Montana's Ham Radio Forum

Howdy Gang,

After a month or so with APRSIS32 running my Igate in Helena, Mt., thought I would give a short update/opinion.

Initial setup for the com port to the TNC was poorly documented but thanks to other APRSISCE users, I was given great instructions. It is now included in the help file and that is good.

There are several new options that make the software a learning process. After trying everything and of course messing things up, I read the instructions. HHmmm it does work inspite of me !!!! So I now having fun and enjoying the new program which replaced an old outdated one I had been using for 13 plus years. Woo Hoo !! There is hope for me yet !!

KF7SCF Warren near Wolf Point has APRSIS32 running and N7CTF Scotty just got his operational this morning. N7CTF will have his set up as a home station on occasion, but will also be a Digipeater for the area when not hooked up as a home station. I see N7CTF-2 going through Havre, Zortman, Highwood, Macpass, and finally into my Igate K7MT in Helena. That is just so cool from Fort Peck in NE Montana over 5 hops to Helena, Mt. Excellent work by all those station on the High Line for putting up all the APRS Digi's.

Next project is to get Grizzly Peak digipeater operational to cover central Montana with Jim N7VR as APRS Igate in Billings.

APRS Rocks as it will do position reporting, point to point messaging, weather reporting used by NOAA weather centers, APRS Link to Winlink for e-mal (700 Character Limit)(unlimited using Part 1 part 2 etc., Telemetry reporting with a KPC-3 Plus of voltages/temperatures at remote sites, APRS via the International Space Station, beacon local repeaters/EchoLink/IRLP information for travellers, and finally position reporting and messaging from Amateur RF to and from your Smart Phone. Good Stuff !!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all from Bill K7MT in Helena.

http://www.k7mt.com Picture of my APRSIS32 Igate screen on my web page.
http://www.nwaprs.info Excellent information on APRS

OOOPS Waren's call near Wolf Point is KB7FSC and his Igate using APRSIS32 is KB7FSC-1. He is using a Kenwood TM-D700A with the built in TNC. He said he likes having the IGATE and voice repeaters on one compact radioi in his ham shack. He said that when he goes mobile with APRS, it is a good excuse to get another Kenwood with built in TNC !! Woo Hoo !! That is my kind of thinking..

After a couple teething problems (mainly mine), Scotty N7CTF is now fully operational as a Digipeater using KB7FSC-1 as the Igate and also beaconing his local repeater on APRS. He will ocassionaly get on with his home computer to chat or send weather to Donnie W7XY or Glascow weather service. He has a Peet Bros Weather Station but needs to replace a sensor before he hooks it up. There are three RAWS station near Wolf Point/N7CTF so no rush.

This has been a fun project learning APRSIS32 along with helping Waren and Scotty. It is a welcome addition to APRS in Montana. Thanks Waren and Scotty and enjoy.

Howdy gang,



For the last week using APRSSI32 APRS program, I tested a freeware Weather Station Software called Cumulus http://www.sandysoft.com which creates a WXNOW file for APRS stations to beacon weather. It supports several weather stations and is easy to setup. I use Weather Display which I payed for and this Cumulus weather software program has all the same features. I you want to hook up your home weather station and provide information for your area on APRS or the internet, here is a nice way to get it accomplished.

Cheers from Bill K7MT