Julian just tried this out first time using JS8call and was able to show up on aprs.fi using 20m. The station that heard me was a bit over 500 miles away. Great video, thanks!
Excellent real world scenario for using HF instead of VHF for APRS position reporting. Of course, the utility takes all of the fun (just kidding) out of remembering the right syntax for entering the info in JS8Call but I can live with that. Keep'em coming Julian ! 73 Don KM6TRZ
Thanks Don. During a discussion on QRZ, I realize there are some people who still want to partake in that type of fun :-) always awesome to have options helping the radio operator to relax a bit. Thanks for watching and for the awesome comment, it's very much appreciated. 73 Julian oh8stn
Thank you for making this video! Have a Xiegu G90 myself and want to take it portable (once quarantines are over). Just have to figure out power for it. Always get great info from your videos! 73, KE8GAH
Great video! This is a game changer for Summits on the Air (SOTA) which has an APRS gateway to the SOTA spotting site and is often in remote locations. Sure you can use the RBN for CW, but for other modes, you have to rely on cell data, SMS, or APRS (or satellite through Garmin InReach but sending a lot of spots can get pricey). This extends the reach of APRS a LOT. I cant wait to try it.
@@OH8STN "just make the video" ?! I drop all i am doing for the moment when a new video is upp 😉 one time i stopt my car and when i got a notise from RUclips.
Another great video Julian. I haven't started playing with JS8 yet, but will keep this in mind. I have played with HF APRS on 30M using my standard APRS software (APRSIS32) from home but have not set it up in my mobile yet (I do have a Kenwood D710 there for VHF ops). I have been using VHF APRS extensively for public service events and ARES operations since the late 90's and am looking forward to playing with another way of implementing it. 73 Randy KAØAZS
Thanks Julian, Hey, I was wondering if you think I should wait for the roll out of the IC-705. I have a limited budget EVERY dollar is precious. I know the solar charger has to wait. The rig and antenna together are around $2.000.
It's a tough call. Budgets are also tight here. This prevents me from doing a lot of what I want to show on the channel. I really don't know how to answer the question though.
Hey Julian, thanks for the video. I'm wondering: if we want to be able to use this then we are depending on other HAMs that happen to have their station in listen mode with the JS8Call software running and an internet connection available. I'm wondering if we could define/setup a relatively low-cost permanent listening station to deploy at the home shack to ensure the link to APRS is available for people who are using JS8Call. This could be a relatively cheap fixed frequency receiver combined with a small mag loop on 7 Mhz or even a ferrite antenna to keep things compact. Any ideas/comments on that? 73, ON8HZ.
I think that's a brilliant idea. It could even be a "cheap" SDR on a single board computer. My own station is usually up 24/7, but it would be nice to get an EX only station away from my primary QTH. Great idea!
@@OH8STN the SDR is indeed a good idea. You need the single board computer anyway for running JS8Call, and the SDR connects over USB so you don't need a separate TRX audio interface. I might need to experiment with this :-) I'll first need to find out how to route the SSB demodulated SDR output into JS8Call. Thanks for the interesting suggestion!
Julian - if anyone can entice me to fire up JS8CALL again, it's definately you. Also, I also have a variety of Chameleon items and they are very useful in the field. Just a tip when going vertical though. I found using a single counterpoise of equal length to the feedline to dramatically improve signal reports. Expanding to a reasonably tuned, slightly above ground three leg ground plane is dramatic. It's also more gear to drag into the field. Simple is good, but a major compromise in efficiency. Great video as always !!!
There's a few reasons actually. The Raspberry Pi is a low-cost computer . It opens up the possibility of ham radio computing, to larger number of people. A loose radio - Raspberry Pi integration makes our radios smarter. We can connect to the radio with any device, from anywhere, without being tethered to the radio. The Raspberry Pi and the radio are always connected to one another. This means faster deployments in the field, and less fiddling when you get out there. Finally the Raspberry Pi uses very small amount of power, well being very easy to keep powered in the field.
OH8STN Ham Radio i did notice in another videos too that you had the Pi attached with the radio like it stays with it, a think it was a winter field day vid. So you wouldn’t need any software on the device you connect to? Connects to a device with just a usb cable instead of an interface setup?
That's right, now you're starting to understand. I'm just making a blog post to show the key benefits to this type of set up. I'll probably publish it later today or tomorrow.
Nice work Julian. The only negative or minor point I would make is you don’t get an ack of loc received so you are hoping a/ station rx and b/ its uploading spots - why people don’t upload is beyond me. Nice work again. VK1MIC
I Wade. Yes I completely agree with you. Not getting an acknowledgement is a bit odd. We hope and pray it gets through but never really know until the helicopter arrives to save you. :-) what I usually do is send out to normal heartbeat before that aprs command. That way at least I know stations or hearing me. By the way, how are the fires? We don't hear anything about Australia right now because of the zombie apocalypse.
OH8STN Ham Radio fines largely out around the start of Feb followed by almost immediately flooding, feast or famine nature of Australia just 2019/2020 dialed you to 11/10. Yesterday marked the end of the the fire season for us so we jus prep now for the next one.
I've tried, so many times, to get JS8Call Utilities to work on my system. Always a no-go. It refuses to recognize the com port my gps dongle is connected to. Other programs on the computer have not issues with it but JS8Call Utilities can't/won't allow a connection.
2:22 use flrig hum, not necessary with my 7300, usb into the 7300 from my win 10 tablet and I have control with JS8 in charge. 3:24 I'm using a UBLOX 7 usb dongle , my win system so far has recognized it using a program called SARTRACK which stands for SEARCH AND RESCUE TRACK . Not sure what will happen with the JS8CALL UTILITIES WINDOWS VERSION. I hope to get regular VHF APRS working with it SarTrack, but JS8CALL would need to rely on the utilities. So, whether its compatible with the 7300 will be found out soon. I"m hoping I can get away with the little Win tablet as JS8 seems to work pretty well with it.
Perhsps you're missing the points of using FLRig! I can control power output, frequency, radio settings, ... without my tablet (or yours) having a wired connection to the radio, without touching the radio, or even when remotely controlling the radio from a unique operating position. So no it's not necessary, it just works better for someone else than you. The point of JS8Call Utilities is beyond VHF APRS coverage, where no coverage exists at all. Operators are already using it with a 7300 on MAC, Windows, Linux and Rpi, so I really don't see your point. It's not like you need the utilities app. You can type those position commands directly into the composition window of JS8Call. The utilities app just makes it easier. Like you I'm also using a UBLOX GPS dongle the built in GPSD with Linux & RPi. I rarely use Windows I have taken that one out of service. You know it's not a competition right?
@@OH8STN Really not sure where you got all the negativity out of what I said. Competition ? No, I'm merely telling you what my station uses as of now. I had no idea that fl-rig did all that stuff, as I haven't needed most of those features. You say I'm trying to make a point that you can't quite see, and perhaps I'm not trying to make a point, but offering info. This is what I do here with my 7300. If I needed some of the features you talk about I may have happened on FLrig by necessity. No need to get so negative. My reply was simple. I did not talk about competition. I think you need to get a counselor and work some of this out, because what you said to me was uncalled for and rude. Your trying to read between the lines of my simple reply. Take a pill.
Additionally, with this simple setup I use, I would love to add additional processing and filtering. Not quite sure how to do that. But, with the reply you gave me, I'm not expecting any help here.
You didn't ask for help. Your comment was confrontational to begin with. Normally I just would have ignored it, you've been around the channel for so long, I commented from a different perspective than your own. If you need help, simply ask a question. I'll always answer! Adjusting filters is one of the benefits of using FLRig, instead of JS8Call directly for rig control. You can also turn on the notch filter, turn off the notch filter, I just the frequency of Notch filter, enable or disable IF shift, adjust IF shift, enable or disable the noise blanker, adjust the squelch, adjust the RF gain, control the volume of your radio, and adjust the filter width. All of this without needing to touch the front panel off the radio. These are the main benefits of using FLrig over simple CAT control through your chosen app. If you have a specific question I can explain, just ask. No attitude required :-)
@@OH8STN I did not realize that "asking for help" was a requirement when commenting on the videos at this channel. I sincerely apologize for not knowing that it was a requirement. I will be very careful from now on to come in to the room, bow, and ask for help just like any peasant should. , ok, enough of my attitude, the rest is much more, hopefully, amical and sincere than what I just said. So, lets start , please, on another track.... I sincerely apologize for simply not knowing what all of the benefits were of using FLRIG. I simply did not know. If you had simply told me some of these things rather than talking about "competition (what ? where did that come from) and how you said "so I really don't see your point." , when I'm simply telling you what I'm doing now and that I hadn't needed to use flrig. .... What I am suggesting is, state the advantages of FLRIG directly (assuming that perhaps the commenters is ignorant of the advantages right off WiTH OUT saying anything that could be construed as judgemental) . Just so you know, there are many windows users out there who would love to jump into the Raspberry Pi Platform. So, if you think that , just because I use windows, I think its superior, WOW, how could you think that ? We just might not have had the time. There are many things about the way I use the little windows tablet that I suspect might be inferior, but at this time I have no way to compare (well not exactly true, I just need to pull out the raspberry 3+ I own and begin to use it), just have had a lot on my plate here , Assuming we are saying what we do in superior to what you are doing just simply because we tell you we haven't found it necessary to do what your doing is incorrect. Please keep things entirely positive, and you will have even more subscribers than you do now. Yet, in your own mind (not necessary to tell us what I'm going to say now) ASSUME we may not know what all of the beautiful things fl rig is doing for you. ASSUME we may be Totally ignorant. Right off, tell us why you use a particular program, leaving little out regarding advantages we probably have no clue exist. We will appreciate that, I guarantee you that. Might be hard to believe, but, that is why the majority of us are here, not ton confront you , but rather, to learn something. When I told you what I was currently doing , I was simply letting you know how ignorant I quite possibly was !
Please forgive me for not readily connecting the dots regarding some of these digital modes available on HAM. What is the objective of sending ones location when traveling with all of that equipment? What real world scenario could that be applied to? It truly is a neat thing, but I’m having difficulty in understanding some of these modes.
We've been using VHF APRS for public service events (tracking runners, bicyclists and support vehicles) and ARES work (search and rescue, damage surveys, again tracking resources). Cuts down on voice traffic and gives event and Emergency Management officials a clear picture of where various resources are. You can also use APRS to send telemetry (such as automated WX station reports) and short text messages, both to specific stations and as general bulletins. As Julian mentioned, the HF variants give you that capability in remote areas or when the local VHF APRS infrastructure is down,
Hi Julian, I was wondering what brand and model that tent is? I borrowed something similar in design (although not as flash) from a mate years ago for a trip, and have been looking for a tent like this ever since. kind regards Cam, Australia
Great video again. Just a short question. In the first part of the video you are using the MPAS2.0 on a tripod. Looks like you only use the mil-whip and no externsion. Does this work on 40m? 73, Stephan,. DF6PA
Hello Stephan. You probably couldn't see it in the video, but there's a very long counterpoise wire running across the ground. Definitely more efficient with the extension , but it works well enough if you're not trying to win some DX contest.
Thanks for the great (as always) video! I've been using 40m JS8Call to plot APRS position reports for a while and it amazes me how many stations hear a low-power signal from a simple HamStick antenna. The following tweet is from last year (and pre-dates the excellent M0IAX utility we now use), but includes some screen shots showing how many stations heard just one single position report via JS8Call. twitter.com/scott23192/status/1193232399880065024 -Scott, K4KDR
Good video, However I don't understand why anyone would want to give away one's position. There could be bad people monitoring and they could go to one's position and rob you.
Each video is like Christmas morning, only better... Bravo Julian. 73's
I hope that's also true for the boring videos 👍😀
Thx Mark.
73
Julian oh8stn
Julian just tried this out first time using JS8call and was able to show up on aprs.fi using 20m. The station that heard me was a bit over 500 miles away. Great video, thanks!
Excellent video. Really good information about the updates to JS8 call. I'm just getting into APRS so this information was really useful.
I’m following Mark on RUclips and Github now. Thanks.
Excellent real world scenario for using HF instead of VHF for APRS position reporting. Of course, the utility takes all of the fun (just kidding) out of remembering the right syntax for entering the info in JS8Call but I can live with that. Keep'em coming Julian ! 73 Don KM6TRZ
Thanks Don. During a discussion on QRZ, I realize there are some people who still want to partake in that type of fun :-) always awesome to have options helping the radio operator to relax a bit.
Thanks for watching and for the awesome comment, it's very much appreciated.
73
Julian oh8stn
Bravo Julien,.. excellent,... u never cease to amaze, what you will do next,.. 73 BTW proud to be a patron
Thank you Tom. Very much appreciated
Thank you for making this video!
Have a Xiegu G90 myself and want to take it portable (once quarantines are over). Just have to figure out power for it.
Always get great info from your videos!
73,
KE8GAH
Thanks for the kindness. There are more g90 videos incoming. 👍
73
Julian oh8stn
Great video! This is a game changer for Summits on the Air (SOTA) which has an APRS gateway to the SOTA spotting site and is often in remote locations. Sure you can use the RBN for CW, but for other modes, you have to rely on cell data, SMS, or APRS (or satellite through Garmin InReach but sending a lot of spots can get pricey). This extends the reach of APRS a LOT. I cant wait to try it.
Please let us know how it works out for you. Thanks for watching and for the comment, much appreciated.
Please let us know how it works out for you. Thanks for watching and for the comment, much appreciated.
U and M0IAX are doing a great job. This is a great feature to use 👍
Thank you. All I did was make the video, Mark did all the work. :-) Thanks for the kindness though, and the comment. It's very much appreciated.
@@OH8STN "just make the video" ?! I drop all i am doing for the moment when a new video is upp 😉 one time i stopt my car and when i got a notise from RUclips.
No pressure Julian 👍😀
@@OH8STN 😂😂😂
Another great video Julian. I haven't started playing with JS8 yet, but will keep this in mind. I have played with HF APRS on 30M using my standard APRS software (APRSIS32) from home but have not set it up in my mobile yet (I do have a Kenwood D710 there for VHF ops). I have been using VHF APRS extensively for public service events and ARES operations since the late 90's and am looking forward to playing with another way of implementing it.
73
Randy KAØAZS
Thanks for the video, something else to try when locked down here in VK3. 73's
You are very welcome. Please do try, it's a clever capability to have. Thanks for watching.
Thanks Julian,
Hey, I was wondering if you think I should wait for the roll out of the IC-705. I have a limited budget EVERY dollar is precious. I know the solar charger has to wait. The rig and antenna together are around $2.000.
It's a tough call. Budgets are also tight here. This prevents me from doing a lot of what I want to show on the channel. I really don't know how to answer the question though.
Hey Julian, thanks for the video. I'm wondering: if we want to be able to use this then we are depending on other HAMs that happen to have their station in listen mode with the JS8Call software running and an internet connection available. I'm wondering if we could define/setup a relatively low-cost permanent listening station to deploy at the home shack to ensure the link to APRS is available for people who are using JS8Call. This could be a relatively cheap fixed frequency receiver combined with a small mag loop on 7 Mhz or even a ferrite antenna to keep things compact. Any ideas/comments on that? 73, ON8HZ.
I think that's a brilliant idea. It could even be a "cheap" SDR on a single board computer.
My own station is usually up 24/7, but it would be nice to get an EX only station away from my primary QTH.
Great idea!
@@OH8STN the SDR is indeed a good idea. You need the single board computer anyway for running JS8Call, and the SDR connects over USB so you don't need a separate TRX audio interface. I might need to experiment with this :-) I'll first need to find out how to route the SSB demodulated SDR output into JS8Call. Thanks for the interesting suggestion!
Julian - if anyone can entice me to fire up JS8CALL again, it's definately you. Also, I also have a variety of Chameleon items and they are very useful in the field.
Just a tip when going vertical though. I found using a single counterpoise of equal length to the feedline to dramatically improve signal reports.
Expanding to a reasonably tuned, slightly above ground three leg ground plane is dramatic. It's also more gear to drag into the field.
Simple is good, but a major compromise in efficiency. Great video as always !!!
I’m still very unsure of the uses of a raspberry pi. Why the use of the pi when you have the tablet there?
There's a few reasons actually. The Raspberry Pi is a low-cost computer . It opens up the possibility of ham radio computing, to larger number of people. A loose radio - Raspberry Pi integration makes our radios smarter. We can connect to the radio with any device, from anywhere, without being tethered to the radio. The Raspberry Pi and the radio are always connected to one another. This means faster deployments in the field, and less fiddling when you get out there. Finally the Raspberry Pi uses very small amount of power, well being very easy to keep powered in the field.
OH8STN Ham Radio i did notice in another videos too that you had the Pi attached with the radio like it stays with it, a think it was a winter field day vid. So you wouldn’t need any software on the device you connect to? Connects to a device with just a usb cable instead of an interface setup?
That's right, now you're starting to understand. I'm just making a blog post to show the key benefits to this type of set up. I'll probably publish it later today or tomorrow.
OH8STN Ham Radio thanks for your replies! Where will your blog be posted?
Nice work Julian. The only negative or minor point I would make is you don’t get an ack of loc received so you are hoping a/ station rx and b/ its uploading spots - why people don’t upload is beyond me. Nice work again. VK1MIC
I Wade. Yes I completely agree with you. Not getting an acknowledgement is a bit odd. We hope and pray it gets through but never really know until the helicopter arrives to save you. :-) what I usually do is send out to normal heartbeat before that aprs command. That way at least I know stations or hearing me.
By the way, how are the fires? We don't hear anything about Australia right now because of the zombie apocalypse.
OH8STN Ham Radio fines largely out around the start of Feb followed by almost immediately flooding, feast or famine nature of Australia just 2019/2020 dialed you to 11/10. Yesterday marked the end of the the fire season for us so we jus prep now for the next one.
Hi Julian how did you set up the G90 for this . I want to setup with an opentracker and not sure of the correct settings. Cheers Ron
I've tried, so many times, to get JS8Call Utilities to work on my system. Always a no-go. It refuses to recognize the com port my gps dongle is connected to. Other programs on the computer have not issues with it but JS8Call Utilities can't/won't allow a connection.
2:22 use flrig hum, not necessary with my 7300, usb into the 7300 from my win 10 tablet and I have control with JS8 in charge. 3:24 I'm using a UBLOX 7 usb dongle , my win system so far has recognized it using a program called SARTRACK which stands for SEARCH AND RESCUE TRACK . Not sure what will happen with the JS8CALL UTILITIES WINDOWS VERSION. I hope to get regular VHF APRS working with it SarTrack, but JS8CALL would need to rely on the utilities. So, whether its compatible with the 7300 will be found out soon. I"m hoping I can get away with the little Win tablet as JS8 seems to work pretty well with it.
Perhsps you're missing the points of using FLRig! I can control power output, frequency, radio settings, ... without my tablet (or yours) having a wired connection to the radio, without touching the radio, or even when remotely controlling the radio from a unique operating position. So no it's not necessary, it just works better for someone else than you. The point of JS8Call Utilities is beyond VHF APRS coverage, where no coverage exists at all. Operators are already using it with a 7300 on MAC, Windows, Linux and Rpi, so I really don't see your point. It's not like you need the utilities app. You can type those position commands directly into the composition window of JS8Call. The utilities app just makes it easier. Like you I'm also using a UBLOX GPS dongle the built in GPSD with Linux & RPi. I rarely use Windows I have taken that one out of service.
You know it's not a competition right?
@@OH8STN Really not sure where you got all the negativity out of what I said. Competition ? No, I'm merely telling you what my station uses as of now. I had no idea that fl-rig did all that stuff, as I haven't needed most of those features. You say I'm trying to make a point that you can't quite see, and perhaps I'm not trying to make a point, but offering info. This is what I do here with my 7300. If I needed some of the features you talk about I may have happened on FLrig by necessity. No need to get so negative. My reply was simple. I did not talk about competition. I think you need to get a counselor and work some of this out, because what you said to me was uncalled for and rude. Your trying to read between the lines of my simple reply. Take a pill.
Additionally, with this simple setup I use, I would love to add additional processing and filtering. Not quite sure how to do that. But, with the reply you gave me, I'm not expecting any help here.
You didn't ask for help. Your comment was confrontational to begin with. Normally I just would have ignored it, you've been around the channel for so long, I commented from a different perspective than your own. If you need help, simply ask a question. I'll always answer!
Adjusting filters is one of the benefits of using FLRig, instead of JS8Call directly for rig control. You can also turn on the notch filter, turn off the notch filter, I just the frequency of Notch filter, enable or disable IF shift, adjust IF shift, enable or disable the noise blanker, adjust the squelch, adjust the RF gain, control the volume of your radio, and adjust the filter width. All of this without needing to touch the front panel off the radio. These are the main benefits of using FLrig over simple CAT control through your chosen app. If you have a specific question I can explain, just ask. No attitude required :-)
@@OH8STN I did not realize that "asking for help" was a requirement when commenting on the videos at this channel. I sincerely apologize for not knowing that it was a requirement. I will be very careful from now on to come in to the room, bow, and ask for help just like any peasant should. , ok, enough of my attitude, the rest is much more, hopefully, amical and sincere than what I just said. So, lets start , please, on another track....
I sincerely apologize for simply not knowing what all of the benefits were of using FLRIG. I simply did not know. If you had simply told me some of these things rather than talking about "competition (what ? where did that come from) and how you said "so I really don't see your point." , when I'm simply telling you what I'm doing now and that I hadn't needed to use flrig.
.... What I am suggesting is, state the advantages of FLRIG directly (assuming that perhaps the commenters is ignorant of the advantages right off WiTH OUT saying anything that could be construed as judgemental) . Just so you know, there are many windows users out there who would love to jump into the Raspberry Pi Platform. So, if you think that , just because I use windows, I think its superior, WOW, how could you think that ? We just might not have had the time.
There are many things about the way I use the little windows tablet that I suspect might be inferior, but at this time I have no way to compare (well not exactly true, I just need to pull out the raspberry 3+ I own and begin to use it), just have had a lot on my plate here ,
Assuming we are saying what we do in superior to what you are doing just simply because we tell you we haven't found it necessary to do what your doing is incorrect. Please keep things entirely positive, and you will have even more subscribers than you do now.
Yet, in your own mind (not necessary to tell us what I'm going to say now) ASSUME we may not know what all of the beautiful things fl rig is doing for you. ASSUME we may be Totally ignorant. Right off, tell us why you use a particular program, leaving little out regarding advantages we probably have no clue exist. We will appreciate that, I guarantee you that. Might be hard to believe, but, that is why the majority of us are here, not ton confront you , but rather, to learn something. When I told you what I was currently doing , I was simply letting you know how ignorant I quite possibly was !
Please forgive me for not readily connecting the dots regarding some of these digital modes available on HAM. What is the objective of sending ones location when traveling with all of that equipment? What real world scenario could that be applied to? It truly is a neat thing, but I’m having difficulty in understanding some of these modes.
We've been using VHF APRS for public service events (tracking runners, bicyclists and support vehicles) and ARES work (search and rescue, damage surveys, again tracking resources). Cuts down on voice traffic and gives event and Emergency Management officials a clear picture of where various resources are. You can also use APRS to send telemetry (such as automated WX station reports) and short text messages, both to specific stations and as general bulletins.
As Julian mentioned, the HF variants give you that capability in remote areas or when the local VHF APRS infrastructure is down,
Hi Julian, I was wondering what brand and model that tent is? I borrowed something similar in design (although not as flash) from a mate years ago for a trip, and have been looking for a tent like this ever since. kind regards Cam, Australia
Great video again. Just a short question. In the first part of the video you are using the MPAS2.0 on a tripod. Looks like you only use the mil-whip and no externsion. Does this work on 40m? 73, Stephan,. DF6PA
Hello Stephan.
You probably couldn't see it in the video, but there's a very long counterpoise wire running across the ground. Definitely more efficient with the extension , but it works well enough if you're not trying to win some DX contest.
awsome
thank you.
73
Julian oh8stn
4th Gen B-Series Turbo Subaru, RPIs, Solar and Ham Radio? Did we just become friends? Hahaha
08 Legacy GT / W9DWP
Not sure how to get utilities from github
Thanks for the great (as always) video!
I've been using 40m JS8Call to plot APRS position reports for a while and it amazes me how many stations hear a low-power signal from a simple HamStick antenna.
The following tweet is from last year (and pre-dates the excellent M0IAX utility we now use), but includes some screen shots showing how many stations heard just one single position report via JS8Call.
twitter.com/scott23192/status/1193232399880065024
-Scott, K4KDR
Good video, However I don't understand why anyone would want to give away one's position. There could be bad people monitoring and they could go to one's position and rob you.
Ok I don't understand