I think things like this are a great benefit to the families and friends
of the traveling RV-10 driver. For once they can know that we're safe
while we travel x/c, and can watch our progress. It also gives them
the ability to know when to leave home to meet us at the airport.
Fantastic little things. I like mine so much I'm thinking of buying
a 2nd one and keeping it more portable, but using it in the car for
those longer drives. The SPOT messenger is also a fantastic choice
if you don't mind paying the annual fees, and don't care about
non-hardwiring it, or external antennas. I tracked Scott all the
way home from OSH and it was great to know he got there OK. The
APRS systems do provide more data than the SPOT system, and at a
more finely defined update rate if you desire.
From a technical standpoint, after flying with the 300mW version,
it looks to me like the most RF and System friendly way for planes
is to keep with the low power systems...not the 8W units. For
a car I'd get an 8W unit. That keeps with the general rule "use only
the power necessary..." that we have to follow. I also think that
units like the all-in-one that are coming, and the ones with the
mini-gps like Alberts are PERFECT for wingtip installation which
would be a great way to go. For many people you'll be able to tap
into an existing GPS signal, even from a panel-mounted 396 or 496,
and you won't even want to buy the external GPS...just string one
small serial wire to it. The pictures Albert put out don't do it
justice as to the small size, either....it's deceiving, but these
things are tiny. They're about the size of a screwdriver handle,
but weigh maybe as much as two AN5 bolts an inch long. Real small.
So even for the weight conscious they're no worry.
Sam Buchanan and Pete Howell are great guys to read on, too.
The stuff is simple enough that simply reading their web write-ups
will give you what you need to buy the hardware. Hooking
it up is simple. Passing the Technicians test is also very
simple with minimal effort....just read the book once and that's
about it.
My guess is we'll see these things really become popular in our
RV groups over the next year or two.
Tim Olson - RV-10 N104CD - Flying
do not archive
Albert Gardner wrote:
> Sam Buchanan wrote an article for Kit Planes (Aug. 2008) about the Amateur
> Radio guys (hams) and a system they had for automatically reporting
> position. He had put one in his plane and the article was about using it. I
> thought it was the neatest thing I had seen for some time so I got the
> equipment and made a transmitter for myself. I made mine portable and
> powered it with a battery pack I got at Radio Shack (a plastic holder
> containing 8 AA batteries) and got a 2 meter rubber duck antenna at Fry's
> Electronics. The switch is so I can turn it on and off. I taped the rubber
> duck antenna to the shoulder belt near the cabin roof and laid the unit on
> the rear seat with the GPS antenna laying on the glare shield. Seems to
> work great. I like the idea that position is available real time on the
> internet and friends/family can track and anticipate your arrival/rescue as
> required.
> Total cost is under $300 and the next step is to mount it in the plane and
> wire it into the plans 12V system with a switch just in case I'm doing
> something I would not like recorded. On the picture on the track the
> position bubble pops up if you click on any of the dots and give speed,
> heading, and altitude. The transmitter is only about 5 inches long, required
> from 9 to 30V and comes with a db-9 connector that you solder to the board
> and than connect the GPS antenna. It has an SMA connector for the
> transmitting antenna so you may need either SMA to BNC adaptors or a cable
> made up with the required ends. Hey, I have tracks to/from Oshkosh and a
> trip from Yuma thru CA to Oregon, Idaho, and back home. I used to fly to
> burn up gas but now it to make tracks!
> Albert Gardner
> Yuma, AZ
> N991RV
>
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