APRS Tracker wish list

[VHS]

Adjustable power in firmware

Byon (software genius) is out of town this week, but it is certainly possible to set power output based on altitude. I just don't know if the little PIC on board the Micro-Trak has enough computing power left in its tiny little brain....This would be something more within the lines of our TT4 based transceiver (still on the drawing board) which has a more advanced processor. It would be very easy to add a mechanical hi/low switch to the amplifier. As you probably have noticed, altitude is the least reliable factor provided by GPS, so there would need to be a lot of wobble room.

Allen
VHS

 

[Ron Lee]

I like your idea! The weapons system guy within me loves the idea of providing targeting info: Range, bearing, relative velocity...
Allen
VHS

Since I don't know how this type info would interface with any display I have, just having textual range and bearing would make in-flight intercepts far simpler than today.

The last time Rick and I did this I was talking to COS ATC hoping that they would provide info on Ricks location. That did not work and with higher winds out of the north than I expected he was well past me before I gave up on COS.

It may have taken 20 minutes to catch him after that. As far as reducing "clutter" maybe an altitude limit would get rid of the cars.

 

[radenna]

A reasonably priced receive only ADS-B decoder would sell like hotcakes I suspect.

Here is portable 978 MHz ADS-B receiver, check www.radenna.com

 

[Bob Brown]

Byon (software genius) is out of town this week, but it is certainly possible to set power output based on altitude. I just don't know if the little PIC on board the Micro-Trak has enough computing power left in its tiny little brain....This would be something more within the lines of our TT4 based transceiver (still on the drawing board) which has a more advanced processor. It would be very easy to add a mechanical hi/low switch to the amplifier. As you probably have noticed, altitude is the least reliable factor provided by GPS, so there would need to be a lot of wobble room.

Allen
VHS

Actually, I was going to suggest a "coyote" mode...which would shut down its signal output when the aircraft altitude is less than 1000'...