Reading all the posts about the Kims, PLBs and trip route planning, it occurs to me to bring up APRS, or Automatic Position Reporting System as a trip safety tool. This is an Amateur Radio method of sending short packets of data that usually include GPS position data. This allows people to see where you are on a reasonably continuous basis, depending on the area.

Many operators have this in their cars, boats, planes, where it transmits positions routinely (between 3 and 30 minutes). Usually these packets are received and injected into the internet (via APRS-IS) where they can be viewed worldwide. Internet APRS traffic can be viewed using inexpensive software or for free using the www.findu.com gateway.

Most often APRS is transmitted over VHF to ground stations; however, VHF transmissions can be picked up by several satellites or the International Space Station, and relayed to the APRS-IS. Alternately, APRS packets can be transmitted over long distances over HF to internet gateways.

A simple, transmit only APRS system can be put together for $100 or less, with more complex systems costing more. In many cases, the same equipment can be used with a laptop to send email thru public gateways using a system called Winlink 2000.

http://web.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprs.html
http://www.aprs-is.net/
http://www.findu.com/
http://www.winlink.org/

Interesting notion for hikers and bikers in repeater range.

It's been a while since I've read part 97, but I think the idea of putting together a transmit only version is contrary to the FCC rules for amateurs.

Some broadcast transmissions, such as those from W1AW for code practice or bulletins are OK, but I believe that most other one way transmissions are not allowed.

It's not. Believe me, it's been hashed out. It's not considered a transmission of general interest. Last time I looked, there were over 40k stations worldwide.

You can rig something up for $100? How?

The cheapest 2M radios are about $150 after rebate. A decent antenn and an NMO mount will be close to $100. The GPS itself will run at least $50 used. You also need a TNC, which I have not priced lately.

With all that being said, I would be perfectly happy with a simple GPS, and a 2M with enough guts to hit some nearby repeaters.

For that matter, if the SAR team knew that you were a ham when looking for you, I would imagine that they would try to get you on 146.520. If they get within five miles of you in an aircraft, you should be able to work them.

I have been using APRS for many years. Mostly so family and friends can see where we are We are nomads and seldom plan our future. To see our present location, click the following url. Then click the Satellite view. Shows our location superimposed on as satellite photograph (not real time, it uses a stock photo). Accurate to about 15 feet.

I have one system in the 5th wheel and one in the truck. There is a mode of operation called "EMERGENCY", which when enabled, will cause all other systems online to sound an alarm and display my coordinates and a text message. There are VERY few false alarms. You can check emergency messages by clicking the "Emergency Beacons" link on the left of the page.


Our current location.

Man, your paying WAY too much for your 2m rigs

Go, buy yourself a GE MVS and a RIB, or get someone to program them - or an old Phoenix. add a TinyTrackIII...

I typically buy used 2m rigs for APRS/PACKET/dedicated use for less than $40. Heck, a few months ago, I was offered 20 rigs for FREE - they ended up in the trash

Did a completed item search on ebay - they typically go for around $25. A TinyTrackIII runs $27 without a case. A Built, tested TinytrackPLUS is $47, and he'll sell it to you with a GPS for $108

$160 should totally set you up with a APRS box with out breaking a sweat

Should have offered them up here to the first 20 replies.
I'm starting to look at those and see new 2M around $200 locally.

KC2IXE is right. I said you could get into APRS for around $100, but to do it, you've got to be willing to hunt for parts and do some of your own assembly. Around here we've seen retired business radios for about $30. Add a TinyTrak or OpenTracker for between $20 and $30, and a OEM GPS board for about $25, and you are set.

http://www.byonics.com/ (TinyTrak)
http://n1vg.net/opentracker/ (Opentracker)

On the other hand, if you have a laptop, you can put together a radio to sound card interface cable and skip the TNC all together.

Exactly!

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, John. Very interesting concept. I skimmed some of the links provided. Did I understand correctly that APRS also supports two-way messaging? So, for example, in the "lost in the wildnerness" scenario, the emergency mode would broadcast your position, and would you actually be able to converse with someone? For example, to get medical advice for a buddy who was seriously injured out in the field?