VaQP APRS Tracker for 2024

The 2024 VaQP APRS Tracker will be available again this year!  The textual callsign tracker view as well as the usual real-time map will be accessible. The tabular, text view of VaQP station callsigns, their 3 letter county or independent city (C&IC), their time spent in the C&IC (C&IC AGE) and the age (minutes) of their most recent GPS beacon spot (SPOT AGE) will be embedded in the map view as well as accessible as a standalone page for mobile devices.   The automatic detection feature will be available so there is no need to register your call with me as long as you see and follow the info about adding VQP in your Beacon/Text message below.

Stations in a new C&IC less for less than 30 minutes are displayed in bold italic. Stations are sorted newest to oldest by their last GPS beacon time. Lines are color coded green, yellow, pink and red for ages  <1, <2, <3 and 3> hours according to the age of the GPS beacon message.  Calls are aged out if they haven’t generated a beacon in more than 4 hours.

For the table layout and map features see:

https://k1ra.us/vaqp-aprs/

The map functions the same as prior years. Click on a color county or city (C&IC) for its name and 3-letter designator.  Click on a colored circle (green, yellow, orange, red) to zoom and expand a closely grouped set of APRS stations to reveal their individual callsigns.  Use the buttons on the left of the map to focus on a certain area of Virginia (N, SE, C, SW).

For mobiles or smartphone users looking for just the VaQP tracker station data, check out the VaQP Mini Tracker URL here:

https://k1ra.us/vaqp-aprs-mini/

Stations using an Android phone, grab APRSDroid, free and tested from https://aprsdroid.org/download/ or Play Store (for pay). Any other APRS-IS compatible Android apps should work too.

iPhone users must purchase the APRS TX IOS app, which seems to be the least expensive app and supports APRS-IS.  NOTE APRS.FI app does NOT work directly with the APRS-IS network so it will not work with my VaQP APRS Tracker system.

App users be sure to get your APRS pass code at https://apps.magicbug.co.uk/passcode/ by entering just your call sign and retrieving the 4-5 digit code.  Enter the code into the smart phone APRS app so your location is sent through the APRS-IS network for my server to detect and plot your location.

Please email k1ra@k1ra.us with your VaQP plans for using APRS, for example what CALLSIGN-n you’ll be using so I can add you to the spotting list.  OR…

You may add VQP or VAQP (case insensitive) into your periodic APRS Preferences “Beacon message” or “Comment field” broadcast text my app will automatically add and start automatically tracking your location.

Email any comments, questions or suggestions to k1ra@k1ra.us

73

andyz – K1RA

p.s. – The Mini Tracker section of this project is based on a project developed by Rich K3FRG called arGeoDetector

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K1RA SDR online

As of June 2022 all K1RA SDRs were offline due to wind and tree damage after a storm that brought 80 mph straight line winds through my Warrenton, VA QTH.  All my wire antennas were destroyed. See news article about other damage in town.  I’ve managed to get something temporary running using a 50′ random wire.  Check out latest info.

My KiwiSDRs are back on the air! Back during early 2016 I invested in a Kickstater project called KiwiSDR. This project was the development of an add-on cape to a small form factor, Linux computer known and the Beaglebone Black. This hardware allows for up to 4 simultaneous online users to tune in any part of the HF radio spectrum from 0-30 MHz, using several different modes, as well as providing visual feedback of signals and some demodulation of digital modes. The software employed in known as OpenWebRX and was originally written by HA7LIM (now maintained by Jakob DD5JFK here), but was modified by KiwiSDR founder KF6VO to support some specific features of the new hardware. If there is an available slot on my SDR, located in Warrenton, VA grid FM18cr, you may tune in and listen for yourself by clicking on this link or picture below. If it is full you may try one of the many other KiwiSDR’s found listed at the KiwiSDR Receiver List. There is also an OpenWebRX Receiver List.


K1RA OpenWebRX KiwiSDR

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KW4VA/M in VaQP 2022

Some photos of our contest operation can be seen click here

Look for Terry W8ZN and I as we go mobile as a 2-op, 2-TX 80m thru 23cm CW, SSB & FM station this weekend running as KW4VA/M during the Virginia QSO Party 2022.  Our tentative stops and times can be seen at the Day # links below.  We will run from Staunton (STX) and north along Skyline Drive Sat.  hitting 14 counties and then No. VA (PRW) east and south on Sun. hitting another 14 counties.

Click Day 1

Click Day 2

You can track us in real-time as KW4VA-9 over the weekend on my VaQP APRS Tracker map here.  Read more about that map here.

 

73 and hope to work you many on many bands and modes from our many counties visited during the QSO Party!

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TS-930 Mode Switch Repair

My friend Oliver WB3KLI had a Kenwood TS-930 in which the mode switch had failed.  Although it appears the mode switch is a rotary knob switch, it really turns a linkage that in turn pushes and pulls a slide switch.  Since the slide switch and the linkage failed and is no longer available I converted it to use a standard wafer, rotary switch.  I found several on eBay, but none had enough contact points.  I needed a 6P6T switch.  I ended up building my own switch from a combination of wafers from 2 separate switches.  You can see the photo album of my rebuild project here.  Or click on the picture below.

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