Add APRS Maps and an IGate to the Yaesu FTM-400DR
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- Опубліковано 19 сер 2015
- This video shows how to add APRS maps to the FTM-400DR using a cheap Windows tablet and the data cable that is included with the radio. Also, the video shows how to tie the whole setup into APRS-IS allowing you to serve as an IGate for stations in the area.
This is yet another experiment for me in my never ending search for the "perfect" APRS rig. Is this setup perfect? No. Unfortunately the FTM-400DR won't accept transmission requests through this same data cable. Therefore, you can't digipeat or beacon objects that you create on the map or type up messages on the virtual keyboard for transmission. Also, a tablet mounted next to the drive pushes what's legal and what's safe. If you choose to go this route in your car, be sure you know what the law says about screens in the car in your area. Above all else, though, don't manipulate the software while driving. Distracted driving kills. You'll notice that I'm parked in a parking lot as I'm looking at what objects are in my area.
Where might this be useful? The data cable connection would be great for people who use the 400 as a base station radio and hooking a computer to it would add a lot of functionality and the distracted driver issue is off the table. This setup would also work well for a SAG vehicle if run by the passenger.
Bottom line... $40 and a mount brings increased situational awareness to the FTM-400DR. $24 more makes it an IGate.
If you get a Winbook and you want Windows to treat your Micro SD card like a normal hard drive, check out this forum from the Micro Center tech support site: www.mctsol.com/phpBB3/viewtopi...
By far the best instructive video I've seen on a fairly complex topic. You clearly have great presenter skills. Thanks.
Thank you so much for this video. Followed your instructions to a T and it works flawlessly. If anyone is considering this set up just RUN don't walk to your Ham store and get the radio and one of these tablets. You won't be disappointed!!!!!
I like your setup. Thank you for all the information, it's priceless. I've been interested in this radio. Your video convinced me to get it. Thanks again.
Crackerjack video.... you obviously have public speaking experience... no "ummm".. "ahhhh", or other noises! No skipping around.. Went from A to B to C, etc..Thank you for a great production.
That's a very slick setup. This was shared on the FTM-300 email reflector.
Thank you for this video. I run a 400DR in my car and have the new 100DR at home and I am looking at replicating this on the 100DR at home. Thanks.
+James Brown, thanks for the feedback. Not only is it nice to hear that the time spent putting together the video was worthwhile to someone, but your use case may inspire someone else to do something similar. A couple of comments. One, since you're using this for SAR, you might want to look into the program SARTrack. I haven't used it personally, but I know it's the only APRS client built with SAR as the main focus. It may offer you some features that APRSIS32 does not. Its programmer is fairly active on the TAPR APRS mailing list and I understand that the SARTrack folks maintain a mailing list of their own for SAR professionals and volunteers that are using APRS. So, even if you stay with APRSIS32, it might be worth checking out just for the mailing list. Two, the one downside of using the FTM-400DR is that you can't send out third party objects from it that are generated by the computer. If you want to send objects to your folks in the field, you might want to consider hooking up to another radio like the Kenwood TM-281A via a handmade PTT circuit or a Mobilinkd TNC. My video "Budget APRS Mapping Solution and Portable Battery Box" talks about the Kenwood/Mobilinkd connection a little. I haven't done SAR operations, but if I were, I think this ability to throw objects on the map in the middle of an operation would be useful. I hope Yaesu opens up this functionality to us. In the meantime, this is a technique for getting the computer control without shelling out for something like the Kenwood TM-710. Three, I'm just down the road south of Nashville. At some point I'd like to pick your brain on procedures and lessons learned from using APRS in search and rescue operations. I'm also an EMA volunteer and we've talked about doing something similar here. Please let me know next time you all have a public relations event and setup to talk to the public. I'll try to come up. Four, I've been using this setup in my car for a couple of months now. I find the GPS in the U600 to be a bit flaky. It works, particularly since the packet transmissions are based on the Yaesu, not the U600, but if you want to keep your map spot on (for your own situational awareness), you might want to use something else as the GPS source for APRSIS32... a USB GPS puck or a Bluetooth GPS device, for example. Every so often I glance down and see that the U600 has insufficient satellites for a fix. For what I use it for, it's not a big issue. For you, it could be a really big deal. As for your question about connecting this setup to the 100, I haven't done it but just last week one of the other commenters, sacul74, reported that he had made it work. You wouldn't of seen the comment because I just noticed that UA-cam flagged it as possible spam. I just cleared it. I'll ask him how he did it and hopefully we can add the instructions here.
Thanks. The data cable comes standard with the 400.
Glad to hear it's useful. I'm trying to replicate this with a smaller Android device but haven't had luck short of buying a Bluetooth adapter for the radio. Even then, the packet data isn't as complete as it is with this setup.
Thank You for this information we do plan on doing this. We I mean Jefferson County Search Dog Association in Louisville, Ky. We are a Search and Rescue team volunteer only, though dispatched via public safety and EMA. We are getting this set up and we will be using it. APRS is our life blood. Have the FTM-400dr in my truck and the Chief. We use it to track our team in to a scene and also to track our team in the field and everything you showed us is awesome. Thought you might want to know what good this has done. Want to know if this will work with the 100dr also. Have Facebook with ecommtrailer and another Auxcomm Louisville you can check out our trailer this will be used in conjunction with.
2021 just bought that Winbook TW700
Awesome video...I just purchased the same radio and I have a Microcenter in town..
Love the video! Where did you get, or we can find the data cable?
This will allow me to upload other aprs stations that I receive, how do I upload my own aprs beacon onto the net?
So far I've only got one snag, prefetching maps. I've searched online and your instructions are the same but when I click "screen"there is no option for maps.
Post setting the com port and baud rate returning to the place to check the boxes, my call sign does not appear in the call sign box?
Hi, this is still the go to video for this setup. I have it working on two tablets but the gps info isn’t passing into aprsis32.
Sorry, great video! Very informative!
What difference in info on the pad would there be if the Freedom Pop wasn't integrated in to the system?
An update on the U600. I finally got a response from Freedompop. Apparently the free 500MB a month service is for 4G only. The U600 only does Wimax 4G, not LTE. So, as Sprint is sunsetting Wimax now, the U600 doesn't have a 4G option. If you get a U600 in the future, you'll have to pay for a 3G plan for it. The cheapest one is $3.99 a month.