We are two months into 2025 and I thought it was time to update my APRS iGate information. Since moving from California to Golden Valley, Arizona there have been a few changes to my amateur radio configuration.
Radio – To start, early in 2024 the Azden PCS-2000 radio finally gave up the ghost. It would transmit but the receive side had given out, which is opposite of what usually happens with workhorse radios. Finding another vintage radio for a single dollar on eBay again was not going to happen twice for me. The Adzen’s replacement was a Kenwood TR-7800 2M mobile radio. For APRS, older radios lacking the repeater tone capability is a great solution – the older radios are usually built to be very hearty and can be obtained for far less money than current models.
Terminal Node Controller (TNC) hardware – The EasyDigi radio interface did not play well with the new Kenwood radio so I ended up using a USB Signalink interface. I will try using the EasyDigi interface again at a later time as I think the hold up was the USB Serial device.
Software – APRS-IS has been good for basic iGate usage. I implemented BPQ32 and it worked but seems to be better suited for Packet Radio and RF BBS usage. Currently, the station is running Direwolf configured for APRS iGate usage. A function that I appreciate about Direwolf is that the TNC software is integrated into the package unlike APRS-IS which required something like SoundModem ( UZ7HO ). Direwolf is available under both Windows and Linux.
Host Computer – No changes to the host PC so far. Eventually, I would like to move the APRS station over to solar power which would make a Raspberry Pi a perfect host computer and Direwolf migration would be easy to perform.
Online Resources:
Direwolf – https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf
APRS.FI Mapping – https://aprs.fi/
My stats – https://aprs.fi/info/a/KM6KPW
APRSDirect Stats – https://www.aprsdirect.com/details/main/sid/2904398
Alan / KM6KPW