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Reviews For: TinyTrak3

Category: Packet TNCs & Digital Multi-mode Controllers

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Review Summary For : TinyTrak3
Reviews: 52MSRP: 32
Description:
A small and inexpensive GPS position encoder which replaces the need for a packet TNC in an APRS tracker.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.byonics.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00524.6
W5KVV Rating: 2017-02-08
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
A snap to setup and program. There's a good reason for the serial port equipment. It has a zero failure rate. It just works. unlike a flimsy USB, there are no drives to track down. No drivers to crash or go corrupt. No weak USB socket to wear out. I'll take a serial port any day over a USB.

I have several of Byon's units. My MT-RTG ran 24/7 non stop for 5 years in my mobile before the Mitsubishi power brick (PN: RA08H1317M) failed. $21 for a new one from RF parts and it's back on the air. I also have a TT-3 tethered to a 30 watt Motorola CDM 750 in my work mobile. ZERO RFI issues. Build a proper setup with good commercial gear and you'll never go back to hammy grade garbage.

I'm currently building a digipeater using a TT-4 and a Motorola CDM 750. It will be a clean little setup when finished.
K6SDW Rating: 2015-09-16
Works FB Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've had mine now for 1 month cooking in the shack before putting it into our motor home and not one problem!!

As long as you still have an older PC with DB9 serial port and null-modem cable you shouldn't have any problem getting the TT3 programmed.

By-the-way, the only reason for a 4-star is because this unit still requires a PC serial port for setup. Really, USB circuitry now so easy to add to a design....come on Byonics!!

Cheers All
N1LMA Rating: 2013-04-16
Lousy support Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
As for the TT3, i have no issues. This is my second go around with it. The first time i had to go off and adapt my own GPS which i did with success. This time i purchased the complete set up which includes a Byonics GPS. Don't buy it this way! The GPS is junk. First one stopped working after about 4 weeks. After finally getting a reply from Byonics which took way too long, i was advised to send everything back at my cost, i got it all back with a new GPS. This one lasted a week!!!! Its been3 weeks now and Byonics wont return my calls for a refund! Again, DON'T BUY HIS JUNK!!!!!!!
WA5RR Rating: 2012-01-26
Reliable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had a TT3 for about three years now and use it with an ADI handheld VHF radio. After buying a pre-made cable from Byonics, I plugged it into my radio and GPS with no problems. It's handy to throw in the car during public service events so as not to tie up a mobile radio. There's been nothing but reliable operation from the unit each time I use it.

The fellow who has had trouble finding serial GPS pucks might want to look into an inexpensive GPSr like the Garmin E-Trex. I paid $45 for one and and serial cable can be purchased for it.

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by WA5RR on 2009-05-27

This tracker was built in about 45 minutes from a kit. The included instructions were clear and concise with plenty of illustrations.

The programming interface is easy to use. I ordered a pre-built cable from Byonics for my HT radio. Once power was applied everything worked FB.

RFI was a problem only when using the HT with the rubber duck antenna. Once I put the radio on an external antenna I had no more issues.

The SmartBeaconing feature has made me prefer my cheap little tracker over my Kenwood D-7A handheld. That should speak volumes about this excellent device.
KB3KSA Rating: 2012-01-25
Great value Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had one for several years and haven't had any problems. And I'm expecting to launch it aboard a high-altitude balloon this spring.
GW0JLX Rating: 2011-07-24
Total RUBBISH Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I had hugely high hopes of a small, neat APRS unit running on 2m to the network of digipeaters we have established here in the UK.

I went and purchased a really neat, small little 2m handie that would fit in the side panel of the car and purchased a nice little 2m antenna and mount to run it all on. So far so good.

First problem - I find it near impossible to get anything other than a USB GPS receiver puck here in the UK because nobody makes a serial one any more, so I buy a USB puck and build an interface for it and chop cables about to wire it all to a 9-pin D and generally get really hacked off when it just doesn't work.

After extensive discussions on the TT Yahoo! group, it becomes crystal clear that a USB puck won't work (shame the website didn't say that in HUGE red letters initially) and after 3-4 weeks additional effort I finally manage to find a 9-way serial puck instead and buy that too.

I tried this new serial puck direct into the TT3 - it didn't work (no valid GPS LED). I tried it with a null modem in series with it. Still no valid GPS LED. Nothing works. I never get a GPS valid LED lit, even with the GPS puck hanging out of the shack window. I have no way of testing the 9-way serial GPS unit at all.

So far, I have tried 4 different GPS pucks and I have spent HOURS trying to find out why this unit doesn't work. I have drawn a total blank.

This project has had HOURS expended on it and I am fed up with it all. It is neither cheap nor quick nor small.

I will not recommend this unit to anybody ! DON'T BUY IT - IT DOESN'T WORK.

The reply from Byonics themselves is that it works great with their GPS pucks. OK, so why is this essential item not sold as part of the kit without exception ?

With postal rates being so high, and the UK charging import duty and VAT on every item that's shipped in from the USA, this project has now reached the point where it gets consigned to the "expensive failed projects" bin for bits recycling.

My recommendation - keep your money in your pocket and go find something else to play with. You certainly won't get as frustrated as I have with this one !

73
Andy
GØJLX

KE5IRD Rating: 2009-09-15
Cheap and great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased a TT3+ along with a GPS2 and cable to interface with my HT (YAESU VX-150). Works very nearly perfectly out of the box - probably took me about 5 minutes to show up on a tracker.

My ONLY reservation is the same as some of the others listed here - RFI. Sometimes caused an endless loop of reseting the hardware when it transmitted. Of course there are tons of workarounds as detailed in the pretty extensive support groups.
W6DPS Rating: 2009-09-01
Solid product, easy to follow kit instructions. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got the kit version and had it up and running in les than an hour from first opening the bag.

I havea detailed page at www.qsl.net/w6dps
KE5GDB Rating: 2009-03-16
Great APRS Tracker Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The TinyTrak3 is an amazing APRS tracker. Although it can only transmit packets, it does the job very well. The implementation of SmartBeaconing makes it perfect, and the size is great for small setups too.

I have the TT3+, the Byonics GPS (first version) and the cables for Yaesu radios and the 8 pin mic connector. The only complaint I have is that the power cable isn't long enough, but that is a very easy fix.

I would recommend this device to anybody who needs a simple APRS tracker at a great price. If you need something more advanced, maybe the TinyTrak4 would be right for you.
N4DBM Rating: 2008-12-07
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This unit is excellent. Hard to believe that little PIC chip will hold as much as it does. I've been using mine for over two years with no flaws. I had one in the wife's car that did get garbled with RF but I put some chokes around the GPS and radio lines and that fixed the problem. There's also a mod about placing a 0.01 capacitor across some pin and ground, but can't remember what. I'm sure Byon would be glad to answer. I'm ordering a WXTrack soon for my weather station. For $33 and some shipping, you can't get a better deal. 73 - Derek (APRS N4DBM-9)