Hi all -

This weekend (three day weekend) my wife and kids are out of town, so I was looking for some nerd projects to work on. Decided to setup a Sync board (first time in years) and also setup an APRS Digipeater and iGate on the same box.

I grabbed an old Intel Mac Mini and installed Xubuntu 24.04 and compiled latest build of Sync yesterday, it's setup but I'm still unsure on a name plus still need to customize it. Just spending today fine tuning.

For APRS, I'm using Direwolf, the audio cable will be in tomorrow, and I'm using a TIDRadio TD-H8 (10 watt) radio. If this works as I hope I'll have this setup tomorrow.

Now bridging the two -- I'd like to build a new area in Sync to show the APRS info and messages, even tie into the local weather stations broadcasting. And for licensed radio operators I'd like to give them a way to create and send messages through the board through the iGate. Again not sure how all this will tie together, but that's kindof the fun of it. For now my goal is just to get APRS setup and working using Direwolf.

Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks -- Sam

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Re: Setting-up APRS Digipeater on Sync server
By: Sam Alexander to All on Sat Jul 05 2025 11:42 am

Now bridging the two -- I'd like to build a new area in Sync to show the APRS info and messages, even tie into the local weather stations broadcasting. And for licensed radio operators I'd like to give them a way to create and send messages through the board through the iGate. Again not sure how all this will tie together, but that's kindof the fun of it. For now my goal is just to get APRS setup and working using Direwolf.

Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks -- Sam

Sounds fun! Good luck and let us know if you have any technical questions.
--
digital man (rob)

This Is Spinal Tap quote #43:
I feel my role in the band is ... kind of like lukewarm water.
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Re: Setting-up APRS Digipeater on Sync server
By: Sam Alexander to All on Sat Jul 05 2025 11:42 am

tie together, but that's kindof the fun of it. For now my goal is just to g APRS setup and working using Direwolf.

Receiving APRS will be pretty easy. Once you have the interface hooked up,
just tuning to the freq and starting up Direwolf will get you the incoming packets. The trick, though, is sending them out. Direwolf is just going to be a KISS TNC, unlike a hardware one like Kantronics KPCs or AEA PK232s... Actually come to think of it, I was finally able to send packet messages from the command line, but not properly formatted APRS that would get picked up by other stations. Still need to figure that part out, but there are GUI apps like Xastir and YAAC that I think can send info just fine.. probably just need to check what those are sending.

So yeah, I guess disregard what I half started to say :D... Sending out messages through Direwolf /should/ be scriptable.

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Re: Setting-up APRS Digipeater on Sync server
By: Sam Alexander to All on Sat Jul 05 2025 11:42 am

I just returned some Tidradio H3's.. Was very unhappy with them. What do you think of the H8's?


That_One_Guy
Thatbbs.hopto.org
SSH/Telnet

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Re: Setting-up APRS Digipeater on Sync server
By: TOG to Sam Alexander on Sat Jul 05 2025 07:04 pm

I just returned some Tidradio H3's.. Was very unhappy with them. What do you think of the H8's?

What didn't you like about them?

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Re: Setting-up APRS Digipeater on Sync server
By: TOG to Sam Alexander on Sat Jul 05 2025 07:04 pm

I just returned some Tidradio H3's.. Was very unhappy with them. What do you think of the H8's?

I like the H8, it's 10 watts which is a big improvement over the 5 watts on H3 and it comes with two batteries each with like 50 hour standby. I attended scout summer camp with my son's troop last month, I had my H8 and other two leaders were on H3, using GMRS, and everyone could chat even when over a mile away.

I've heard some folks not happy with the H8, but honestly I'm loving it. The Bluetooth programming and USB-C charging were game changers. I'm sure the $200 HT's are better made and have lots of pro's, but for a sub $50 radio the H8 is a great HT.

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We took them out on the road, and they only had about a 2 mile max distance on them. I read about the possibility of overcharging them on the dock could damage the components on the inside ( which is what I think I did ). I'd like to have a set of GMRS radios that I could leave on the dock if I need to and then use them. One of them seemed to hit our local repeater just fine, the other one was very sketchy. ( I bought them as a pair ). But if you really like your H8's and they hold up well, I may go and purchase a couple of them.


That_One_Guy
Thatbbs.hopto.org
SSH/Telnet

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Re: Setting-up APRS Digipeater on Sync server
By: TOG to phigan on Sat Jul 05 2025 11:18 pm

We took them out on the road, and they only had about a 2 mile max distance on them. I read about the possibility of overcharging them on the dock could damage the components on the inside ( which is what I think I did ). I'd like to
have a set of GMRS radios that I could leave on the dock if I need to and then use them. One of them seemed to hit our local repeater just fine, the other one was very sketchy. ( I bought them as a pair ). But if you really like your
H8's and they hold up well, I may go and purchase a couple of them.

Two miles with 5 watts over the road is to be expected, but with the H8 being 10 watts it gives a bit more range. Just note, some of the frequencies on GMRS are 5 watts max, so be mindful of that. When we used them at summer camp all radios used by leaders and scouts were in GMRS mode, but mine was unlocked and I programmed in the GMRS frequencies so I could use these along with the local 2m repeaters. GMRS is a great means to get folks on the radio, and using these little TIDRadios if they did get their Tech ticket they already have a radio to use.

But if you liked the H3 then I'd suggest trying the H8. I'm heading on a cross country drive (Texas to NY) next week and I'll have the H8 with me for the road to really test. But thus far it hasn't diappointed me.

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Re: Setting-up APRS Digipeater on Sync server
By: Sam Alexander to TOG on Sat Jul 05 2025 09:44 pm

Bluetooth programming and USB-C charging were game changers. I'm sure the $ HT's are better made and have lots of pro's, but for a sub $50 radio the H8 a great HT.

The Quansheng UV-K5 doesn't have bluetooth... But there's a custom firmware for it that adds a spectrum analyzer (found on much more expensive radios) and on-screen DTMF decoder... and can be had for $25 or so.
Oh yeah, USB-C charging.

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Re: Setting-up APRS Digipeater on Sync server
By: TOG to phigan on Sat Jul 05 2025 11:18 pm

We took them out on the road, and they only had about a 2 mile max distance them. I read about the possibility of overcharging them on the dock could

2 miles in the city with 5W radios simplex sounds just about right to me.

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