Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: APRS/GPS for Backpacking  (Read 376 times)

YERO

  • Posts: 11
    • HomeURL
APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« on: April 04, 2022, 11:18:24 AM »

Hello! Brand new to ham/radios! On a quest to find my perfect radio and I got these 2 questions for you:
1. When they say APRS and GPS on HAM radios, do they mean the same thing?
2. Is there any use for me to have APRS/GPS in my radio if I am backpacking and I do have a dedicated handheld GPS with maps and waypoints on it?
Thanks!
Logged

KD2HCU

  • Posts: 61
    • HomeURL
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2022, 05:53:59 PM »

APRS might come in handy if you run into a problem and out of cellphone coverage.  People can track you on APRS and find you, and you can send packet messages.  APRS links to the GPS to show your location.  Although I don't have APRS, I think its a good thing to have if you hike and backpack a lot.
Logged

KT4WO

  • Member
  • Posts: 425
    • homeURL
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2022, 04:16:33 AM »

Power(battery power) will be a big issue. And if you
have alot  of tree cover using solar will be hard.
And, at least in my area, there are very few APRS
digi's...so APRS would be of little use.
Where are you hiking??
Logged

KG4RUL

  • Posts: 3779
    • HomeURL
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2022, 01:54:05 PM »

While APRS might be available where you are backpacking, a more robust solution is GARMIN's inReach.  https://discover.garmin.com/en-US/inreach/personal/

It is based on IRIDIUM satellites and has excellent coverage footprint.  My neighbors are currently on a six month hike of the Pacific Crest Trail and regularly update their position to family and friends.
Logged

K3XR

  • Posts: 245
    • HomeURL
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2022, 02:24:00 PM »

I often take along a Kenwood TH-D72 when hiking.  Anyone can go to the APRS.fi site and track your location.  As has been mentioned this is not a 100% guaranteed method depending on terrain, coverage area, etc. . I'm not aware of any of the handhelds that function like a handheld GPS where you can look on a screen and see your location on a map.  For that, I use a Garmin GPSMAP 64sx which has proven very reliable for over 10 years now. 
Logged

YERO

  • Posts: 11
    • HomeURL
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2022, 02:26:56 PM »

While APRS might be available where you are backpacking, a more robust solution is GARMIN's inReach.  https://discover.garmin.com/en-US/inreach/personal/

It is based on IRIDIUM satellites and has excellent coverage footprint.  My neighbors are currently on a six month hike of the Pacific Crest Trail and regularly update their position to family and friends.
That's right. I have the Garmin Mini (1st gen), so I am gathering having a radio with APRS has 0 use for me as far as backpacking in the back country.
Logged

WA8NVW

  • Member
  • Posts: 367
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #6 on: April 06, 2022, 02:58:53 PM »

Neither an amateur band radio with APRS nor the Garmin GPS create a path for voice communications between you backpacking and your family and friends lounging at home.  Knowing where you are is only the first piece of the puzzle.
Logged

YERO

  • Posts: 11
    • HomeURL
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2022, 03:52:12 PM »

Well Garmin, does have satellite messaging option, but you just said something that is very interesting.
Q1. How can they communicate to me if I am in the middle of no where with no repeaters around?
Q2. Does the radio have to be digital? or there is APRS with analog radios as well?
Logged

KD4UPL

  • Member
  • Posts: 68
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2022, 06:13:35 PM »

APRS transmits your position and whatever else you put in the data stream. This could be a short text message, a short email, information about your radio, what frequency you're monitoring, etc. It needs a GPS receiver to know your position in order to transmit it. This is NOT the same thing as having a GPS with maps to tell you how to get some where.
Coverage for APRS signals varies just like repeater coverage varies. You might be hiking very near a great digipeater and have great coverage or their might not be one around and you have no coverage.
APRS operates over analog radios. Some of the Yaesu Fusion radios have APRS built in but it operates in analog mode, not in Fusion digital audio mode.
I often work where there is no cell phone coverage. I typically use a "regular" analog repeater to be able to communicate back home with my wife (she's a ham too). I do sometimes use the APRS functionality of my Yaesu FTM-400 to send text messages to her phone. This is thru the SMS gateway that some nice ham(s) created. She can even reply to me from her cell phone. Sometimes I get her replys, sometimes not. I'm told this is because some well meaning but misinformed hams have put up receive only APRS gateways. So, if my transmission goes thru one of them the reply can't follow the same path back to me. Hams need to remember that amateur radio is about two way communication and kindly take down their receive only APRS machines.
Logged

W9IQ

  • Member
  • Posts: 8862
Re: APRS/GPS for Backpacking
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2022, 07:13:36 PM »

I do sometimes use the APRS functionality of my Yaesu FTM-400 to send text messages to her phone. This is thru the SMS gateway that some nice ham(s) created. She can even reply to me from her cell phone. Sometimes I get her replys, sometimes not. I'm told this is because some well meaning but misinformed hams have put up receive only APRS gateways. So, if my transmission goes thru one of them the reply can't follow the same path back to me. Hams need to remember that amateur radio is about two way communication and kindly take down their receive only APRS machines.

A one way APRS gateway (iGate) is essentially a receiver connected to the Internet. The owner has no FCC regulations to contend with and as such, does not even need a ham license.

A bidirectional iGate includes a transmitter that takes packets from the Internet and a local receiver and puts them out on RF as appropriate. This brings in the Part 97 regulations. Some may be trivial - such as automatic identification and automatic control. Others, such as policing violative communications, may be something in which the IGate owner doesn't wish to become involved or to take on the associated liability.

- Glenn W9IQ
Logged
- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.
Pages: [1]   Go Up