PinPoint APRS®

A Quick Overview

Frank Watervoort ABØWV

Requirements

Required Software• The latest version of PinPoint (free, D24 donation recommended)• Microsoft .NET framework 2.0 (free)• Microsoft MapPoint 2004 or 2006 (approx $70+, 60-day free trial, take a look at eBay as well)• Adobe Acrobat Reader (free)

Optional Software• Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 (approx $40)

Requirements

Required Hardware• PC with at least a Pentium III, Windows 2000, XP or Vista, 256MB of memory, 512MB recommended• At least one serial port (USB to serial will work)• VHF or UHF radio setup with supported TNC (Kantronics products or Kenwood D7, D700, D710, TS2000)

Optional Hardware• NMEA compatible serial GPS, attached to PC or attached to D7/D700/D710

Installation• Install all required software, order doesn’t matter• Updating maps with Streets & Trips 2008? Copy c:\program files\streets & trips 2008\data directory contents to c:\program files\mappoint\data • Default installation options are fine• Make sure serial port is ready to go (if you have a USB to serial converter, install it, including drivers)• Attach TNC to PC and radio, GPS if available

Installation•Using a D7/D700/D710? It needs to be in TNC mode, not APRS mode!• Default TNC speed is 9600bps, GPS is 4800bps• Start up MapPoint 2004/2006 once, to agree to Microsoft’s Terms & Conditions and close it down again (only needed once)• …and finally, fire up PinPoint using the icon on your desktop. You should have a screen that looks like this:

Configuration

• Go to the Tools > Options menu• On the General tab, change the call sign & SSID• On the TNC tab, set up your TNC• Optional: On the GPS tab, set up your GPS and your initial position• Walk through other options to set preferences•Click OK to save changes permanently

Configuration

Configuration

Configuration

Configuration

Configuration

Configuration

Configuration

Using PinPointTNC: connects or disconnectsThe TNC. Green means connected

GPS: connects/disconnects theGPS (not used with GPS pass thru)

Beacon: controls beaconing

Track: track all stations on map

Filters: enable filters. Define filters under ‘Edit’ menu.

Alarms: enable alarms. Define alarms under ‘Edit’ menu.

Mute: turn all sound off

Using PinPointLat /Lon is your current latitude / longitude if using a GPS

Course is the course you are heading down

Accuracy is the GPS calculated accuracy for your position

Altitude is your current altitude

Speed is your GPS calculated speed in MPH.

Sats is the number of satellites that the GPS currently uses

Fix gives an idea of the quality of your position calculation

Using PinPoint

The Last Heard window shows information for each APRS Packet Type (Position, Weather, Msg, etc)

The information shown for each type of APRS packet is dependent on the information that is available in the APRS packet, so not all reports look the same, even within message types.

Using PinPoint

Last Heard window

Right-click on a call sign:

Track on mapShow on mapShow aerial view Callsign lookupSend messageGet driving directionsRemove stationSort alphabeticallyGet FindU historyPlot DF bearing

Aerial View

Bird’s eye View

Call sign lookup

Driving directions

Direction Finding

Edit Filters

Edit Alarms

Using PinPointThe TNC Data screen shows raw data received from and sent to TNC

• Show GPS shows raw NMEA data coming from GPS• To send a command to the TNC, enter it, click Send• Clear clears all raw TNC data in the TNC Data screen• Save allows you to save the raw TNC data for later ‘playback’• Suspend allows you to Suspend display of additional raw TNC data until you click it again

Using PinPoint

Using PinPoint

Using PinPoint

Hold SHIFT key whileyou click on the map

Using PinPoint

Hold SHIFT key whileYou RIGHT click on the map

Using PinPoint

Keyboard shortcuts (make sure Map is not the active window):

Z – Zoom – Temporarily zooms map in or outR – Restore Initial Map ViewM – Minimize all pinpoint windows to the task barN – Night mode – Sets all windows and map to night modeB – Force beacon – Beacons immediately if the TNC is connectedF – FindU lookup – Plots FindU history on the mapP – Presbyopia mode – Switches to larger fontsW – Reset the main PinPoint window sizes and locationsD – Plot DF bearing on map shortcut

Night mode

Examples

Examples

Poker Run (all beacons)

Poker Run (sweeps only)

What’s next?Full APRS 1.1 / 1.2 implementation ….. D700 D710 Limited remote control ….. Decaying packet algorithm ….. Proportional path’ing ….. Path analysis ….. Enhanced mapping icon set ….. Rotating status texts ….. APRS object enhancements ….. Frequency objects ….. CWOP station reporting ….. iGate ….. Trip computer ….. Severe weather alert map overlay ….. Incident management enhancements ….. Weather station interface ….. etc ….. etc

Users determine the development priorities…

Questions?

If you have questions about the use of PinPoint or suggestions for future capabilities, please send an email to ABØWV@aresd24.org

If you like PinPoint, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to ARES District 24 of Douglas & Elbert Counties