Kenwood TM-D710GE User Manual download pdf (Page 33)

05 APRS in Action

While monitoring APRS stations from around the world that may appear on your map, you can easily send messages

to them. An interest is now growing in APRS QSOs where one station may call CQ looking for responses in the

conventional style of a ham contact. Due to the number of characters being restricted, it can be customary to send short

sentences using abbreviated words similar to operating CW.

Searchingforweatherinformationcanrevealthatevenadjacentnearbyareascanhavedramaticallydieringweather

patterns. Or operating outdoors and timing transmissions to coincide with overhead satellite passes can result in

successful satellite communications using only a handheld transceiver. The opportunities for many activities exist even

withoutinstallingaxedstationathome.

Below are two APRS operational examples. In the U.S.A. and Canada, the national APRS frequency is 144.390 MHz.

Let’s Go Mobile

Summary

First, collect and place in your vehicle the essentials necessary for operating mobile. You will need the TM‑D710A/E/GA/

GE transceiver, an antenna and miscellaneous interconnect cables, and a GPS receiver for use with the TM‑D710A/E.

As you travel, you will be looking for position beacons from nearby stations so you can enjoy exchanging messages and

making voice contact.

The TM‑D710 already includes functions for convenient mobile operation. Functions like Frequency Display, Decay

Algorithm, Proportional Pathing and SmartBeaconing are ready to use. Decay Algorithm automatically extends the

transmissionintervaltoreducetracloadingwhenthespeedinformationfromGPSindicatesvehiclemovementis

slower than 1 knot. One knot is equal to 1.8 km/h, or just over 1 mile per hour. Essentially, this indicates your vehicle is

parked. Proportional pathing makes sure that local information is refreshed frequently, while at the same time minimizing

networkloadbytransmittinglessoftenatgreaterdistances(numberofhops).SmartBeaconingecientlycontrolsthe

rate of beacon transmissions in relation to vehicle speed, direction of travel and network activity. Still other functions

exist to maximize messaging convenience while driving.

Automatic Reply Function

Thisisafunctiontoreturnapredenedmessagesuchas“PseQRX.Willreturnat12:35”automaticallywhenanAPRS

message is received.

Auto Reply is only for passing along special information to anticipated message senders when the operator may

temporarily not be able to respond. It should not be left on for routine operations in most cases because it adds

unnecessarynetworkload.ThesendingstationwillalwaysgetanACK,andthisissucienttoknowthatthemessage

was delivered in most cases.

Voice Announcement Mode

Voice Announcement mode instructs the TM‑D710 to read aloud any message text beginning with “%” provided the

VGS‑1 is installed. The VGS‑1 can speak a few common ham radio words but can spell any words by letter too.

Entering Characters

Characters can be entered using the DTMF keypad on the microphone as you would when texting from a cell phone.

Additional details of important functions follow.

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Kenwood TM-D710GE User Manual Page 33