[Xastir] System cost options

[Alex Carver]

--- Tom Russo <russo at bogodyn.org> wrote:

> On Tue, Jun 26, 2007 at 09:06:18PM -0500, we
> recorded a bogon-computron collision of the
> <RiverRidge at CenturyTel.net> flavor, containing:
> >  Thanks for the suggestion. 
> >  I noted in the MicroTrak 300 manual,
> ".......power output in the range of 
> >  300 mW, and is capable of operating at extremely
> long ranges .......".  My 
> >  understanding of the problem with Garmin Rinos
> was that they were low power 
> >  -- 1W or 5W -- meaning that the transmission
> distance was too short to be of 
> >  much use.  
> >  Is this an apples and oranges issue?  What am I
> missing?  (And please feel 
> >  free to point out my misunderstandings.... I am
> VERY new to this <grin>.)
> 
> That depends on the local APRS infrastructure and
> how it's loaded.  That 300mW 
> might be enough to hit a digipeater if your terrain
> is right and your 
> infrastructure is built up enough.  Once it gets
> digipeated, the power of the 
> original tracker is less important.  There is no
> infrastructure you can 
> leverage with a Rino, and it's strictly
> line-of-sight between tracker and 
> receiver.
> 

Don't forget also that a combination FRS/GMRS device
like a Rino has a stock, low gain antenna that is not
replaceable in order to maintain compliance with the
FCC rules governing FRS.  So the MicroTrak wins
because it's got a replaceable antenna that could use
something like a long whip or even a high gain Yagi. 
The D7s also have this advantage over the Rinos.


       
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