NARC APRS Special Interest Group meets

An APRS Special Interest Group (SIG) of Nittany Amateur Radio Club members and other interested amateur radio operators  met for the first time on Friday, October 1, 2010 at the Office of Physical Plant Building on Penn State’s University Park Campus.  The group was started by Jim, KB3TBX with the assistance of NARC Club President Woody, K3YV.Present for the meeting were:

  • Jim, KB3TBX
  • Woody, K3YV
  • Bob, K3Bob
  • Carmine, K3CWP
  • Karl, K3ARL
  • John, K3JWH
  • Craig, K3OOL
  • Scott, W3EOD
  • Eric, KB3ROR
  • Gary, WA3MTT
  • Mahlon, NK3A
  • Chuck, KB3GUR

The participants introduced themselves to the group and explained their interest in APRS.  Jim, KB3TBX demonstrated his Xastir (Linux) APRS mapping and tracking system.  Xastir is an open source Linux program.

K3ARL explained the location of his several digipeaters throughout the Central Pennsylvania area.  The group acknowledged his and Centre Communications contributions to APRS.

Gary, WA3MTT, exhibited two different Byonics APRS radios/interfaces and Craig, K3OOL, discussed his use of a Kenwood handheld for APRS before moving up to a D-710.

Carmine, K3CWP, set up a Kenwood D-710/Avmap 5 station similar to those used in the MS-150 this year.

By consensus the group will meet again on Wednesday, November 3d, 2010 at 7:00 PM in Room 105 Office of Physical Plant Building.  Carmine, will bring and assemble his portable APRS station.