Episode 608 – Automatic Packet Reporting System
Submitted by Darren on October 7, 2009 – 12:50 am27 Comments
This time on the show Tray Murphey, N4PAT, joins to to introduce the Automatic Packet Reporting System, radio licensing, hardware and building a kit on the cheap.
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In this segment Tray Murphy, N4PAT, joins us in studio to introduce the basic concepts of Automatic Packet Reporting System — an amateur radio based digital communications system.
Tray continues to show us various hardware options for using the APRS system, including a Garmin 350 Nuvi “bug” and a GPS & Pic combo that would fit in a bread box.
We’ll be back in studio next week with Matt and Shannon and special guest Jason Appelbaum with a touchscreen LCD mod and a lot more.
Great stuff; I’m thinking I need this for my ultimate motorcycle electronics kit. I never thought outside of the Cell phone box. This opens up a whole new, less corporate greed, more open source type homebrew option, to gps motorcycle location vlogging data capture. Great work!
I do miss Shannon and Matt, more Shannon. Without her… ehh.. it’s a bit of a salami fest. I miss her warm glowing smile. I know motorcycles are very dangerous but maybe Shannon, Matt and paul on bikes would be cool. Just throwing that out there. Maybe Snubs on a Kawasaki Ninja 250 with some hot pink leathers would look really nice in the vlogging pics. Then Matt and Paul in a Ural Sidecar. You could use the side car as a platform for the camera.
The Hak5 Gypsie motorcycle tour. Just needs some sponsors from the motorcycle world. Like they did with the Long Way Round.
It’s amazing the great ideas you come up with every week. This APRS was a real thought provoking eye opener.
It seems as if this show has lost it’s way. This episode was totally impractical for most of us. As getting a ARL is not that easy (time wise) and not to mention gets pretty expensive. Also I don’t feel like coughing up my social security number for it, I like some sence of privacy. This is not something you can just do at the house or even buy a few parts and do as a weekend project. You have to get licensed, etc,etc,etc. Just not practical. was this episode somewhat knowledgeable? Yes. Practical? NO. Although I did not watch it all the way through I can say times are tough and time and money are harder to come by. So this episode won’t get my vote. Again out of all due respect the guest on the show was cool and had good info.
Darren, this just might bring me back into the hobby that I have been out of for the last 10 years or so…
Anyone who like to do geocaching, take a look at what is called a ‘fox’ hunt… same idea, but with radio’s and possibly some very evil people placing said ‘fox’.
I am new to the hobby and have been interested in APRS so I really enjoyed this episode. One point I might add about using this technology is there is no reoccuring fee to use APRS. Then there is the homebrew aspect. Maybe you guys can have Tray back to do some homebrew APRS construction. I have been watching your show almost from the beggining and I have learned alot. I can’t wait for you guys to start hacking on some PCB’s. Keep up the good work. I look forward to more Ham stuff.
@Hoi Chin
Your SS#, and probably all your “private” info is already out there.
Episode was good.. you just didn’t liked it. so what? I don’t like some of the episodes.. so what? I don’t write saying… “hey duuude.. this episode is not for us!” WTF?
Where’s the + comment???
@everyone else
Great show guys! and it’s true what donofrio says… we miss shannon and matt.
APRS is great for making small ucontrolled beacons that transmit data back to a server. I’d like to get more involved with this tech.
For a future show… show a way of interfacing an internet app to a cellphone to send sms messages… or even automate the sending of them… like a cron script that alerts you when evil server is doing stuff or something… you get me.
Showing some love all the way from Costa Rica!
– Juan Cubillo
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For those interested the first part of the video blog series that this episode was “glued together” has been published at http://www.darrenkitchen.net/roundabout-the-chesapeake-bay-part-1
Episode 2 of no shannon.
this is awesome
I love this show! This episode came just in time. I’ve been looking for something that could provide long range real-time situational awareness. (tracking multiple mobile objects) Especially loving the past couple shows. Keep up the good work!
How about spelling my last name right? NO “E” in Murphy!
Thanks!
Tray
I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. I’ve been an inactive ham for quite some time (still keep my license valid though). It has become a LOT more practical to become a licensed operator these days. It isn’t for everyone, but it’s very enjoyable for many.
@ Juan Cubillo
Why should Hoi Chin give a plus comment if he truly didn’t like it? It is a matter of opinion and a difference in opinion is good. Not to mention You can’t say his SS# number is out there in a vast array you don’t know who he is or even what he does. Stop assuming. In the defense of Hoi he did give credit where credit was do.
[...] Hak5 – Technolust since 2005 » Episode 608 – Automatic Packet … [...]
If you would like to become an Amateur Radio Operator and want a document to study for the test please goto http://HamElmer.com and download the free study for the test in PDF format.
Many Middle Schools use this free guide for their students.
Nice show folks!
Ham radio has quietly been doing APRS for years! I believe even on the space station! Thanks for giving it a feature, Darren. I cut my teeth on ham radio and packet stuff back in the eighties, and it certainly helped me gain understanding about the OSI layers, AX-25, Networking, TCP-IP and loads of other low level hacking goodies. I used to chat regularly for hours with a guy in Santa Barbara from England in “real time” (around a minute turnaround back then on my 300 baud system). We used the LONNY – NBC “Wormhole” which came out in London, New York and Burbank CA. Using radio links only, I made it all the way up to Canada from New York! Great fun.
DEFINITELY worth learning about. Don’t get me started on the VOIP networks they run too!
Been following the bike ride, real interesting to see the ferry crossing on video.
Langleyo
Cool! My dad, KE4KQX, might enjoy this episode.
Been a HAM for about 10 years, varying degrees of activity. If you like APRS, check out findu.com – a gateway access to APRS data from the Internet with robust search capabilities. Also, have some fun with EchoLink – basically VOIP for ham radio – where repeaters all over the world connect up to the Internet and you can use your computer, or another radio, to gate traffic all over the world. Still requires radio license to use, but a great way to talk to people about anywhere, and you don’t even have to have a radio to do so
http://www.echolink.org/
I love your shows ever since I found them on the Internet, I have been a radio Amateur since 1976-77. This was a good show, Tray failed to say that Packet\APRS is also used on the international space station. I have bounced packets off it and talked to others in different states so its not limited to only earth.
There are many other programs that we use as well to send SSTV (Pictures), and other radio data formats, thanks to simple computer interfaces. Now no need to spend a ton of money for hardware.
Both Linux and Windows can be used.
Keep up the Great work on all of your shows
hey all,
i found this a couple years ago it’s an online practice exam.
http://www.qrz.com/p/testing.pl
Wow. I really liked this episode. I think you should demonstrate this kind of stuff more often. HOWEVER, As with any episode, I think you should actually make a small example for an application of the ‘hack’ in question. It would make the show a lot more interesting. I am really interested in this kind of thing, but even I get bored when it’s presented as it is.
Great show…Its really not that hard to get a license these days. Just a rather simple written test, for the entry level class license.
IRC over APRS? It might be a little slow but it would be an interesting project.
Great show guys, i was wondering if in future episodes one of them included some information on new technology trends for 2009-2010, thanks.
# 608, Great Show as always. I am a long time Hak5 fan. Please have more concerning Amateur Radio.
WA5AWC, Bob
Great episode ! Wish someone could find a way to make radio’s that are computer controlled FOR cheap, as all the kits are very expensive.
I have been a ham for a while now and did use APRS, also other modes like packet BBS and SSTV …..etc.
Every hacker should be a ham !
Keep up the good work darren ! love your shows ALL of them, it does not hurt to learn something you don’t need but you might use one day !
From the valley of VA LOL !
[...] Hak5 – Technolust since 2005 » Episode 608 – Automatic Packet … [...]
APRS is what brought me into the hobby. The idea of amateur radio to me had always been a bunch of old guys talking into radios with humongous antennas. In helping my father teach a Radio Merit Badge class to a group of Boy Scouts I read a bit into the “Packet Radio” information available. Within a month later I was a licensed amateur operator, thanks to the fact that the FCC did away with the CW (Continuous Wave) a.k.a. Morse Code requirements.
Within the realms of other amateur radio projects you might find of interest include “SDR” or Software Defined Radio. There are a lot of other micro-controller projects out there using the Arduino and Picaxe for Ham Radio applications. Even still, there is a newer technology called “D*Star” that is a digital voice and data protocol for use by amateurs.
I was excited to see a friend I hadn’t spoken with in a long time, Tray is a great guy and really easy to get along with.