Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???

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eHam.net Forum : APRS : Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???

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Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by HAMMERTIME on May 6, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Anybody have any recommendations on doing this similar to the Garmin Astro but using my amateur license,APRS, and two meters instead? I am kinda confused as to what I really need. Best I can tell is I need a transmitter, (a couple of watts would do)a gps receiver connected to the xmitter for position reporting, a receiver, and finally a way to view the transmitted APRS data on a map of some type so as to know where my dog is located! Anyone have any ideas or suggestions or would a man be just as well to get the Garmin listed above instead of trying to recreate the wheel???

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by HAMMERTIME on May 6, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Remember, I am not viewing an automobile on a public street or highway, I am tracking a dog through the woods.(Google Garmin Astro)

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by N5YEIJD on May 8, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I am studying the microtrak AIO from byoincs for that purpose. It is small and light could be attached to a harness for the dog to wear. I am planning on tracking with a TH-D7A. No maps, but direction and distance should be enough for tracking a pooch....

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by N2JAC on May 8, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
if you're in motion with the th-d7 you'll need a gps, just pick one with maps and you'll see the dog on the gps display in addition to the d7 display. I use a garmin etrex. for non ham solutions (with monthly fees), check out zoombak and spot, that you can track with a cell phone web browser. come to think of it, if the dog's tracker beacon can get out to the APRS internet gateway, you can see that on your phone too, instead of the d7. the micro trak might be more power and battery than you need. Check out the other models that aren't as plug and play but can be packaged smaller. I have a lower power one in a tupperware container about the size of a softball.

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by HAMMERTIME on May 8, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
From what that micro trak costs, looks like it would be better to just buy a collar for use with a Garmin Astro and figure out what frequency it is on and just use that for the transmitter. Besides, it is already affixed to a dog collar and it is waterproof. It would be transmitting outside the ham band so whatever you used for a receiver would have to have extended receive.

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by N5YEIJD on May 8, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
The problem with that is the fact that the Garmin uses propritiary signaling for transmitting the position data, not the APRS packet protocol, so one would have to figure that out too. And come up with a modem(TNC)for decoding it.

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by N2JAC on May 11, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
if the astro is using the old rino protocol, there was a project at one time to gateway between the two, so it may still be possible.

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by HAMMERTIME on May 11, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I knew it all sounded too easy to just use the Garmin Astro collar in conjunction with my ham stuff!

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by N5YEIJD on May 12, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I have visited with the folks at byonics, and they suggested a radio/tnc combo and a gps engine (they make both) and assemble them at home in a smaller package than the All In One they have. It's about the same money, though...

RE: Looking for a similar approach as Garmin Astro ???	Reply
by KE4NYV on August 25, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Garmin's Astro uses the Rino protocol which is some form of 300 baud MSK. XASTIR (linux) has a function to poll waypoint from a Rino radio. This might be your best way to pull waypoints and display them on a large map. Other than that, take a look at our APRS trackers. We are working on a battery powered version of our popular RTrak: www.rpc-electronics.com/trackers.php

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