D-PRS via DVAP Dongle?

[MW0DNK]

I'm fairly new to D-STAR in an area with no repeaters or simplex nodes. Fortunately I travel enough to manage the odd QSO away from home. The DVAP Dongle is not available in the UK yet, but I was wondering if it could be used to pass D-PRS data to a gateway and used as a passive receiver?

If so, it would encourage myself and many others to set up D-PRS gateways at our home locations at relatively low cost.

If anyone has any information on this, I'd be very grateful! Thanks and 73 from North Wales, Rob.

[N5MIJ]

Bob,

What you describe is interesting, but won't work directly.

D-PRS gets its data from the inside interface of the Gateway, attached to the RP2C.  The DVAP & Dongle talk to DPlus, which works on the outside interface of the Gateway. 

Sorry...

73,
Jim
N5MIJ

[MW0DNK]

Thanks for the very quick reply, Jim. I half-suspected there may be an issue. Perhaps there will be a work-round in the future if D-PRS is ever to catch up with APRS.

If anyone has any ideas, perhaps they could post here...?

73, Rob MW0DNK

[MW0DNK]

Have seen the following post on the DVAP Yahoo user group. Could be good news in the future:
Re: DVAP and DPRS data

Hi Fran. The gps data is passed through to the network. Remember that it is
DStarMonitor on the gateway systems that collects the gps data and passes it to
the APRS network. DStarMonitor is watching the link between the controller and
the gateway pc for gps data originating from the RF module. Your DVAP data does
not pass through DStarMontior from the RF module so it is not passed into the
APRS network.

One of the enhancements to DVAPTool I hope to make is parsing the gps data in a
similar way to DStarMonitor and passing it to the APRS network.

73,
Robin
AA4RC/i]

[Pete AE5PL]

This can be done with D-STAR Interface with DVTool today.  If you are not running Windows, it can also be done using javAPRSSrvr with DVTool.  D-STAR Interface is available for download from http://www.aprs-is.net/dprs.aspx  javAPRSSrvr is available only from me at pete at ae5pl dot net (it is capable of a lot more than just D-PRS).

73,

Pete AE5PL

PS: I do not know what group you cross-posted from.  However, I hope that Robin understands that there is a specific translation "protocol" used for D-PRS to prevent APRS-IS network overload, uncaught duplicates, etc.  The translation specification is also available from the above site.

[MW0DNK]

That's good news, Pete. I'll look at buying a dongle when they become available, hook it up to a decent antenna, ask you kindly for a copy of your javAPRSSrvr software and publish the hotspot locally to encourage take-up of D-STAR. There's only me at the moment!

Best 73,


Rob MW0DNK

[KB3MHB]

Pete,

New to d-star... I have started using d-star locally since the the repeater "W0CDS" now has the 2 meter band working. I own a IC2200H and installed the digital module "UT118" a couple of years ago. I have been using the rig for ditital voice and works great! I'm in the process of buying and installing a "gps" unit. So I built the data cable for slow speed data and gps. I now have the rig transmitting using the cable and "DRATS". While I'm waiting for the "gps" to show up I noticed that that some of the users here in Denver show up on "Jfindu" so I assumed they had "gps" units installed in their rigs. Well I asked one of the guys about this and he indicated that APRS/D-PRS data ,ie home qth, and be sent to to the local repeater via the internet and displayed by Jfindu.
Well I can not find out how to do this with "DRATS" and the program doesn't have help files. If someone could explain how to do this from within "DRATS" let me know. The home qth looks great on DRATS,however, would like to see it displayed on local repeater Jfindu.

Bert M. Thompson KB3MHB/0 73

[Pete AE5PL]

D-RATS does support D-PRS but I am not familiar with its setup.  You might want to contact the author directly (Dan Smith) or via his support forum if he has one.  You can also use D-PRS Interface in conjunction with D-RATS using either D-PRS Interface's TCP serial port or with D-PRS Interface using D-RATS' TCP serial port.  I recommend contacting Dan first for his advise on configuring D-RATS.

73,

Pete AE5PL

[KB3MHB]

Pete,

Thanks for the help! Dan set me straight; it was very simple to upload my qth. My qth now appears on Jfindu and others. The qps unit should arrive soon and I'll install it and check it out. If all goes well will "duck tape" it to the IC2200H and then the xyl can locate her car; sure hope "moe's tavern" is not on any of the qps maps hi. Again thanks for the help and look forward to using the 2 meter rig more. Used the rig  during Christmas and checked into "K5TIT" while passing through Dallas,in an rv, on the way to Tyler, TX.

Bert M. Thompson  KB3MHB/0 in Denver,CO 73

[KB3MHB]

Pete,

Well the Garmin "gps18-pc" hockey puck arrived and is now installed and works great! I had to build a "null modem" connector since Radio Shack did not carry a "male to male" 9 pin "null modem" connector. I was originally going to duck tape the puck to the rig ,however, discovered that it has a magnetic base and sticks nicely to metal anywhere in the car. Had trouble at first one of the "gps" calculators gave the wrong "xor" checksum. The calculator in Rats gave the correct checksum.

Bert M. Thompson KB3MHB/0 73

[Pete AE5PL]

Pete,

Well the Garmin "gps18-pc" hockey puck arrived and is now installed and works great! I had to build a "null modem" connector since Radio Shack did not carry a "male to male" 9 pin "null modem" connector. I was originally going to duck tape the puck to the rig ,however, discovered that it has a magnetic base and sticks nicely to metal anywhere in the car. Had trouble at first one of the "gps" calculators gave the wrong "xor" checksum. The calculator in Rats gave the correct checksum.

Bert M. Thompson KB3MHB/0 73

What "gps calculator" gave the wrong xor checksum?  The http://www.aprs-is.net/dprscalc.aspx is accurate.  There was a bug with Internet Explorer that was fixed yesterday.  If you find an error with any of my pages, please email me directly so I can rectify it instead of letting the problem continue to adversely affect other users.

Glad it is working for you.

73,

Pete AE5PL

[WX4JCW]

ive been trying to get this to work but to no avail, any ideas on how to configure the DVAP Tool and D-STAR Interface

This can be done with D-STAR Interface with DVTool today.  If you are not running Windows, it can also be done using javAPRSSrvr with DVTool.  D-STAR Interface is available for download from http://www.aprs-is.net/dprs.aspx  javAPRSSrvr is available only from me at pete at ae5pl dot net (it is capable of a lot more than just D-PRS).

73,

Pete AE5PL

PS: I do not know what group you cross-posted from.  However, I hope that Robin understands that there is a specific translation "protocol" used for D-PRS to prevent APRS-IS network overload, uncaught duplicates, etc.  The translation specification is also available from the above site.

[Pete AE5PL]

I recommend contacting Robin "directly" via his support forum for DVAP and determine if he ever added a TCP port for external software such as D-RATS and D-PRS Interface.  If he has not then it does not support D-PRS or D-RATS.

The current DVDongle software supports a TCP port for external software.  The software used with the DVAR hotspot (DVAR is a software hardware combination primarily developed overseas, not a Robin product) supports a TCP port for external software.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[WX4JCW]

nope that explains it