ht which turned out to be hard to program
I run an FT5DR and I like it a lot. Is it the best APRS radio ever? No. Does it get the job done? Absolutely. The thing I like about the Yaesu is the water resistance. I'm constantly in the woods, and here in upstate NY it likes to rain. A lot. With no warning. Having an APRS capable radio that is also rugged is a must for me, so Yaesu it was.
100% agree.
Really good expose of APRS, This is the mode that speaks for me as a new ham licensee in canada
Thanks for the video and info on APRS with HT's. As a map geek (hence my callsign), I've been using APRS extensively since getting my license for tracking my location. However, I now primarily use it for SOTA spotting. My vehicle has a Kenwood TM-D710G setup as a digipeater, and I carry the Anytone AT-D878UV Plus on SOTA activations to send SPOTs via the APRS2SOTA service and the higher power Kenwood since there are not many iGates or digipeaters here in Colorado to pick up my low power HT signal out in the mountains. 73 de KN0MAP
Thank you for another great informative video!
I was interested before, but now even more! There definitely needs to be more radios with the TNC capabilities built in! Let's get with the game Kenwood, Yaesu & Icom!
Thanks again & keep up the incredible work!
Icom doesn't do analog APRS, they only do DRPS on DStar and they seem to have no interest in analog APRS unfortunately
APRS got me back into the hobby when I strayed during my teens.
Thanks for another good video. Have had a D74 for about 3 years, Never really got around to using it. Was thinking about selling it, but now you got me rethinking. lol
Thanks!
Thank you!
Also, thanks Josh for somewhat fulfilling my request on the deep dive on the D74.
More to come on the d74.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse was hoping I'd see that!
Nice video. I have learned somethings I didn't know.
I have the Kenwood TH-D72 and to go with it I also have
the TM-D710GA and love them both. So much you can do with them.
Great summary. I picked up an FT1DR used earlier this year solely for its APRS capabilities. I’ve found messaging on it to be wicked klunky, but for beaconing it’s been the bomb.
How do you like the radio otherwise.. I just picked one up for pennies and besides the crappy stick antenna. It seems really solid
Thanks Josh, great video with excellent clarity on APRS! It's sad that the industry seems to be letting APRS go by the wayside. Now when I'm out of range I'm relegated to my Garmin In-Reach since I can connect it to my phone through bluetooth and easily send or receive messages using that. It can also track my location on a map open to the internet. It costs for the satellite service, but it's more reliable for me and less expensive than upgrading to a new HT when I only pay monthly as needed. Mobilinkd has been out of stock for some time now, or that would be my next option. I'll use my Yaesu radios and their clunky interfaces when I have nothing else, so yes, if Yaesu is watching...please make APRS a priority in future radios.
Great video Josh. I’m just getting into APRS. Lots to learn. Thanks
Still rocking my Kenwood TH-D7A from 2001! Doesn't have internal GPS but works amazing. And rocking a D710 in my car for a bit more features. Great video my friend! 73s K8OTY
Good video, no idea how I stumbled upon it, but I watched the whole thing. I'm glad I bought my THD-72 when I did (about a decade ago) because, and surprisingly, it's a one stop shop. One of my buddies had the THD-71, which required an external GPS unit to beacon location and the 72 solved that issue. I liked the 74 but thought D-Star was a silly add-on for the radio when Kenwood pushes NXDN heavily for commercial use and DMR at the time was becoming very popular when the 74 was introduced. I guess I missed out, but I do enjoy using the 72 when traveling and especially at Hamvention. 73's.
This video got me pretty interested in APRS until the 1990s texting flashback on the Yaesu.
Honestly, connecting an android device to a radio is an easier way to use APRS in most cases.
Excellent video. One thing I would note is to completely separate digipeters and igates as concepts. You can have any combination as they are separate operations however works best when combined. You can have just a digipeter, just an igate (rx only or bi-directional), or a combination digipeter and bi-directional igate as mentioned in the video. I suppose you can also have a combination digi/igate/wx/telemetry station as I have an example of that here in Oregon.
A fun project many hams can do with an SDR is play around with RX-only igating for APRS using Direwolf or UZ7HO soundmodem software TNCs. That could make for a fun video.
I think you meant they are NOT mutually exclusive or else your next sentence doesn't make sense.
@@Impedancenetwork Thx. I changed the wording as what I was trying to get across is they're not mutually inclusive or exclusive. They can be combined into a single box or be completely separate.
I have a APRS project on the bench. It will be a mobile install running a VHF 50w mobile, signal link and a Pi zero 2w. Essentially I am putting a screen in the mobile so I can interface with APRS via the Pi. Think APRS Droid but with a lot more features including direct winlink client access via pat winlink.
nice!
Agreed Josh! I don't know why APRS is so out of sorts because it is great! I use it when moving about town and my repeater let me beacon APRS packets through my Brandmeister DMR repeater in my local area!
There is one other production radio that will do APRS messaging, as well as beaconing and receiving messages. The Anytone D878UVII-Plus. I have one and can confirm, analog APRS in and out do work. Sending messages is a little clunky, but workable. Honestly it’s the only reason I keep it around anymore, I’m not really a fan of DMR. Bought this radio to try it out and I use it more on analog than I do on digital.
The BTECH DMR-6X2 Pro is the same hardware with updated software and also supports full analog APRS Rx/Tx with beaconing and messaging.
Ensure you're running latest radio and TNC firmware on the 878UVII-Plus. Only issue I've found is when replying to a station with a >9 SSID, it formats the reply header incorrectly.
@@nathantcampbell That's good to know
I find it much easier to send APRS messages with the AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus vs my Yaesu FT3DR, due to the physical buttons, which is much faster for me. I also like that you set a frequency for transmitting APRS, so that you don't accidentally transmit APRS packets over a repeater. Also, if you're just beaconing and don't care to receive APRS packets, you can have the radio monitoring two different channels/frequencies (say, a repeater and a simplex frequency) and your APRS beacons can still be transmitted on 144.39 MHz. So you can send packets without actually monitoring that frequency.
A big reason I got the AnyTone was that I wanted a second radio capable of APRS messaging and it was significantly cheaper than getting another Yaesu. It also gave me the opportunity to play with DMR a bit.
So with this video and your TNC video I definitely will be dipping my feet in the APRS pool once I pass my test next week
OK, Now I want to play with APRS. Someone had told me - "APRS is how they get ya!". Very interesting, thanks Josh!
The way my local club uses APRS is when doing comms for an event. basically the command post will have a nice 42" TV monitor on the wall of the CP RV that has a big map display showing the locations of all the radio operators because *all* of them are using APRS, either built-in to their radios or a separate APRS transmitter on their vehicle or motorcycle.
I have one set up on my 2003 BMW F650 GS motorcycle because I'm usually tasked for the more non-vehicle friendly parts of the route. That way when I call in for assistance or a medical emergency they know *exactly* where to direct help and can hand off lat/long and/or 10-digit MGRS grid coordinates to emergency responders.
Crater Lake National Park has very limited cell service, but I've hit a digipeater 60+ miles away to get an SMSGTE message out to the family to let them know I'm OK. Very useful when you need to communicate with non-hams or when a standard voice repeater isn't in range.
I have had so much frustration with APRS, but then I bought the FT--5DE, and best of all it allows me to send spots/messages to the SOTA reflector when I'm doing a SOTA activation. I have also managed to ping the International Space Station several times just using the stock antenna! About a year ago I bought the Anytone D878UVII Plus, really showed a lot of promise, it was the APRS capability that sold me it, fairly basic but an APRS FW update allows you to send SMS messages, I didn't get that far unfortunately as there was a CPU FW update that created a conflict, so the radio has been unused for months now, I was hoping the 3.0 FW update would get the radio back working properly, however, I am now hearing that this particular FW update is doing something to stop APRS working. The other thing is I have seen 'How to' blogs on setting the radio up and a couple mention inputting the ISS APRS frequency into the memory, the only problem here that I can see is would the ISS hear you? For example, in the FT-5D you have to change the Digi-path to send APRS packets to the ISS, I haven't actually seen anywhere that you can actually do that on the Anytone D878UVII Plus so what is the point of putting the ISS APRS frequency in the memory? I did try another route into APRS and that was by purchasing the Mobilinkd TNC, however, I have never been able to get it to work and I think the problem isn't with the Mobilinkd itself but with the APRSdroid software, my pet hate is when someone develops an app and then cannot be bothered with updating it so it continues to work! I do have a new cable for it so it can be used with a Yaesu FT-818 however unless I can get the APRS droid working correctly then it may be that I will just sell the Mobilinkd and the cable. Going back to the FT-5DE, it is a great little radio, really pleased with the Fusion and APRS capabilities, I have had it working on WIRES X as well, so my advice to anyone who wants proper APRS capability is to buy a proper radio like the FT-5D and avoid the cheaper Chinese radios.
Really appreciated the history… I have a kenwood thd74a & need to play with that aspect.
I'm onboard with getting KISS via BT in future HT's - that is something to strive for (like the D74a). Otherwise, I treat the HT as a view-only window for the most part.
As some HTs go the route of removing the keypad, I’m hoping bt access for things in addition to a TNC will become the norm.
I would love KISS, but would also be ok with Bluetooth audio tx/rx so I could use VARA FM or other sound card TNCs
This is awesome. You just opened my eyes.
Good video, Josh. Haven't done APRS in a long time. Have an FT-2D. You sparked my interest again' Thanks
If Kenwood produced a successor to the TH-D74, it would sell like hotcakes. People have realized what they are missing by not having bought a TH-D74, when they were available. So if an upgraded one were produced with a bigger screen, Kenwood could charge a premium and they would be a massive hit. I'm one of those, that did not buy the 74 when it was available, and am kicking myself now. I'm still rocking my old Kenwood TH-D7A for handheld APRS. I would buy a new Kenwood 74 successor in a heartbeat. I bought the FT-3D last year, but not happy with it's UI and small screen. Kenwood have nailed the UI
I agree!!
There is a D75 now. For $900. Sure things looks better than Yaesu, but I could buy a pair for that price :(
I enjoy the APRS functions of my Anytone 878UVII+, and used my Kenwood TM-D710A (GPS puck soldered for location) to use SMSGTE to message loved ones while camping.
APRS is the shit bruh
Great video, Josh! You covered all the bases, hitting every point perfect! I love APRS and use my D74 and FT3DR all the time. Hoping the other manufacturers get in the APRS game soon. Oh, and Aprs, not DPRS. Anytone is trying to get into APRS but it's cumbersome and not user friendly at all.
See my comment about the Anytone D878UVII Plus CPU 3.0 FW upgrade
How does the battery life of the D74 compare to the FT3DR when using APRS? I have heard it is not very good.
Probably the best aprs video out there. Keep up the good work. Also sell me your d74. Lol.
I brought the Kenwood TM-710 GA last year, a
full power dual band
mobile with full ARPS
and TNC, which came
out in 2013 and is not
too available today.
Mine was new in the
box, and cost a bit
73 de W2CH Ray Peekskill New York 😊
The D72 is really special because it has a full TNC. Both the D72 and D74 are real gems that it is a shame aren't available anymore. If only ICOM would get on board with APRS they'd have the perfect handheld.
💯
D74A for the win? That's my vote. Now I'll finish your video!
Great video but I've noticed that on a few of them you're referring to the ft5dr as an ft3dr other than that awesome video keep up the great work you also did that on this video LOL
I looking forward to the D75. Thanks and 73.
I have a Kenwood D-72 and also a D-74 (and a TM-D710). I previously owned a D-7. The D-72 can be configured to be a digipeater, but I don’t think the D-74 has that capability (correct me if I am wrong), which is unfortunate. I heard that the D-74 was removed from production due to the chip shortage, so hopefully when that is resolved Kenwood will get back into the APRS business. I use APRS all the time mobile with an AvMap and run an I-Gate from my home QTH. Love this mode! Tnx for the video. WA4YYM
Well done and agree about the need for better APRS hardware. Was just looking at my old FT1XD and thinking the key pad one this one may be better than the newer ones? I know the screen on the FT2D is terrible and the FT1XD is just a tiny screen - they all have their issues. Maybe if Yaesu could add back the alpha/numeric keypad but then again, someone will always complain about something. Would a 5D with keypad help? Yeet yeet!
I'd pay $200 more for my FT5DR if it was bigger with actual buttons and a bigger battery.
This video and I'll view your others are just what I need! Thank-you. I'm just getting to grips with APRS and your videos are just the job. Will you be covering APRS mobiles? Is the TM-710 the way to go if I can find one?
It may be the same in the US but in the UK many people buy APRS handies and are daunted by the technology, selling them soon after. I was lucky enough to buy a D74 which was a few months old for $565 with a bundle of accessories. Two weeks later the D74 was withdrawn and the prices rose. I'm not usually that lucky! Hence, the story.
My first radio was a TH-d72a that I bought at HRO in Las Vegas around 2012. Still have it. Just ordered the Yaesu. Very surprised that a decade later, there are so few options for APRS equipped HTs.
I used to involved a lot of races, marathon, supporting using Ham radio back in Utah. most of communications on voice were, sending, or NET control asking each locations. so after that they start to require everyone to have APRS. that cut down large portion of voice comm. people who use cell phone, often call to ask where they are also. if you listen to aircraft communication on HF, most are position , fuel status reporting. AG6JU
I really enjoy running an iGate for my local community and have a LANCHONLH HG-UV98 that your video really helped me in setting up with APRSdroid. I also have a couple of AllStar nodes as well.
Found a new battery for my Yaesu VX-8G. Added a Diamond SRH 771 ant. Good UHF antenna so I send APRS on 70cm simplex to my home, X band Alinco out on APRS VHF frequency. Do bike rides or walks all around my district with good coverage.
I'm watching your video because 1-I have the ft-5dr and 2-I have some interest in aprs on it
But let's clarify something. APRS doesn't stand for Automatic Packet Reporting System! How do I know this? I spoke with Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, of Glen Burnie, MD when he first invented APRS.
I remember playing with an original prototype Motorola GPS and using the APRS software to generate a position on a simple green screen type of map. The text file contained periodic latitude and longitude information. Eventually I picked up a different GPS that worked better mobile.
But back to my talk with Bob. He specifically stated that people invented all kinds of acronyms for his software, but simply, his call was WB4APR, and he thought WB4APR(s), hence APRS.
Just a piece of history.
Do you know if there are any alternatives out there to SMSGTE now that it’s shut down?
8:37 - Does the person with the cell phone get confirmation the message was delivered and seen to the radio?
I'd love to do more with APRS, but afraid to set something up wrong with the server settings and cause issues with the whole network in my area.
You’re not going to mess anything up. It’s not that a bit a deal.
I don’t believe there is a confirmation on receipt on the phone.
Not only is there no confirmation on the cell phone, but in at least some cases you may not receive the reply message so let your sms contact know that in advance if possible.
I know that I have failed to receive sms replies when the igate has not heard my beacon. If I just turn on aprs and send a message without beaconing the igate won't publish the reply over RF.
It is also possible that if the igate only received my aprs message after being digipeated that I may not get the sms reply. So it is still very useful for getting messages out, but if you are in an area with sparse igate coverage you may or may not receive a reply.
Perhaps Josh can do a followup video on operating a digipeater and igate and cover this aspect of APRS in more detail in that context.
@@DanielHallmark yea that’s the part I am afraid of setting up wrong…
@@CraigMullins1 It won't break anything so no need to fear. Just be aware that in some cases the communications may be one-way only and in those cases you might not be able to do anything about it.
Do be sure that you beacon your location before you send a message out via APRS.
Dont tell my wife this exists! No cell coverage is the only freedom i have left🤣🤣💯
New sub here a big fan of amatuer radio..way back in the Philippines
Thank you!
@@HamRadioCrashCourse i am member of a amateur radio group way back then
I impulse bought a Yaesu FT5DR with APRS when I had some extra cash available to me, hoping to get better results on APRS than I am able to get. This past weekend, I traveled from Sault Ste Marie Michigan, down to London Ontario Canada. I was beaconing out every 2 minutes on 5 watts on a magmount 5/8 wave VHF antenna. The results were pretty poor for the area that I was traveling through. I calculate that in the 13 hours of travel (we weren't in a rush and took our time) , I beaconed out about 380 times, and was only heard about 25 times - only about 6.5% of the time. 5 watts of power I don't think is enough for APRS in less populated areas.
Great video! Mobilinkd is at the bottom of my list. I have the TNC2 which is acting up and all the links to that one on the site are broken. No docs, no firmware upgrades, etc. Sad to say but In other words it's a throw away item.
Great video I happen to have a yaesu ft5 now to get going on aprs
I really wish there were more Kenwood like radios on the market. From my researching APRS Kenwood are the King, they have some special sauce on the proformance of there TNC. Everything i have read Kenwoods receive packets were others are deaf.
I personally can't test that.
Very glad I have bought the D74! A couple of years back! Much better UI than FT-3D and its brothers! Why is APRS messaging so underused? Because only a few people own actually capable stations. Compare message typing on Kwd and Yaesu and it's obvious what's usable. I ype on my FT-3D too, but it requires a strong love for APRS.
Kenwood does all better: Message reading, browsing, typing, packet browsing. And it can tune to a frequency info in a packet (used for repeater announcement in my area, great, but available in a very few regions in Europe (out of those I traveled to)). Finally... Kenwood is much more capable of decoding not-so-perfect signals. This makes an actual difference everywhere further from a digipeater or for direct or SAT comms!
The only problem here is battery, if there was a 6AA battery pack, it would hold D74 working for ages. The original battery is quite weak, especially after 4 years of using it. It is still quite usable, considering the age and all the places I have taken it to, but it's a problem to buy a new one. The 6 AAA pack is nice, but AAA cells don't have enough power...
If there was a D74 successor, I'd be definitely interested! Also considering the wideband RX, including VHF/UHF SSB/CW, the D74 is still unbeaten feature-wise. Neither ID52, nor FT5D have the feature set that rich!
I seen an 1800mah D74 Lithium Ion on ebay the other day. Bigger than the original and way better than NiCad. It was expensive though at $180 Australian dollars.
There is a local D74 for sale here at $700 Australian dollars, I hope to get it soon if it doesn't sell before I have the cash.
what abt the VX8 VE9AE NEW BRRUNSWICK CANADA
Yes, 1000 times yes, that Yaesu needs to open up their TNC on the FT5D. It's redonk that I can use APRS right out of the box just fine, but can't use Winlink for example. It feels silly to use a separate TNC with that radio for other packet modes. Also, it's a dang shame that Mobilinkd is out of stock.
I know little about APRS but the new Kenwood TH-75 looks interesting. Wish the Icom ID52 did APRS. I’d like to replace my 22 year old TH-F6A with something a bit more modern and larger than a postage stamp so I guess I need to wait for the TH-75 to hit the market.
Great Video! I would love to see some followups on this, maybe looking at APRS smartphone apps and internet APRS map sources. I love my D74 and FTM400 for shack APRS.
I have quite a few videos already 🤘 link in description.
Great overview Josh! I have the FT5Dr. It's nice. But, it could be nicer 🤣
Why do you think current manufacturers don't make their radios with the capabilities of the old Kenwoods? I don't think it's the end price point. Hams drop the money. Same goes with a 857 replacement. It just doesn't make sense to me 🤷♂️
Hello. Great Videos as always! Thank you very much! It is 2024 and still i am confused about which is the best... The only mode i am active is APRS. I am between a used TH-D74, new TH-D75 (when i save enough money), or a used FTD3R. I want full access to TNC and the most easy interface for messaging.. Right now i am using an HG-UV98 with APRSDroid and a MicroSAT Voyager in the car.
Can you show a simple mobile 50w digipeater setup that also does cross-band repeat and explain it? Thanks
Even with cellphones that used the "old school" texting, they eventually got an autocomplete feature that would allow you to select words from a dictionary that updated after you typed the first few characters. There is no good reason why that feature isn't available in both the D74 and 5DR radios.
For now I think I will stick with my mobilinkd tnc3. It does mean having to carry extra devices and requires extra battery power for those devices but gives me full keyboard capability along with the maps.
I just recently picked up a kantronics tnc at a hamfest so I'm looking forward to seeing up a digipeater and igate at my qth (we don't have very good coverage in my area). That might be an interesting topic for a show sometime and you could also look at packet bbs functionality.
Don’t forget the AnyTone 878UVii plus. Not as good as the Kenwood & Yaesu but it’s getting better.
Thanks for great videos
APRS is what got me into HAM radio, and your channel! I'm looking at the Ailunce HD1 with GPS and APRS. Thoughts on this radio? I've seen some people say the APRS SMS only works with a hotspot and not a repeater. I want to be able to use it for sharing GPS location and SMS messaging on hikes. Thank you!
You should check out the Rfinder line of radios for APRS capabilities. I have the B1+.
I was looking for a Kenwood TM-V71A at Pacificon (wanted cross-band repeat for a mobile pack), and it seems more and more like Kenwoods will be unobtainium "classics" soon. It's a shame, Kenwood had such forward thinking in their rig design.
Yeah. Those are great mobile radios.
Check out MTC Radio right now.
I use the FT5DR and my issue with APRS is this: In Australia the mode isn't much in use, except for beaconing positions. I always send messages to stations I pick up and have NEVER had a reply back. I am always left (after the mission of using the radio's display to type a message) feeling I am wasting my time. But I intend to persist in hope ....
I really want a th-d72! One day it will be mine!!! Or perhaps Kenwood will come out with a better, faster, stronger HT in the future, with T9 predictive text APRS messaging or something... 🤞
The D74 is my favorite radio with APRS but I like using an app on an Android phone or tablet with a radio or a Mobilnkd and radio due to the better UI.
will you please let us know if/when a new radio comes out for APRS? This is one of the main reasons I've become interested in HAM radio. I like the idea that a couple of people can go hunting (example) and text each other silently while hunting. That's probably the only scenario I'd use for the silent communication. Otherwise, out riding ATV's and hiking, talking is likely more preferred. THAT is in addition to the points you made around letting your family know. However - Where we go into the mountains, there is no packet repeaters anywhere near. So that isn't likely gonna happen for us.
If there are any new APRS radios I will let you know.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse By the way - Love your videos. I just barely took my exam last Saturday for Technician. Waiting for my Call sign. Your video's have really helped launch me into radio options. Not just options on which radios, but what you can do and how you can just operate these handhelds. Anyway, I'm so new, that I'm not even new yet. :)
Do you have a video on building a digipeater? I would love to build a nice WX station/digipeater for a remote installation, but I'm not finding any great information on best gear to use, compatible weather stations, tnc, etc.
The FT5D and it’s predecessors are decent. I don’t enjoy the messaging though. I use a Mobilinkd TNC3 and the iOS or android app when I plan to use messaging. It’s just easier.
Hello Josh, What about making a video on the Alinco's DJ-MD5 APRS please
I will look into that!
i bought a hp 8 and it has never work right. so now i wondering some one tell me which is a good handheld ham with out going broke and will work the best. i farily new to ham so i lost what to choose next
Great video but wish you went into how this can be done on the Anytone 878UV models.
you have contacts with Yaesu and Icom to make new radios with the D74 features. Surely it will be a huge cash cow for them.👍💰🐄
Looking for my first radio and an APRS handheld checks one of my boxes but to even get into APRS looks pretty expensive. So unless cheaper radios can be made, I can’t join the club right now. 😢
Josh, the Anytone AT-878UV II does the APRS and it is Full-featured APRS
I don’t think that is true.
I went to go look it up, the 878UV II only does beaconing. It doesn’t do messaging.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse I have an 878UVII Plus, it does do APRS messaging just fine. Every version that isn't the UVII Plus can only send APRS not receive it which is beyond confusing, I admit.
Check out pico APRS
the 878UVII can indeed do messaging, both send and receive. At launch it couldn't but it's there now. Idk if I would recommend it, it's a ton of work to get it working, but it does work.
Apparently the HG-UV98 firmware has been updated (about a year ago) so that you can access the TNC via KISS/Bluetooth. That's according to a UA-cam video I just saw. Worth checking out? If it works, that would be so cool.
What do you recommend for off-roading or overlanding. I don’t know the name for the size but units that mount in vehicle and receiver is connected to unit like a cab.
I picked up a ysed TH-D72A for $250 and consider it best "bang 4 buck," especially if you wanna connect to tablet or pc. Granted, not as handy as the 74's bluetooth connection, but for the $$ saved I dont mind using a usb cable! Having said that, I picked up a used FT3DR for the trail.
$250 is a smokin' deal. Good job!
The Yaesu ft-2d and the Yaesu vx-8d are still good and might be found for a good used price
You left out the Anytone D878UVII with firmware version 2.05. It has full APRS on analog or DMR. I use it for APRS analog SMS all the time. 73 KO4CXD
I really regret selling my D74 back to ML&S. The plan was to put the money towards an IC-705, but that still hasn't happened, and my only radio is still a £30 Baofeng 😟
D74 in my opinion wins but the FT5 is such good value.
I agree!
What about the latest Anytone DMR HT. Is it beacon only or does it have the same APRS capabilities as the Ft-5dR?
It sounds like the 858uv II has full APRS but it’s very clunky.
Great video. Ready for more. Please tell me what antenna you had on the D74 ? Was it a tri-band ? Been using the diamond sma mount antenna but can tell it's not as efficient as the signal stick which only gets me the two bands and not 220. Thanks again Josh always enjoy your stuff.
If you love the Kenwood TH-D74 you might want to look at the FT-1D because its next best thing to being close but also cheaper.
Usb TNC connection?
@@HamRadioCrashCourse unfortunately it doesn’t. I like it better than the FT 3D when it comes to sending messages/typing. Still works with the microphone and camera combination to at least send and receive pictures. Viewing them of course only on your PC or phone with SIM card reader.
Man great APRS info! I kind of did stall a bit after doing a deep dive about 5 years ago but never knew about the sms!!! I do a lot of hiking in the Sierra where the sms connectivity would fun and a handy backup to the Spot/Garmin. I have a Kenwood 72 and an FT1. Which do u think is better? 73 KG6KXD
Just listening to your take on APRS radios. Have a couple of VX8DRs with GPS on SpkMics and I didn't here you say much about that version though I suspect they are fine. Just getting APRS started on them so wife can report position when dog sledding. Any comments?
Anybody know how the DMR-6X2 pro or equivalent anytone radio model does on APRS? Getting access to both digital and APRS in one radio upgrade made it a strong contender for my next radio, but if the APRS just sucks...
Question, I have the FT3D, and I think the APRS decoding is garbage. Is the FT5 any better at decoding packets?
I agree, the FTD3 aprs decoding isn't as good as previous models. The VX8 or the FT1DR decode more packets, I once did the test with those radios right next to each others. Don't know about the latest models...
TH-D72 - When APRS is beaconing does it effect FM Receiving, like I am not hearing the full QSO?