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  #31  
Old 03-02-2010, 01:26 PM
Sam Buchanan's Avatar
Sam Buchanan Sam Buchanan is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: North Alabama
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VHS View Post
I had never seen an Archer antenna and went to their website to check them out. Very strange animals! I don't think there is much risk in trying one with a transmitter on 144.390.

Sam, Keep your eyes open for a Priority Mail envelope coming your way.

Allen
VHS
Allen,

The Archer wingtip com antenna's reputation is kinda spotty since it is difficult to get much in the way of vertical orientation in the confines of the wingtip. However, the horizontally polarized nav antenna works very nicely (I have one).

But.........the j-pole shouldn't work well in a wingtip, either, so the Archer might be pretty good. Nothing like brute force to get our little BB's to an iGate.

I'll be sitting by the mailbox.
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  #32  
Old 03-02-2010, 02:29 PM
VHS VHS is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Napa, CA
Posts: 293
Default Low Cost Transmitter

Byon has the ad for the new unit on the Byonics webpage, and you can see a photo and download the manual if interested.

http://www.byonics.com/microtrak/mt-rtg.php

73,

Allen
VHS
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  #33  
Old 03-02-2010, 02:58 PM
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Awesome! Just sent in my order. :-)
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  #34  
Old 03-02-2010, 03:04 PM
VHS VHS is offline
 
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Location: Napa, CA
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Default Deej's order!

DJ,

You might be the very first person to order one! Let us know what you think. (unless you hate it, in which case, keep it to yourself!)

73,

Allen
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  #35  
Old 03-02-2010, 03:09 PM
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Sam Buchanan Sam Buchanan is offline
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Location: North Alabama
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Default No excuses now

I think this little tracker is going to put to bed the excuses like "I don't want to have to mess with geek stuff and figuring out how to set up a tracker".

Send Byonics some money, make sure you have passed the simple Tech exam, find a place in the plane for the tracker and antenna, plug it in, and fly.

Not sure how to make it any simpler...........

I think the MT-RTG bundle will become the default aviation tracker.
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Last edited by Sam Buchanan : 03-02-2010 at 03:11 PM.
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  #36  
Old 03-02-2010, 03:21 PM
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deej deej is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VHS View Post
You might be the very first person to order one!

Ooooo! Do I get serial number 0000000000000001 ? :-)

-Dj
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  #37  
Old 03-02-2010, 03:25 PM
odlee odlee is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Greensboro,NC
Posts: 152
Default Hard wiring

I am planning to hard wire the device to an open cb in the panel and use an on/off rocker switch. Other than being careful with polarity anyone see a problem? Also the magnet in the gps2 antenna may become a problem. The intent is to mount the gps antenna adjacent to my 496 XM antenna on the behind the seat brace(RV7). Will fasten the antennas with velcro.

Got to get the plane back together and take that test. I will try the Archer first.

David
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  #38  
Old 03-02-2010, 05:36 PM
VHS VHS is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Napa, CA
Posts: 293
Default Simplest system possible-various rambling thoughts

Sam and Odlee,

I hope you are right, and that every experimental finds these things cheaop and easy enough to add. It seems that transmitting antennas are always going to be a big issue with you guys, but this is about as plug and play as I can make it! The GPS does not require a ground plane, so its perfectly happy with velco or double stick tape. The tracker itself is light weight enough where it could also be mounted with double stick tape or velcro, although it has screw mounting tabs. The GPS 2 has an LED in it, and some people find it comforting to see the solid light, to know their GPS is both powered and locked on. I am going to ask Byon to change the default Smart Beaconing parameters to the ones you suggest in the sticky. They are pretty close right now anyway.

I think the next step in APRS for aircraft will be giving you the ability to do bidirectional tracking, allowing you to see the positions of other stations on your GPS, and send text messages. I understand that size and expense are major factors. I am thinking about a design that would look a lot like my MT-AIO , but would be a 10 Watt transceiver. ( I built a few of these and beta tester prototypes and people loved them!) I am thinking about using a PDA running Windows Mobile to wirelessly link to the transceiver to display maps and APRS stations, as well as sending text messages.The tracker could be mounted out of sight, and the PDA could be turned on when you want to see what others are doing, or send e-mails or text messages. ( They don't have a no texting while flying rule yet do they?)

Allen
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  #39  
Old 03-02-2010, 05:49 PM
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n18pf n18pf is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Eldridge, Iowa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by odlee View Post
I am planning to hard wire the device to an open cb in the panel and use an on/off rocker switch. Other than being careful with polarity anyone see a problem? Also the magnet in the gps2 antenna may become a problem. The intent is to mount the gps antenna adjacent to my 496 XM antenna on the behind the seat brace(RV7). Will fasten the antennas with velcro.

Got to get the plane back together and take that test. I will try the Archer first.

David
I pulled the magnet out of the GPS2 so I could mount it up on the glare shield next to my compass. Glued velcro to the bottom and it works great. I've got the antenna in the same place running up the canopy (tip-up). Actually the "antenna" is just a piece of 0.041 safety wire mounted in a BNC connector. So far I've been happy with the coverage I get in the local area.
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  #40  
Old 03-02-2010, 06:21 PM
odlee odlee is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Greensboro,NC
Posts: 152
Default Thanks Sam and Allen and others

I can build a plane, but this electrical stuff is too much black magic for me! I will get to this project soon and at least have an idea as to the proper direction. I will use this to play with and also tie in with a PLB.

Regards,
David
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