Subj : Re: Advice for newb looking to get into APRS
To   : DENZUKO
From : Dan Cross
Date : Sat Feb 15 2020 04:21 am

On 10 Feb 2020 at 09:12p, DENZUKO pondered and said...
 
 DE> So first off,I have looked all over and have a good starting point on the
 DE> software side and what's the legal requirements for my area.
 DE> 
 DE> Last part I need to figure out is what is a good starter radio? I've been
 DE> looking into the Baofang uv-5r. But the guys at my local makerspace have
 DE> been saying that its way to noise on the spectrum and to look at
 DE> something else without actually advising what that would be and would
 DE> hit nearly the same price point.
 DE> 
 DE> Any suggestions on a good starting radio for linux based ax.25/aprs?

My advice, for what little it's worth, is to consider
skipping the HT.  Do you have a power supply?  If so,
then I'd consider going for a used FM mobile rig and
software TNC+soundcard.  For APRS/Packet, I'm running
an Icom IC2000H monobander I bought off a friend; it's
driving a Tigertronics SignaLink USB sound card from a
BananaPi running Raspbian and Direwolf.  I run it off
the same power supply I use for my HF rig and my multimode
VHF/UHF+ rig.

I homebrewed a few cables and an antenna and can hit
packet stations 30 or so miles away (and I'm in kind
of a bowl, geographically speaking).

It's a bit pricier than just an HT, as you've got to
get an external power-supply if you don't already have
one, and of course an antenna and feedline if you
haven't already got those as well, but it'll be much
higher performance, and if you're ok trafficking in
used gear, it doesn't have to break the bank.

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