APRS 2M HAM Tracking System

[ExpUt]

As discussed by Robert at the Mojave Meeting tonight, the APRS system available to licensed HAM radio users is a very neat system. I'm using it in basic form to locate and track my truck, this way my family/friends back home will know where I'm and I can use the data later to retrace a route.

For example, here is a trip we did last fall, Four Corners Utah to 3 Corners (UT/ID/NV) almost entirely on dirt. We had the tracking enabled so that our family and back-up plans back home knew where we were.



All of the red dots are points the APRS system automatically 'checked-in'. Using the aprs.fi website, you can view when, where, and how fast we were traveling at each point as well as which repeater picked up our broadcast. So assuming we were lost, broken down or injured, a team member back home could at least know where we were at.

[Therrin]

There are some excellent and very inexpensive GPS tracking devices that you can purchase now that do this same exact thing. They give you LOTS more information and detail though.

Some of the units cost as little as $250 - $300 or so, and they will upload to a web server all the information, that someone can then logon and check. Gives the breadcrumb trail, current location, top speed reached, and other data I can't recall offhand.

I had found them on a surveillance site, but some of the models would be perfect for trip tracking. Some models have buttons that you can push that give specific gps coords to the software, in addition to the normal breadcrumb track, and have other features as well.

[ExpUt]

I have not looked into the non-HAM options but seems there are endless options. The HAM units can cost well under a $100 if you already have the equipment, even a turnkey setup can be ~$150 with zero subscription or future costs but again you have to be a ham operator to utilize.

How are those GPS units uploading the data? Satellite or cell signal? I can only imagine that either of them will have some subscription cost? Cell signal will be spotty, four example realize that the majority of our route as shown above was in the dirt, we were out of cell range for hours at a time. Satellite would be very reliable but then its no different than my SPOT device, which has an obvious expense up front and then a monthly subscription. That said the newer SPOT setups can allow outgoing messages, so instead of 'SOS I'm at this location xxx" its not "SOS, broken axle on Jeep, send welder and gear lube", very cool for those that find themselves out solo much.

[davantalus]

>How are those GPS units uploading the data? Satellite or cell signal?
Doesn't look like they do.

As far as I know APRS, SPOT, and satellite phones/uplinks are the only way to get information out to connected viewers. I own a spot, but I had a little buyers remorse after seeing how relatively inexpensive satellite phones were.

I've been really impressed with aprs technology in the last year. I really need to get into it myself.

Threadjack - Have you tried those GMRS GPS transceivers? Are they any good for my non-ham friends?

[ExpUt]

...I own a spot, but I had a little buyers remorse after seeing how relatively inexpensive satellite phones were.

Agreed, I've now had two Spots, neither of which I've warmed up to so to speak. I've been required to pack a satellite phone on trips I lead in the past... really its the best option for a true '**** hit the fan' emergency. Some of the newer Spot enabled options allow the user to send an outgoing message but its still not a sat phone.

...Threadjack - Have you tried those GMRS GPS transceivers? Are they any good for my non-ham friends?

I have not, I'm curious myself.