[Xastir] recommendations for digi / network tools (Jason KG4WSV)

[Jason KG4WSV]

On Sun, Jan 3, 2016 at 12:44 PM, <lleachii at aol.com> wrote:

> Jason,
>
> I'm not sure if you're asking for hardware, software, or configuration
> recommendations.



> - What in what digital format/syntax is the original data
> generated/acquired in?
>


APRS sentences, text based, ala APRS-IS or maybe a non-KISS TNC.  e.g.:

KG4WSV>APRS:NOPATH!3433.82N\08704.72WO /A=656 fix 2

There are also some NMEA solutions.


- Are you asking is there's middleware already in existence that can
> convert it to Xastir-readable data (e.g. APRS)?
>

no, I've already written that part.


> - You asked for: "Any recommendations for some network capable digi /
> igate / etc software that will run on a beagle bone and do this?" - XASTIR
> (as long as it meets memory/CPU thresholds).
>

so there's your first answer - I asked for software that will run on a
beagle bone (or any low power SBC, but I've got a BBB in hand).

- Explain the exact type of network capability you are trying to have,


I want to gate N channels of data as described above to an APRS network
that includes a transmitter for transmission to the existing APRS side of
the network, and non-amateur RF (e.g. ethernet, wifi, serial) transmission
to an xastir station.


> Xastir is capable of things like iGating, etc; but you didn't describe
> what you want to do with remote access.


I don't really mention "remote access", I know how to SSH / VNC / X11 /
etc.  I'm looking to connect these simple point-to-point links to the APRS
network in the most efficient manner possible.


> Your solution may be as simple as enabling VNC desktop sharing or SSH
> console access.
>

not even close.

I'm creating a range area network and supporting GSE for tracking rockets.
Range area should be considered ~10 miles in diameter minimum.  Flight
trackers may be custom units such as simple NMEA transmit/receiver pairs
(e.g. eggfinder), APRS-like xbee radios (as I described above), or standard
APRS trackers.  Hardware cost, complexity, size, and power budget are
considerations. ground station equipment includes a laptop running xastir
as the primary ground station and D7/D72/D700/D710 as mobile chase team
trackers.

I'm guessing the best solution will be some digi/igate software, preferably
one that is easy to plug in to xastir.

And really, "digipeating" isn't all that important in the traditional APRS
sense.  It's more a gateway function.  It could need a bit of smarts to
deal with channel utilization (e.g. duty cycle could get too high on the
APRS TX unit, the non-ham networks are much faster than 1200 baud, etc).

Ham software web sites tend to age, and it's sometimes hard to tell if the
software is mature and still the best solution, or if it's abandoned and
useless. Google isn't always as helpful as some input from folks here who
may have used software like I need recently.

-Jason
kg4wsv