New guy . . .Help needed . . .

Hi All,

I would like to add a Kenwood 710GA to my Jeep. The goal would be that I could use the APRS feature with the integrated GPS (in the 710GA) and somehow display APRS stations fixed and mobile as well as my buddies who are also running APRS capable radios. I currently use a Samasung Galaxy Tab S2 8" tablet for navigation. I know the 710GA has the GPS built in and the interface-- I have a tablet with an 8" screen... what does my solution look like?

Questions:
  • What additional hardware do I need?
  • Will I be able to see local APRS originators close by, on my map so that I have a good bit of sitiauional awareness?
  • Is it as simple as properly configuring my radio and then connecting the radio to the tablet via a certain type of cable or optional wireless bluetooth something or other?
  • Thoughts on the idea in general?

Thanks-- please try to make it simple for me-- my head already hurts from typing it out ...lol

David
@Big_Willy_Wanderer
Big Willy Overland
 

Airmapper

Inactive Member
You probably need a MobilnkD unit to let the radio and tablet talk to one another, and the APRDdroid app.

The MobilnkD unit is more or less the hardware end of a TNC, and the tablet runs the software, but your D710 is a full featured TNC as well. Unfortunately, you have to relinquish TNC duty to the MobilnkD/tablet combo in order for it to process the data for map display, and it just uses the radio to transmit/receive.

You likely loose some features of the radio's TNC when the tablet is in control via the data port. At least that is what I recall.

Here is a very helpful link, the radio used is a similar, non-TNC Kenwood and should behave identically in most regards.

https://theksmith.com/hardware/aprs...linkd-bluetooth-tnc-android-tablet-aprsdroid/

I think I remember another helpful page that I can't seem to find at the moment.

EDIT: this might be it: http://aprsisce.wikidot.com/port:kenwood-tm-d710 This references the data port for computer use, but is applicable to the MobilnkD.

I have all the stuff for this setup but have yet to try it in this configuration. I need to sometime so I understand it better.

Good luck and if you dig in and have more specific questions I might be able to figure it out, maybe...it's been a bit since I last dug into this.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
You may not need MobilinkD with a TM-D710, FTM-350 or FTM-400 if all you want is to see APRS stations displayed on APRSdroid. You do need a serial-to-Bluetooth adapter to connect to the tablet most likely, though.

https://aprsdroid.org/kenwood/

Does having a MobilinkD in the chain allow APRSdroid to send messages? I don't use the application so I don't know what's all possible beyond that. The TM-D710 is a full TNC, so I assume it's bidirectional. My FTM-350 can only output NMEA sentences from its internal GPS and waypoints, so I am forced to use an external TNC for that (and I use Xastir and a few different TNCs - TinyTrak 4, Tracker3, TNC-X, etc).
 
Last edited:

stu8319

New member
APRSDroid can send texts via SMSGTE. You can also send emails but I haven't dont that yet. Texts are all I need. I have a TM-V71A and a mobilinkd.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
APRSDroid can send texts via SMSGTE. You can also send emails but I haven't dont that yet. Texts are all I need. I have a TM-V71A and a mobilinkd.
So to use a TM-D710 with APRSdroid fully you need the AFSK interface (e.g. the MobilinkD) and can't interface with the TNC directly? In that case it seems there's not much reason to spend the extra money over a TM-V71 since it will doing a lot of parallel functions.
 

spagthorpe

Observer
What is with the author of APRSDroid not supporting imperial units? I would assume that having written the rest of the app, it's not beyond him, but more just plain doesn't want to.
 

sonoronos

Usually broken down on the side of the road
What is with the author of APRSDroid not supporting imperial units? I would assume that having written the rest of the app, it's not beyond him, but more just plain doesn't want to.

He's just a one man operation. If you send him an email saying that you'll pay him money for the mod, he'll probably do it once you hit him with paypal funds.

It took him 2 years to fix APRSDroid so that it works with Yaesu's built-in APRS TNC packets. Yes, for years, Yaesu FTM-400DR's didn't work with APRSDroid. Just fixed it in nov of last year.
 

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