[MNAPRS] Re: APRS in NW Minnesota (fwd)

[Doug Reed]

Hi Ron.

Yes, the mnaprs.com web site is down. I haven't been able to contact Wayne
KK6BT about it. I'd like to move the content over to twinslan.org to keep
it available. Until something better comes along, I did create a MNAPRS
email list on twinslan.org so we can at least keep in touch. 
	http://lists.twinslan.org/twinslan/listinfo/mnaprs

Other than that, there has been activity around the metro and up the
eastern border to install packet nodes on 145.670 for keyboard-to-keyboard
and on 145.010 for email forwarding. Both networks are being installed for
the purpose of improving packet coverage around the state for emergency
service related organizations. This has been very helpful in several
instances for obtaining radio sites from state, county and local
governmental agencies. Erik NY9D is the expert in that. 

Erik NY9D and Paul K0LAV have been instrumental in organizing this effort.
At closest approach to you, their network currently extends up I-94 to St
Cloud then north to Little Falls, Brainerd, and Pequot Lakes. It would be a
shame to loose all those sites you mentioned just as they are about to be
connected to the rest of the state again. 
	www.14567.org

TwinsLAN, along with several of the other local radio clubs, has donated
money to Paul and Erik for the 145.670 project. We've also provided a
little assistance on the equipment and installation side of things. And
we've had contact with the ARES folks in western Wisconsin about 145.670
and helped in putting the WIBALD 145.010 site on the air again. 

TwinsLAN and Metro Skywarn have been active in building APRS WIDEs as well.
I built the N0NAS-10 WIDE in Moundsview from equipment donated to Metro
Skywarn by Wayne KK6BT and Donn WA2VOI on a site arranged by TwinsLAN and
the Anoka ARC. KK6BT-10 at Kingston is another WIDE I built with donated
equipment on a site donated by KSTP. And the N0NAS-11 WIDE in Little Falls
is more donated equipment on a site owned and operated by Erik and Paul.
Metro Skywarn is a 501.c3 organization so we've been running donations
through that group to make them tax deductable as a project for forwarding
APRS weather information to the NWS.  

Projects for spring include new WIDEs in Spring Valley WI, Rush City MN,
and Pequot Lakes MN. I'm making an effort to find local donations to help
John AF9T arrange a new WIDE for Aitkin MN to fill the hole between Little
Falls, Deer River and Duluth. 

Regarding UIDIGI, yes, I like that software too. Bob N0QBJ is using it on
his RELAY and Dean N0HOY is using it on his WIDE in Downsville WI. I expect
it will be used in all three spring projects and probably more than that.
TNC-2's are a lot cheaper and easier to find than KPC-3's..... The only
thing I've got against them is the lack of digital DCD for open squelch
operation. I hate having to add a digital DCD board to the TNC. 

As for radios, I'm coming to like the GE Delta S line of radios for general
packet use. The Delta SX is a fine radio but I've checked three of them so
far and they all require retuning for full RX sensitivity. If I must
retune, why not use the Delta S radio? I'll know better later in the week
after I program a new EPROM. And all the radios require 10pf across the TX
VCO or they will not lock at 144.390 MHz. But that is quick and easy. 

So far I expect the GE RANGR 150 radio to be the same as the Delta but I
haven't been able to test one yet. I have some GE Phoenix S/SX radios and I
think the Phoenix SX radio, NOT the S radio, will work OK for a 1 or 2 freq
packet radio. The electronic channel select means that you always go back
to channel 1 if power fails. So two channels, bank A and B are all you can
rely on. 

That's about all the rambling I want to do for now. Please keep us all
informed of your progress. We don't hear much so we don't know what is
going on.....

73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.

At 08:52 PM 2/8/2004 -0600, Bob Brose N0QBJ wrote:
>Hi Doug,
>I got this at the twinslan at twinslan.org address. In case you didn't get
>it I thought you'd like to check it out. Sounds like they are dismantling
>the 145.01 nodes...
>
>Bob
>----- Forwarded message from Ron Stordahl -----
>
>From: Ron Stordahl <rstordah at mncable.net>
>To: <twinslan at twinslan.org>
>Subject: APRS in NW Minnesota
>Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 10:43:09 -0600
>
>You may be interested to know that we have formed a group in NW Minnesota
with plans to implement APRS by converting existing 145.01 nodes at
Bemidji, Thief River Falls, Grand Forks, Mahnomen, Barnsville and perhaps
additional points to 144.39 with UIDIGI firmware.
>
>I tried going to www.mnaprs.org, but the link is dead.
>
>Ron Stordahl N5IN
>Thief River Falls MN
>----- End of forwarded message from Ron Stordahl -----