[Xastir] Xastir and the TH-D72 on OSX Mac

[Lynn W. Deffenbaugh (Mr)]

On 7/5/2011 1:40 PM, Curt, WE7U wrote:
> I don't recall a large amount of discussion about the D72 since its 
> introduction, so you may not find much, but I'd suggest doing a search 
> through the Xastir list for threads where it is mentioned.  It may be 
> mostly a matter of using the "tnc-startup.thd7" and "tnc-stop.thd7" 
> files in the "Serial TNC" or "Serial TNC w/GPS on AUX Port" interface 
> that you are using to connect to it.  Alternatively you could throw it 
> into KISS mode and use the "Serial KISS TNC" or "AX.25 TNC" interfaces 
> to talk to it.  I think the only one that gives you a possible shot at 
> getting GPS data from it would be the "Serial TNC w/GPS on AUX Port" 
> type of interface, but somebody else would have to verify whether or 
> not that works.  Another way to get GPS data across is to use a 'Y' 
> cable from the GPS, with only the RX and GND lines connected on the 
> 2nd port, and put that into a "Serial GPS" interface on a 2nd port on 
> the computer.

When receiving GPS data within the APRS input stream from a radio, do 
you know if you expect it to be wrapped in an APRS-looking packet header 
(like MYCALL>GPS:$GPRMC) or just a raw NMEA sentence ($GPRMC,....*xx)?  
The difference is the setting of LTMHEAD on the radio's TNC when 
enabling LTMON.

If you know the xastir source module that handles this gleaning of NMEA 
data from the APRS stream, I can just look there at which way it likely 
works.

> I don't have any Kenwood or Yaesu APRS-capable radios so can't help 
> with any radio-specific sorts of detailed questions.  I'll help where 
> I can though.  What I seem to recall is that for the Kenwoods you want 
> them in TNC mode, not APRS mode when connected to Xastir.  In APRS 
> mode they take over and do the APRS protocol themselves, TX and RX.  
> In TNC mode Xastir takes over.

TNC vs APRS mode on the radio would definitely be true.  Based on 
discussions on the D72 Yahoo group, the internal GPS doesn't seem to 
work with LTMON to send NMEA data to the PC, even in TNC mode.  If an 
external GPS is connected, apparently its data does come through.  Go 
figure.

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - Author of APRSISCE for Windows Mobile and Win32