[Xastir] Opentrac?

[J. Lance Cotton]

The major facts are:

- OpenTrack packets are still AX.25 data.

- Nearly all digipeaters don't care, as long as it's AX.25, and will 
digipeat all AX.25 packets with the proper digi path.

- Some digipeaters will only digipeat APRS packets, because they were 
designed to be APRS digipeaters and not generic AX.25 digipeaters.

- Nearly all client APRS clients, except Xastir, will ignore OpenTRAC 
packets.

- Xastir will only receive OpenTRAC packets, and only if the incoming 
packets are received through an 8-bit-safe method like linux-AX.25 
interface or Serial-KISS interface. Regular Converse mode TNCs may 
potentially mangle OpenTRAC data.

- OpenTRAC is amateur packet. APRS is amateur packet. Operate on 
whatever frequencies the regulations allow (including the rule for good 
amateur operating practice). The FCC does not distiguish between APRS 
and any other type of packet because the emission type is the same 
regardless of the data flying across.

- You will probably find most OpenTRAC traffic on 144.39 MHz in the U.S. 
Other OpenTRAC traffic will most likely be found on the 
ARRL-bandplan-defined packet frequencies (in the U.S.), but there is not 
any kind of OpenTRAC-specific frequency (YET?).

- OpenTRAC is defined at http://www.opentrac.org

- The original idea-man behind OpenTRAC sells a TinyTrak-inspired device 
called the OpenTracker at http://n1vg.net/OpenTracker

I know of no other OpenTRAC transmitting products, other than carefully 
custom-crafting a packet and dumping it raw into a KISS stream to a TNC. 
However, look for more cool OpenTRAC stuff from N1VG in the future -- 
Scott has some really great ideas and plans. (A remote packet device 
that can have it's firmware updated over-the-air!)

-Lance KJ5O

Gerry Creager N5JXS wrote:
> Please don't make these potentially inflammatory comments on the APRS 
> sig.  Last time soneone did, it took weeks to get back to normal and a 
> lot of folks were really mad.
> 
> In some areas, you will find OpenTrak packets intermingled with APRS 
> packets.  Sometimes, the balloon folks will offer OpenTrak or APRS 
> packets on a separate frequency to reduce congestion.  In my town, 
> 144.39 usually has both mixed, and no problems.
> 
> There are several of us who agree with your first sentence.
> 
> gerry
> 
> Rick Green wrote:
> 
>> I see a link from the xastir web site to a new 'opentrac' specification.
>> Reading the specification, it seems more generalized and potentially more
>> robust than the APRS spec.
>>   I saw a note that xastir has some support for the opentrac spec, but I
>> don't see where this might be specified in the config.  On what frequency
>> might I find opentrac traffic?  Is there any work going on to build a 
>> digi
>> network and/or igate/server support for this?
>>
> 


-- 
J. Lance Cotton, KJ5O
joe at lightningflash.net
http://map.findu.com/kj5o-12
Three Step Plan: 1. Take over the world. 2. Get a lot of cookies. 3. Eat 
the cookies.