NTS/APRS Gateway user information #ARRL #hamradio #APRS

There's a new National Traffic System gateway for the Automatic Packet Reporting System.  Here's instructions from Michael, WZ0C.

 

 

How to use the APRS NTS Gateway

With the APRS gateway for NTS, you can send a Radiogram on to DTN by
sending it to "NTSGTE" on APRS.  Here's the process:

1. Send your listing to NTSGTE.  E.g. "QTC 1" (or whatever quantity you 
have)  Some people skip the listing and go straight into the message, which
works if you only have one message and start with the preamble.
 
2. Then send your message in this format, per the APRS specification (with 
a couple of updates):

N#\number\precedence\handling\originator\check\place\time\date
NA\address_line1\address_line2\address_line3\address_line4
NP\phone number
NE\email address
N1\line 1 of NTS message text
N2\line 2 of NTS message text
N3\line 3 of NTS message text
N4\line 4 of NTS message text
N5\line 5 of NTS message text
N6\line 6 of NTS message text
NS\Signature block\signature line 2\signature line 3

The fields above are optional where reasonable.  E.g., you don't have to
have 6 lines of text.  You don't have to have 3 lines in the signature.  
You don't have to have a phone number in the addressee field.  Etc.

You can use lower case letters if it's simpler.  They will be converted
to upper case.

An example Radiogram sent in this format looks like:

N#\380\R\\WZ0C\9\MAYNARD MA\\AUG 27
NA\MICHAEL WZ0C\MAYNARD MA 01754
NE\WZ0C ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET
N1\THIS IS A TEST MESSAGE
N2\SENT WITH APRS 73
NS\MICHAEL WZ0C

3. NTSGTE will "Roger" the message.  

The received message is then relayed to the Digital Traffic Network.

If you have more messages to send as part of your listing, go back to 
step 2 and send the next message.


Command reference

The following are the commands that the gateway understands:

INFO        # Display an example radiogram
HELP        # Same as INFO
QTC 1       # List one piece of traffic
N#\         # The message preamble
NA\         # The message addressee
NP\         # The addressee phone number
NE\         # The addressee email address
N1\         # Line one of the text
N2\         # Line two of the text, etc.
NS\         # The message signature
QSL?        # Validate the currently held message and report any issues
READBACK    # Display the currently held message
READ BACK   # Same as READBACK
CANCEL      # Cancel the current message (and subtract one from the listing)


Additional information

If you've sent the entire Radiogram and haven't received confirmation
within a reasonable time, you can send "QSL?".

If you make an error in a message and want to start over, you can 
send "CANCEL".

If there is an error in one line, you can also just resend that line 
with the error corrected.

If you're getting duplicate APRS messages back from NTSGTE, check that your APRS

client is configured to send message acknowledgements.  APRS systems will
resend messages if no acknowledgement is received.

Messages are buffered line by line by the gateway until the full message
is received and the check is correct.  Then the message is rogered, and
the buffer is reset for the next message.


For more information on how to construct a Radiogram, see:
https://www.k8amh.com/radiogram/

For more information about the NTS Gateway for APRS, send 
email to Michael WZ0C <wz0c@arrl.net>.

OpenSpot 4 for #hamradio

Not long ago, the author purchased an OpenSpot 4 from SharkRF.

Through no fault of the manufacturer, the device was damaged.

The thought process was (1) turn it into the ARRL insurance or (2)  see just how good the company supports their product.

As it turns out, Shark RF stands behind their product pretty well.  After mailing off the device and waiting a surprisingly short amount of time, the device was shipped fixed to the author.

But WAIT, there's more.

The Author was on deployment.  "Can you ship the item to my field address?"

Certainly can and they did.

Cost?  The ARRL insurance deductible is $50.  The repair cost, minus shipping, was just under $50.  While shipping drove that cost over the insurance amount, the Author had some control over that cost.

That's not a bad thing from "The World in Your Pocket" producers.

Linking GMRS repeaters #GMRS

 On Twitter, the author quoted Federal Communications Commission rules and said:

It is illegal ...




There was pushback to which the author suggested the reader "diagram the sentence", "You cannot directly interconnect a GMRS station with the telephone network or any other network for the purpose of carrying GMRS communications, but these networks can be used for remote control of repeater stations."

As a result, the author asked the FCC for a clarification.  The following is the reply to that request.

 While the author is not reporting any  GMRS systems to the FCC, clearly this should be notice enough.

 

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your inquiry on GMRS repeaters. FCC staff asserts section 97.1745 permits the operator of a repeater, base or fixed station to have remote control over the station. This is for control of its operation to turn it on or off and other control functions and the control can be done over various media (PSTN, internet or other networks). We do not believe this permits using various networks to carry GMRS user traffic or communications. We have long held that GMRS communication traffic should not be permitted over other media or systems. While the rules previous only outlined a prohibition of GMRS communications on the PSTN, this language was recently updated to include "other networks" more generically to address a range of other technologies (internet, cellular networks…).

If you have any further questions or need additional information, please submit a help request at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/available-support-services or call the FCC Licensing Support Center at (877) 480-3201.

Sincerely,

FCC Licensing Support Center
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM EST, M – F

 

Ref:MSG13014139