Multitracking with APRS

  • I am a current TTQV 4 user.
    I am trying to get Multitracking working with the demo version of QV 6.0.7.0


    I am able to create a Multitracking table and set configuration and protocol to APRS.


    I am able to have QV open the serial port but on test reports serial port OK but nothing coming from attached device.


    I am using a Kantronics KPC-3 Plus TNC connected via a serial connection (no USB converter) to COM1 on my WinXP laptop. The TNC is in terminal mode.


    When I check with Hyperterm there is lots of data coming from the TNC as UI frames. I use the same serial port config for both Hyperterm and QV6 ie 4800,1


    I see nothing on the Multitracking console and nothing on the map in QV6


    Should the TNC be in KISS mode or some other configuration I am missing?


    Cheers


    Peter

  • Dear Peter,
    my TNC runs in Standard (terminal) mode no KISS mode necessary to activate APRS. I have read your TNC is offering different operating modes I am not aware of. However my configuration doesn't work with 4800 either despite working on uiview software with that speed. Please try 9600 speed which is mentioned in KPC-3 plus manual. I learned that my settings only operate on 38400 which is also mentioned as baudrate in the manual of my TNC. It is the SCS-PTC TNC model.


    If you receive data, which you can see in the qv-console, but are not decoded correctly, please let Tom know the exact datastring, he probably would implement that in QV then. I realized that there are slight protocoll datastring differences depending on the tnc model you are using.


    I cannot guarantee if the actual version of qv6 runs smoothly with APRS as I last used it in April. I'm going to test it at weekend wirh my configuration to make sure that we don't face a new bug in QV.


    kind regards
    Harry

    3 Mal editiert, zuletzt von Haribo ()

  • Dear Harry


    Thank-you for the feedback and suggestion. I have tried selecting a 9600 BAUD rate but still have the same trouble. No data showing on the console or as positions on the right side of the Multitracking screen.


    Do you know if a TCP socket connection to UI-View or AGWPE might work. I seem to recall mention of AGWPE with TTQV 4.


    Getting multitracking working with APRS will be very useful for our SAR team and I expect with many hams as well.


    Any other suggestions?


    I may ask on the APRS SIG if anyone else has tried this with the KPC3+ or other non SCS TNC.


    Best regards
    Peter
    Ottawa, Canada

  • Dear Peter,

    Thank-you for the feedback and suggestion. I have tried selecting a 9600 BAUD rate but still have the same trouble. No data showing on the console or as positions on the right side of the Multitracking screen.

    I regret that this suggestion was not the solution for your problems.

    Do you know if a TCP socket connection to UI-View or AGWPE might work. I seem to recall mention of AGWPE with TTQV 4.

    Unfortunately I cannot answer this question. My technical knowledge is only basic on that topics. I used UI-View with a direct serial port connection from my TNC only.

    Getting multitracking working with APRS will be very useful for our SAR team and I expect with many hams as well.

    I can confirm with the inital version of QV6 I could manage to receive APRS positions and show them on the map and in a nice table. This function worked already very stable - only very view APRS signals could not be decoded. Also I could stick on APRS signals not to loose them on the monitor when they were moving. It was even possible to draw a track with up to 5 dedicated APRS signals and show them also in the database. This also worked properly in combination with GPS-Online tracking - seeing my own GPS position and receiving APRS positions.
    This functionality is great and I am convinced there are only minor issues in the software and Tom should be able to help us in this case.

    Any other suggestions?

    Yesterday I did a brief test after updating to 6.0.7.1 and received a view APRS signals for about 5 minutes. But after that I could not manage to receive any further APRS. There is obviously something wrong with the latest QV version.
    I am going to test it in more detail this afternoon after some preparations of my equipment and deleting old multitracking tables, compressing database, deleting qv6.ini
    If this test again fails, then it is definitely necessary that Tom looks into it.

    I may ask on the APRS SIG if anyone else has tried this with the KPC3+ or other non SCS TNC.

    I believe there are only a few QV users with APRS. Beside myself using the SCS TNC I only know a friend who tested APRS with the "open tracker +" Nobody else ever posted here about other TNCs or even the KPC3+
    However, there are a view users working with AIS modems, that's all I know.


    I come back with my extended test result asap and then I suggest for a feedback from Tom.


    Harry

    Einmal editiert, zuletzt von Haribo ()

  • Hello Peter,
    I'm back again after I spent 3 hours with testing APRS.


    After creating a new multitracking table I could manage to receive APRS signals. Please see a picture taken from my tablet PC in the car showing the APRS table of received data.
    However there are a few minor problems,e.g. not showing the correct symbol occasionally as well as a message timeout in the info-field where there should be shown the beacon-comment text.


    I have no idea why it should not work with your TNC as you mentioned you receive data when you watch the serial port with Hyperterminal.
    I'm sorry but I am not able to help you further with that issue and hope Tom can give you the necessary support.


    edit 6/17/2012
    Today I learnt that using an USB HUB connected to the PC can be a problem, furthermore I could only manage to receive APRS signals after I disconnected the TNC cable from the PC and reconnected it - this procedure was necessary after stopping multitracking and before starting it again.
    I presume you are using an RS232 interface, nevertheless it might be worth trying that.


    good luck
    Harry

  • Dear Harry


    Thank-you for taking the time to re-confirm your set-up. It is encouraging that you are able to display stations OK.


    I am not sure what to try next, but would like to try and resolve the issue as it will be very useful for me and our search and rescue team.


    I have captured a few minutes of text via hyperterminal from the Kantronics KPC3+ TNC. I am wondering how we get it looked at by the developers to see if there is some minor incompatibility. I have attached the file but if there is any problem with it, here is a link to the file as well


    https://www.dropbox.com/s/0vl45ucnu5aezul/KPC3%2B%20Dump.TXT


    Best regards


    Peter

    Dateien

    • KPC3+ Dump.TXT

      (3,62 kB, 925 Mal heruntergeladen, zuletzt: )
  • I checked your log.
    QV only understands one sender
    JVE2DWE from which 4 messages were received from Quebec.
    All the rest was:


    Cant parse W1CGT-7>T4QV4S,VE2REH-3,WIDE2*:
    Cant parse VE3EP>APU25N,VA3PEC,VE2REH-3,WIDE2*:
    Cant parse VE3KHV>APU25N,VE3YUF-5,VE3DVQ,VE2REH-3,WIDE2*:
    Cant parse W1CGT-7>T4QV4S,VE2REH-3,WIDE2*:
    Cant parse K1YMI-9>T2UP4R,KA2QYE-10,WIDE1,VA3DXV-1,WIDE2*:
    Cant parse VA3RLR>APNX01:
    Cant parse W1CGT-7>T4QV4T,VE2REH-3,WIDE2*:
    Cant parse K1DF-7>APNU19,VE2REH-3,WIDE1*:
    Cant parse VE2SE-3>APJI23,VE2RTA-3,VE2REH-3*,WIDE3-1:
    Cant parse VE3UIL>APU25N,VE3IWJ,WIDE1*,WIDE2-2:
    Cant parse ;MAIL_FOR *211118z4453.53N\07600.74W?No Messages
    Cant parse VE3UIL>APU25N,VA3RLR*,WIDE2-2:
    Cant parse ;MAIL_FOR *211118z4453.53N\07600.74W?No Messages
    Cant parse VA3PEC>APTT4,VE3DVQ,WIDE2,VE2REH-3,WIDE2*:
    Cant parse VE3UIL>APU25N,VA3RLR*,WIDE2-2:
    Cant parse ;TRAFFIC *211118z4453.53N\07600.74W?99 In 10 Minutes
    Cant parse VE3UIL>APU25N,VA3RLR*,WIDE2-2:
    Cant parse ;VE3UIL-3 *260040z4453.53N/07600.74W]145.010 FBB PACKET BBS - ve3uil@rac.ca


    Is this such strange records? I'm unfortunately not very familiar with aprs.


    Tom