[Xastir] GPS waypoint question

[James Ewen]

On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 8:28 AM, Jason KG4WSV <kg4wsv at gmail.com> wrote:

> As much as I love the T2 (I own a couple), no one has gotten the APRS
> summary for the mobile operator better than the D700 (and I assume
> D710) control head.

Umm, don't go looking at the D710 then... they took a nice concise
single page display, and spread it out over several pages. No more
looking at a single page to see the info, you have to poke buttons.

> If you, like me, _already_ threw US$550 down for a D700, do you toss
> it and spend $600 on the 710, or do you do a bit of clever coding and
> supplement the xastir display with the data that the D700 provides?

But it's so little data... lat/long and label only.

> This idea isn't some major operational mode, it's a small supplement
> using available resources.

I understand what you are talking about, just not why you would only
want the WPL strings.

I've thought about adding in an external display ala HamHUD that would
show a concise screen of data like the D700 does, and hanging that off
the D710. The D700 and D710 do not allow you to view the latest
incoming data, it only flashes up in front of you for a couple
seconds. Also, if you hit the PTT, the display reverts back to showing
you a frequency display, which is totally useless in my mind. I don't
need to see a big screen full of frequency information that doesn't
change. Give me my APRS data screens back!

The Kenwoods also ignore the paths used by packets... Okay, the D710
will now show the first and last digipeaters used, but I'd like to be
able to see the whole path information, and not mixed in with the GPS
data either.

> and apropos of nothing, I looked at the D710 specs briefly over the
> weekend, and I'd like to say (again) what a STUPID idea it was to use
> a DIN connector for the serial port.  I'm sure some bean-counter
> disguised as an engineer got a pat on the back for reducing the parts
> count by one connector, and inflicting this non-standard, non-locking
> serial connector on us.  I guess they had to top the incorrect gender
> DB9 they put on the 700...

Yeah, some days you have to shake your head. The connector on the head
has a reason though, as the TNC and full APRS smarts are in the
control head. You'd have to add more conductors to the control
head/body cable to get the APRS data back to the body. More
bean-counter logic...

James
VE6SRV