Appalachian Trail Golden Packet
kevin-radio-configs

Golden Packet D700 portable DIGI CONFIGURATION

Last modified: Feb. 12, 2022

13 June 2021 - Removed FTM350 from this file, since it does not digi! 21 July 10 - Separated out the D710 data to its own file 22 July 09 - Original file for 2009

Originally written by: Bob, WB4APR

The fundamental requirements for a temporary Golden Packet Digi are:

  • Support HOPn-N paths (with 1 level of trace history)
  • Support TEMPn-N paths with tracing
  • Position beacon once every 10 minutes via HOP7-7,HOP7-7 (mainline stn)
  • Position beacon once every 10 minutes via TEMP2-2 (alternative solution)
  • DO NOT support WIDEn-N

Next is a quick summary of things to configure on your Kenwood D700. NOTE: you will need a PC connection, so configure these radios BEFORE the day of the event!!! A set-by-set instructions follow the quick summary.

Station Functions Set From Front Panel Menu

  • Enter MYCALL for your site (for example, COMERS-4)
  • Enter latitude/longitude (LAT/LON POSITION) for your site
  • Set to beacon once every 10 minutes
  • Using the path of HOP7-7,HOP7-7 (mainline)

Station Functions Set from PC Port

  • Set MYCALL for your site plus SSID
  • Set BTEXT !DDMM.mmN/DDDMM.mmW;comments
  • Set UNPROTO APGOLD VIA HOP7-7,HOP7-7
  • Set BEACON every 60 (that’s 10 minutes)
  • Set UIFLOOD to HOP,ID
  • Set UITRACE to TEMP
  • Set HID to OFF

AT Golden Packet Event Digipeater Settings for the D700

  1. PRIOR TO THE EVENT, make these TNC settings in PACKET mode using a dumb terminal. These settings can remain permanently in the radio and it can still be used normally on the normal APRS channel or it can be used for Field Day or the Annual AT event or any other emergency where HOPn-N or TEMPn-N paths are used.
  • Set UIFLOOD to HOP,ID
  • Set UITRACE to TEMP
  • Set HID to OFF

If you are going to operate the radio in APRS mode, then all the rest of the setting you make in APRS mode. But if you are going to operate in PACKET mode, you have to also set the BTEXT, UNPROTO, and BEACON TNC commands listed earlier if they are not provided by any client APRS software.

  1. Power cycle radio and then test the digipeater with another radio using HOP7-7. It should digipeat, and substitute its own call (MYDIGI) and decrement the N number. The digipeated path should look like this: `W3XYZ>APRSAT,MYDIGI,HOP7-6:…….

  2. For the event, then set APRS mode and these MENU items:

  • RADIO - DISPLAY - KEY FUNCTION MODE3 (D700 only)
  • RADIO - MEMORY - AUTO PM STORE OFF (D700)
  • AUX - AUTO PM STORE OFF (D710, maybe this is not needed on this page?)
  • APRS - MYCALL - To your assigned station call-SSID
  • APRS - GPS UNIT - OFF
  • APRS - MY POS - Set to your assigned position, see web page)
  • APRS - STATION ICON - Set to digipeater star
  • APRS - STATUS TEXT - Set as required, but keep it short!)
  • APRS - STATUS TX RATE - Set to 1/1
  • APRS - PACKET PATH - HOP7-7,HOP7-7 (Mainline, TEMP2-2 if alternate needed)
  • APRS - PACKET TX - AUTO
  • APRS - TX INTERVAL - 10 minutes

Again, if operating PACKET mode, then you have to also set up the TNC BTEXT, BEACON, and UNPROTO commands if not done by any client software.

  1. BAND-A set to 144.34 MHz, volume up, DATA channel, SQL tight!

  2. BAND-B set to 445.925 MHz or other simplex voice frequency

  3. FUNCTION - PM-IN - PM# Save this for rapid configuration.

  4. Cycle F function button (including holding 1 sec) until you get the TNC button on the lower left. Cycle it until you get the APRS TNC isplay in the upper left of the display.

  5. Cycle F button to find the BCON button, and cycle it until BCON display on the top line of the display to enable beacons.

Operating procedures will be in a different file: AT-checklist.txt