REFLECTOR: APRS amateur radio tracking

Dave Philipsen velocity at davebiz.com
Sat Jul 19 22:29:00 CDT 2008


Well, I didn't think it was that difficult.  Admittedly,  I did already have a keen interest in electronics.  My method was this: Even before you start to study, go through the entire pool of questions and try to answer them to the best of your knowledge and using common sense.  Then, check your answers and concentrate on only the ones you answered incorrectly.  After studying a bit, do the same thing with the remaining answers you missed,etc, etc.   I think there is a website somewhere that will give you a test quiz of random questions from the pool.  If you can pass that, then you'll likely pass the real test.

Dave Philipsen
Velocity STD-FG
N83DP

-----Original Message-----
From: "Chuck Jensen" <cjensen at dts9000.com>
Date: Saturday, Jul 19, 2008 9:09 pm
Subject: REFLECTOR: APRS amateur radio tracking
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>Reply-To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>

Dave, 

We'll rename this before it dies so people can find it.  You say studying for the test was not that big of a deal?

Chuck Jensen


-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]On Behalf Of Dave Philipsen
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 6:50 PM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Armpit scoop cooling problems


Ham radio licenses may be acquired by passing a test given by a VEC 
(Volunteer Examiner Coordinator).  VECs are scattered around the country 
and you can find a testing location at this site: 
http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml

In my area (small town midwest) there are testing sessions every month.  
They alternate between my town and another nearby town.  I took my test 
at the police station.  Some tests are given at libraries or other 
locations.  I believe the fee is under $20.  If you have a basic 
understanding of electronic theory you can probably answer at least 50% 
of the questions.  If you have good short-term memory you can study the 
entire pool of questions in a matter of a few days and do very well on 
the test even if you don't fully understand everything.  Believe me, 
anyone who has passed the pilot's written test can pass the ham test.  
Even if you fail it, you can take it again until you pass it.

Here's another good reason to get an APRS system up and running:  If you 
conceal the system and wire it into your master switch then if anyone 
should steal your plane, you will have a beacon showing you within a few 
feet of where it is.  And, many tracking sites on the internet archive 
the data for several days.

I'll try to take some pics of my install and maybe even put a tracking 
demo link up soon.


Chuck Jensen wrote:
 Dave,

> The APRS is an excellent idea.  Some on the RV list have been doing this and seems to work very well.  FlightAwares is fine as long as a person is filed and flying IFR, but there's no tracking for VFR.  I'd intended to install a system but getting around to getting the ham license was what had slowed me up. Where does one take a ham test? Keep us posted on how things go and share whatever details you can.

> Chuck Jensen

>
   

-- 
Dave Philipsen
Velocity STD-FG
N83DP

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