Argent Data Systems Tracker2 model T2
Contents
1. 2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600 115200 Sets baud rate for the primary serial port rear panel d sub on the DR 135 Default is 4800 baud ALIAS lt n gt lt callsign gt Sets digipeater alias for slot lt n gt This will typically be a generic alias like WIDE No SSID is allowed in this field ALTITUDE on off Report altitude in position packet AMODE AUTO GARMIN KISS WS2300 Sets mode for primary serial port See Port Modes above for more information AUTHLIST lt callsign gt Displays or changes the list of callsigns authorized for remote access callsign adds a callsign to the list callsign removes a callsign from the list and none erases the entire list AUTOBAUD onl off Enables automatic baud rate detection When a baud rate mismatch is detected the unit will attempt to automatically select the proper baud rate AUTOSAVE on off When enabled the tracker will save its last known GPS position as a permanent fixed position if the GPS fix is lost This may be used in the case of a temporary digipeater or weather station where a GPS receiver is installed only during setup and is removed to conserve power The system must remain powered on for 30 seconds after GPS fix loss before the position is saved BBAUD 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600 115200 Sets baud rate for the secondary serial port front panel data jack on the DR 135 Default is 4800 baud BEACON text loca2. 17 9 29 40 28 6 46 60 43 69 80 57 92 100 71 115 lt low rate gt and lt high rate gt are specified in seconds lt angle gt indicates the change of direction in degrees that will cause an immediate transmission lt time gt specifies in seconds the minimum time required between transmissions regardless of speed or turns SQUAWK lt 0 255 gt seconds Transmits alternating tones for specified number of seconds May be used for testing or direction finding SWDCD onloff Enable software data carrier detect mode Forced on for T2 135 STATUS lt 0 255 gt Interval between status packets If 0 status text is sent as part of the position packet SYMBOL lt 1 2 characters gt APRS symbol character optionally preceeded by symbol table or overlay identifier TELEMETRY on off Enable transmission of telemetry packets TEMP onloff Not supported for T2 135 TEMPADJ lt 128 to 127 gt degrees C Not supported for T2 135 TIMEHMS on off Sets timestamp mode to hour minute second when enabled Default is day hour minute Applies only to NMEA mode hour minute second format is always used in Garmin binary mode TIMESLOT on off Force position packets to be transmitted only in designated time slots expressed as the number of seconds from the start of the hour to the first transmission TIMESTAMP onl off Report time information in the position packet TXDELAY lt 0 255 gt Delay between start of transmission and start
3. reconfigure the tracker for KISS mode each time the program is started use the following settings Xl This configuration will Into KISS Parameters only work with port A as Pnn Port 1 Port 2 the command console is l Tx Delay so uo x10 msec not available on port B 2 amonE KISS Tx Tail s js x10 msec x10 msec 3 it Slot Time 18 16 Persist jon Jou 4 Ful Dup E Exit KISS _ _ Easy Seup 192 255 192 Inc2 kan ok Ea Dual Port TNC se Cancel
4. Argent Data Systems Tracker2 model T2 135 User s Manual Revised 8 2 2008 ERGE NT DAIA SYSTEMS Argent Data Systems PO Box 579 Santa Maria CA 93455 800 274 4076 Fax 866 302 6890 www argentdata com Copyright 2007 2008 Argent Data Systems All Rights Reserved APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga WB4APR Introduction The Tracker2 fills the gap between a traditional terminal node controller TNC and a transmit only APRS tracker and adds features not found in either While it may be used in KISS mode with a PC for general purpose packet radio communications its feature set is focused on APRS applications including position reporting messaging and telemetry Firmware updates and enhancements are published frequently so check the Tracker2 website at http www argentdata com tracker2 to make sure you have the latest firmware and documentation The T2 135 model is designed specifically for the Alinco DR 135T radio and takes the place of the optional EJ 41U TNC Major Features APRS Tracker The Tracker is first and foremost a full featured APRS tracker It works with GPS receivers using either the industry standard NMEA format or the proprietary Garmin binary protocol In addition to transmitting its own position it can also decode incoming positions and plot them as waypoints on the screen of a supported GPS receiver KISS Mode The KISS protocol defines an interface between a
5. TNC and its host typically a PC This mode allows the Tracker2 to be used with PC based APRS programs like Xastir WinAPRS and UI View32 It can also be used with non APRS applications subject to the limitations of the Tracker2 s transmit and receive buffers Digipeater A digipeater acts as a simplex digital repeater receiving packets and retransmitting them typically on the same radio channel The Tracker2 s digipeater function is designed specifically for APRS use and supports advanced features such as WIDEn N operation hop count limiting duplicate elimination preemptive digipeating and multiple aliases Weather Station The Tracker2 can be connected to several models of weather station including the Peet Bros Ultimeter 2000 series Dallas AAG 1 Wire Weather Station and LaCrosse WS 2310 wireless weather station to provide remote weather telemetry Command Console While the Tracker2 comes with a Windows based configuration program it can also be configured tuned and upgraded through a traditional console interface with command syntax similar to that of the classic TNC2 and its clones Keyboard to keyboard QSOs are supported through a converse mode as well as APRS messaging commands Installation Installation of the T2 135 is identical to that of the EJ 41U TNC described in the DR 135 manual Remove the radio s bottom panel secured by four screws Attach the included Dual Lock fastener to the metal VCO
6. UTPUT1 onl off Not supported for T2 135 PATCH lt hex string gt The patch command allows direct modification of the contents of the Tracker2 s flash memory This command should only be used as directed by the manufacturer Improper use of this command may render the Tracker2 inoperable PATH lt digipeater list gt Comma separated digipeater path list POSITION lt hhmm mmx hhhmm mmx gt GPS Sets fixed position or enable GPS Position must be entered in degrees and decimal minutes including leading zeros Setting position to GPS reverts to GPS tracking mode Example POSITION 4851 49N 00217 66E POWER on off lt 0 255 gt seconds Not supported for T2 135 PREEMPT lt n gt on off Enables digipeater preemption for alias lt n gt If preemption is enabled packets will be digipeated on this alias even if it isn t the next address in the packet s digipeater list PROFILE 1 2 Selects the configuration profile to use PTTINPUT onl off Not supported for T2 135 PULSE lt 0 255 gt Not supported for T2 135 QUIET lt 0 255 gt Time channel must be free before transmission can occur in 1 64 second units REARM lt 0 255 gt Not supported for T2 135 REPLY lt message gt local only Sends a text message to the last person who sent a message addressed to this unit s callsign RETRIES lt 0 255 gt Number of times to retransmit an outgoing message RETRYTIME lt 0 255 gt seconds Time between message ret
7. and number of satellites for NMEA mode or estimated position error for Garmin mode HBAUD 12001300 Selects transmission baud rate This setting does not affect reception HEADERLN on off Breaks MONITOR packets into two lines with header and payload separated HOPLIMIT lt n gt lt hops gt For digipeater alias lt n gt sets the maximum number of digipeater hops allowed This can be used to limit excessively long paths that may cause network degradation INFO Displays general system and diagnostic data including number of packets heard packets digipeated and frame check sequence errors detected INTERVAL lt 0 65535 gt seconds Sets the interval between automatic transmissions LOADFIRMW local only Loads firmware image using XMODEM protocol The firmware file is provided in a binary bin format The tracker will reset when the firmware load is complete LVINHIBIT Not supported for T2 135 MAXRANGE lt 0 255 gt miles When set to a non zero value waypoints will only be created for stations and objects within the specified range MONITOR on off Displays incoming packets on the console MYCALL lt callsign gt Sets the unit s callsign NICE lt n gt When the tracker hears one of its own packets digipeated it will skip the following lt n gt transmissions This allows a faster beacon rate to be used in areas with poor coverage without increasing the load on the network in areas with better coverage O
8. be used for a given function at any time For example port A can accept NMEA data while port B accepts weather data but providing NMEA data to both ports simultaneously will cause unpredictable operation GARMIN This mode forces the selected port to 9600 baud ignoring any manual setting and starts Garmin binary communications For the T2 135 this is valid only for port A KISS In KISS mode a PC or other host device sends and receives raw AX 25 packets Keep in mind that even with one or both ports in KISS mode the Tracker2 will continue to perform its other functions including messaging and digipeating The host should use a different callsign SSID combination to avoid interference WS2300 Supports LaCrosse WS 2300 series weather stations at 2400 baud again ignoring manual baud rate settings Valid for port A only on the T2 135 FLOW This option is used only on standalone versions of the Tracker2 where it causes port B to function as flow control for port A On the T2 135 flow control on port A is shared with the 1 wire weather input When the 1WIREWX option is off flow control is enabled Remote Access Commands can be issued to the Tracker2 remotely via APRS messages The originating station s callsign must appear in the device s security authorization list see AUTHLIST command Commands are prefixed with CMD and the results of the command if any will be send back as an APRS message to the sending stat
9. case Remove the multi colored cable from connector CN107 Plug it in to the connector on the bottom of the T2 135 Plug the short cable from the T2 135 into CN107 Carefully press the board into place on the VCO case Replace the bottom panel ST Ue ee Ra You may have to install the board slightly off center in the direction of the volume knob to avoid hitting capacitors on the radio s main board with the connector on the bottom of the T2 135 Route the multi colored cable carefully to avoid pinching it when you replace the bottom cover Connections Once installed the T2 135 board is connected to both the front panel Data jack and the rear panel 9 pin d sub connector The 3 5mm data jack has the following pin out Tip Data in Ring Power out Sleeve Ground The power output may vary slightly but is typically around 4 5 volts and is sufficient to power most 5 volt GPS receivers Note that since this jack provides only a data input it can t be used for waypoint output or Garmin binary mode operation If you find that the power output on the Data jack is incorrect for example the polarity is reversed a complete reset of the radio may fix the problem If not contact Alinco for service information The rear panel connector is wired so that it may be connected to a PC using a standard straight through serial cable A null modem adapter is needed to connect a GPS receiver having a typical serial cable The pin out
10. d when the ENTER key is pressed Hit CTRL C to exit The command K may also be used to enter CONVERSE mode COUNTER on off Transmits counter value in status text not used in T2 135 CUSTSYM on off Enables the use of custom symbols if they have been uploaded to a compatible Garmin GPS receiver using the Garmin xImage utility CWBEACON lt text gt local only Sends lt text gt as a Morse code beacon DAO on loff Enables transmission of the DAO extended precision construct This provides an extra digit of precision over the standard APRS position format but results in a longer packet and may not be supported by all APRS clients DEVLIST local only Lists addresses of all connected 1 wire devices DIGI on off When enabled the tracker will digipeat packets having its own callsign MYCALL in the next digipeater address field DIGIID lt n gt on off Enables callsign substitution for digipeater alias lt n gt This should normally be enabled DUMP local only Displays the tracker s memory contents for troubleshooting purposes DISPLAY local only Lists all configuration parameters DUPETIME lt 0 255 gt seconds Sets digipeating duplicate suppression period EXTSQL on off Not supported for T2 135 FAHRENHT on off Reports temperatures in Fahrenheit when temperature output in the status text is enabled GPSDATA on loff Reports GPS quality data in status text Horizontal dilution of precision
11. every time a station moves Until Garmin adds this feature to the official protocol only the n vi 350 is known to display moving POIs properly Incoming APRS messages will display a message icon on the navigation system s screen and will be stored in the inbox Outgoing messages can be addressed to a specific station by starting the message with a dash and the destination callsign followed by a space and the message text If no station is specified the message will be sent to the sender of the last message received This allows conversations to be carried on without having to constantly re enter callsigns To send a configuration command to the Tracker2 start a message with For example VERSION will cause the Tracker2 to respond with a message stating its firmware version Command Reference Most commands can be issued through the serial console APRS message or fleet management message Some commands make sense only when used from the local console and are not available for remote access The Tracker2 will accept command abbreviations A minimum of three characters must be entered For example CALIBRATE can be entered as CAL AUTOBAUD can be entered as AUTOB the additional characters being required to distinguish it from AUTOSAVE 1WIREWX Enables 1 Wire Weather Station mode The TAI8515 weather station should be connected to pins 8 data and 5 ground of the rear panel d sub connector ABAUD 1200
12. ion For example CMD VERSION sent from an APRS client will cause the target device to reply with its firmware version In response to a RESET command the device will attempt to send one acknowledgement before resetting This is intended to prevent message retries from causing multiple resets but especially if the channel is busy there is a possibility that the acknowledgement will not be sent before the reset is executed A RESET command should be cancelled after a few retries with no response received to check if the device has indeed been reset Garmin Fleet Management Interface Some Garmin navigation systems including the n vi 300 and 600 series and StreetPilot 7000 series provide a Fleet Management Interface FMI that can be used with the Tracker2 with the proper cable To use the FMI features set one of the Tracker2 s serial ports to GARMIN mode and connect the FMI cable The Tracker2 will automatically place the navigation system in fleet management mode which adds a Dispatch menu item and may change the layout of other menus This mode change can only be reversed by erasing all user data on the navigation system If the waypoint output option is enabled the Tracker2 will attempt to create points of interest POIs on the navigation system for every station object or item received This feature is not part of the documented FMI protocol and does not work properly on all devices many will create duplicate POIs
13. l only If no beacon text is specified a position beacon and weather beacon if applicable will be queued for immediate transmission If a text string is entered that text will be transmitted as an AX 25 text packet BMODE AUTO GARMIN KISS WS2300 Sets mode for secondary serial port See Port Modes above CALIBRATE LOW HIGH ALT PACKET local only Calibration functions to set demodulator tuning and transmitter deviation Low transmits a 1200 hz tone high transmits a 2200 hz tone alt transmits alternating 1200 and 2200 hz tones packet sends a test packet repeatedly and tune displays a tuning indicator for adjustment of the demodulator Use the and keys for coarse adjustment of the transmit audio level and and for fine adjustment Press any other key to exit calibration mode CDINVERT on off Inverts carrier detect input polarity not required for T2 135 CLIMB on off Enables rate of climb indication Climb rate is reported in feet per minute immediately following the altitude Available only in Garmin binary mode CNTRESET on off Causes counter to reset with each transmission not used in T2 135 COMMENT lt string gt Sets beacon text comment string COMPRESS on off Enables Base91 compressed format for position transmissions CONFIG 112 local only Selects configuration profile to modify CONVERSE local only In converse mode text entered at the console is transmitte
14. ode at 9600 baud using the tracker configuration utility The console commands AMODE KISS and ABAUD 9600 produce the same result Comms Setup x Baud Rate r Parity COM Port C 1200 2400 4800 9600 G C None None eo We C 19k2 38k4 57k6 115k2 Odd C2 C6 Data Bits Stop Bits evan es g 4 eo amp amp amp Handshaking NONE Use binary filter Receive only The baud rate selected in the UI View32 Comms Setup screen must match the rate selected for the port in use Select host mode KISS and be sure to choose the correct COM port for your PC Click on Setup to continue configuration Port B may be configured for KISS mode but because the data jack on the DR 135T is input only UI View32 will be able to transmit but not receive on this port er Xi No Into KISS or Exit Into KISS Parameters KISS commands are Port 1 Port 2 needed and any settings 1 Tx Delay 46 uo x10 msec in these fields should be Tx Tail 4 a x10 msec deleted Placing a 0 in 2 Slot Time Mo fio Amna the Ta Kor field avoids a bug in UI View32 that hz Persist 64 s prevents it from exiting l Full Dup C properly when the option is left blank Exit KISS Easy Setup ance __ Cancel Dual Port TNC Cancel If you would prefer to have UI View32 automatically
15. of data This setting should be set to the minimum value that allows reliable reception of transmitted packets An excessively high TXDELAY setting wastes channel capacity Each unit is one character time 1 150 second at 1200 baud TXLEVEL lt 1 255 gt Sets transmission audio level This value should be selected to provide an appropriate FM deviation level typically about 3 5 kHz TXNOFIX on off Allows transmission of last position if GPS fix is lost for more than 30 seconds Default behavior is to cease transmitting the position in the absence of a valid GPS signal TXONCHG on off Causes a transmission when switching configuration profiles USEALIAS lt n gt on off Enables digipeating for alias lt n gt VELOCITY on off Enables transmission of velocity course and speed information in the position packet VERSION Displays firmware version number VOLTAGE on off Not supported for T2 135 WAYPOINTS on off Enables output of waypoints from received positions WPTLEN lt 6 9 gt Sets maximum waypoint name length WXINFO Displays weather information from attached station Ul View32 Setup For use with the UI View32 APRS client either port of the Tracker2 can be set manually to KISS mode No configuration commands are needed in UI View32 once this has been accomplished Serial Ports Baud Rate Mode A 3600 kiss B 4800 7 Auto J Autobaud In this example port A has been set to KISS m
16. of the d sub connector is as follows Data out Data in Ground Profile select 1 wire data bus Setup and Configuration Once installed you can use a PC to connect to the Tracker2 either the Windows configuration program otwincfg exe or a terminal emulation program of your choice such as HyperTerminal SecureCRT orMinicom Note that the radio must be in data mode to power up the TNC board To use the command console connect at the proper baud rate 4800 baud is the default and press enter several times until you see a command prompt To use the Windows configuration program simply start the program select the COM port and set the radio to data mode The only setting absolutely required for normal APRS tracker operation is the callsign The defaults for all other settings should be reasonable but you should check on locally recommended settings particularly for the digipeater path The T2 135 generally gets better receive performance with the radio in narrow mode Press F and MHz on the radio s front panel to select narrow mode Port Modes The Tracker2 has two serial ports In the T2 135 version port A is the rear panel DB9 and port B is the front panel input only Data jack AUTO In this mode the device will automatically detect NMEA GPS data Peet Bros weather data or for port A only command console input Note that while both ports can be configured in AUTO mode only one should
17. ry attempts interval increases by this value with each transmission REQALL on off Require all configuration switch parameters to be met before switching profiles RESET Perform software reset RING on off Sends a bell character whenever an incoming message arrives SEND lt callsign gt lt message gt local only Sends a text message to the designated recipient SHAREDPTT on off Not supported for T2 135 SLOT lt 0 65535 gt Time slot for transmission if TIMESLOT is on SMARTBCON lt low speed gt lt high speed gt lt low rate gt lt angle gt lt time gt Configures SmartBeaconing The SmartBeaconing algorithm allows the tracker to operate more efficiently by changing how often it transmits depending on its speed and turn rate When stopped or moving at a speed below the low speed setting the tracker will transmit at a fixed rate determined by the lower rate setting Above the specified high speed threshold the higher rate setting is used Between these two extremes the interval varies between the low rate and high rate specified separately with the INTERVAL command depending on the speed The lt low speed gt and lt high speed gt settings define these two limits For storage efficiency the speeds are represented in units of 32 centimeters second To convert from miles per hour multiply by 1 397 To convert from kilometers per hour divide by 1 152 Setting MPH Km h 5 3 6 5 7 10 Ve 11 5 15 10 7 17 25
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search