Mobilinkd Bluetooth TNC3, APRS/Packet On ANY Radio

[@k9rka489]

Your aprs videos are why I bought a ft2d and setup winlink. I've been blowing minds sending text messages to people through my "walkie talkie".

[@FBPrepping]

This is a total game changer. I just come from watching videos on Radio Packet wondering how reliable a couple of old PCs with DB9 ports...and where to find a good used TNC for my node....and this shows up, sending me 20 years to the future. This is great especially now. Thanks for this dude. Really appreciated. People should not be waiting for a disaster to happen to be prepared. Let´s hope this tragedy teaches them something.

[@nateworzel6044]

When you made your love bug video I was thinking thank God I don't live down there. Well it's June and they have found their way up to Missouri. They're covering the windows of my house and I'll be picking up some windshield wiper fluid first thing in the morning to beat the crowds. They just came out overnight! Wish me luck and great videos!

[@wm6h]

Eric is right, hams should use APRS more. Meeting locations, ham classes, ham swap meets, etc. A ham was driving to my house to pick up something, I told him to use APRS to find my house. He said he didn’t have APRS yet and was surprised when I told him to just use a regular browser on his phone with url aprs.fi or APRSdirect.com. This was a long time ham.

[@dabshire3]

Love your KZbin watch them all the time keep up the good work. I used my Mobilinkd TNC2 with my labtop running wibdow vista and a Yaesu ft2900 connected to Windlink.

[@fischkindify]

Thanks Eric, I just purchased the TNC3. Made my decision from watching your videos. 73

[@PatrickDickey52761]

I know this is an old video and you may have started working with the old TNC. For anyone else (or you), at the @10:47 mark you would get a DB25 to either DB9 (if you have a serial port on your computer) or DB25 to DB9 and an RS232 to USB adapter.

[@Bill_N7FTM]

FYI, that PK-232 MBX is not just for packet/aprs! It also has CW, RTTY, ASCII, Packtor, Amtor/sitor, Weather Fax. If you get with Timewave they have a hardware upgrade that allows you to connect to a computer with a USB cable! As for cables, there are websites that have cables for just about any radio you have.

[@demonlust75]

Amazing! This stuff gets better and better :)

[@davidsalomon4944]

"The zombies came and ate your face". :) GREAT video. Thanks.

[@robkc5ret126]

Another FANTASTIC video Eric. Please keep up the great work. Would this work with the Amazon Fire HD tablets? In particular the 8" version? Second question: Could the TNC2 OR TNC3 versions be used as part of a digipeater/Igate setup?

[@reelfootjim6925]

I’ve been using the Mobilinkd TNC3 for almost a year now. I primarily use it for portable winlink and APRS. I would like to use it for Packet BBS, but I can’t seem to figure out how to make that work or find any guidance on the internet for that. Have you used it for BBS work? If so, mind sharing your software/configuration setup? Thanks. K0JNR

[@bonafidebaby7555]

Targeted individual team member here. That’s so Awsome u can track people harrassing them causing street theatre and make em s-icidal and it making the public think that it’s schizophrenia

[@douglasdreger3852]

I would be good to run back to back RBN tests with the AX-1 attached to the KX2 and then with the tripod as you use it. I connect mine to the radio and it works fine, but I am curious how much better it is on the tripod. The elevated counterpoise in your next video looks interesting.

[@100lastgoodnerves8]

Great vids. Here in South Fla. Just got my technicians license. KO4IDX. Here is my question. I am interested in aprs. To help decode, i plan on using an android or ipad. Is there any risk of catching a virus from the emails or text messages?

[@jimlanigan7298]

Eric. Can you do a follow-up video showing the TNC3 in action? Maybe send a message to someone that can respond? Thanks

[@gabrielsierra865]

Hello, I saw that you did not connect any cables to the R-Finder. So, you are using the BT TNC with the R-Finder completely wireless? Thanks!

[@CommoMike]

Okay the Mobilinkd config tool is on the Apple store but what Apple APRS App works with the TNC3? Is there one yet? Im talking about the Apple version of APRSDroid.

[@ElPeregrino]

Hey! How about the new android app iGate2? It promises to decode APRS without TNC. 🤔 Please make a review of the simple app.

[@M0SZT]

Hi I've just published a few field tests of the TNC3 on my channel, enjoying the hardware.

[@hfe1833]

Great video mate, where's the link for purchase

[@keanelaguatan1544]

I have been wanting to get into APRS for awhile now. What kind of HT is that around 15:05 on your video? Thank you.

[@wilcoxtactical3716]

Does this setup allow sending and receiving messages? I'm a ham interested in the idea but can't find the info I need. My Delorme Inreach can send and receive messages easily without internet but if this can do it without a monthly fee I'm all in.

[@carlossantini3605]

What do you prefer Mobilinkd or AVRT5?

[@hamradionut]

Hi, Just watched your video here and also the one on the TNC2. The problem I have with both of them is the Map section of the APRSdroid app. You mentioned this being good for emergencies, the problem is without internet or a cellular network the map won't work. Yes I tried it, I have a TNC3 that i've been playing with for four days now. It works great if I have WiFi or cellular, but let say for example the emergency take out all internet or cell service... at this point the map portion becomes useless. Now I have read that there is a version of the APRSdroid app that you can download and install, however it's not in the play store. It's an APK that you install from an unknown source and install on the android device. Then there is a map file that you have to download and put on the android device in order for the maps to work without internet or cell service. I have yet been able to get this to work. I travel up in some of the mountain areas in Georgia where there is no internet or cell service, but I can hear APRS stations all around me. It would be great to be able to use this APRS method up in those, Maybe you could figure out how it needs to be done and post a video. Just an idea, might even generate a lot more interest in APRS. And I am a licensed ham, licensed in 1987 and have my General class. Thanks,

[@kidda71]

I ran into the same issue I had to download a map to the phone. aprsdroid.org/osm/

[@markbolin6651]

How much does a TNC3 cost and where do you purchase it? Great video!

[@Mobilinkd]

Hi Mark, you can get one here: store.mobilinkd.com/collections/frontpage/products/mobilinkd-tnc3

[@landscapelighting]

What do you mean by seeing a storm on your iPad and typing a message during a storm?

[@bthemedia]

@17:28 ** GPS ** comes from your Phone - most tablets (WiFi only) do NOT have GPS built in (iPad and Android WiFi-only tablets). Or could get a Bluetooth GPS device like XGPS150a or XGPS160.

[@1crazynordlander]

Not sure if you reply or not but our family goes to the Black Hills every year with our ATVs. I use a app called Avenza maps. Would this track our ride to an iPad without an APRS digipeater or igate available? I am not sure if there is one in the area. I will check aprs.fi to see. Or even if I do not have this attached to a radio, just the iPad. I guess what I am asking will this provide GPS capability to an iPad that doesn't have the cellular capabilities?

[@snake_eyes_garage]

You can connect this to an iPad to map out the coordinates of the beacons received over radio. You can just get a 2m radio with excellent receive and a nice antenna. And you can manually define a position and beacon out that location to others. But you need a GPS to automatically and dynamically update your position. If you don’t have a radio attached, this product isn’t going to do much for you. This product does not contain a GPS receiver. And fwiw I just now saw that you can buy a GPS module with lightning connector. Btw this is basically a Byonics TT4 w/Bluetooth built in - but the added battery is nice.

[@californiakayaker]

I'm thinking about the Mobilinkd because of the Bluetooth feature and how well it would work with my Win Tablet. The only thing I don't have on my tablet is Linux, it has Android and Win 10. So far, APRSDroid hasn't wanted to load up on the Android side. . I use it for JS8CALL (windows) with an external keyboard to send messages on HF many thousands of miles. I have heard that I could put the maps in a thumb drive needing 2 gigs only. FLDigi works fine, All of the FT8 style programs work well. I don't think WinLink will work on it, its too much for it , at least on HF. Its a CHUWI . (inexpensive). Haven't done straight packet yet but I think that will work. You can plug in a GPS if needed, usb type. I also got an Kantronics PK232 mbx and so far have communicated with it with the CHUWI using a terminal after setting the 8 bits ect. Oh, and the Chuwi has Bluetooth . The Texting option with APRS will make if VERY popular. And, recently, being able to text a Cell, and that Cell can text back, WOW ! So, APRS higher powered with a dedicated radio in the Truck is high on the list. We have areas where you cannot communicate for 100drs of miles on a very rugged highway (Trinity County) and this is a big deal ! Because APRS (a digipeater) is located on a high mountain top in that county !

[@RevGunn-jq3cq]

Cool!

[@carmelob97]

I can use this radio with a Baofeng UV5R? Or Yaesu FT60DE?

[@roosterjumseven]

Can you use the ft3dr’s Bluetooth to push location data to an iOS device without the mobilinkd??

[@karinhart489]

Do you have a video using the Mobilinkd with the 817? (I just asked on an older video on TNC-2 for APRS)

[@karinhart489]

Well, my Mobilinkd TCN3 came in the mail yesterday, so I’ll be trying to figure it out next month (July) as time permits. While I got it to send email via packet radio on 2m (Winlink), I decided to start with APRS first. Thank you for posting about this inexpensive option... it moved to the front of the line on what to learn next with just a Technician license.

[@danpalex]

can this be used without a license?

[@bthemedia]

@16:33 vs @17:22 looks like the Map 🗺 and other functions (Qrz lookup, etc) in app will require internet/WiFi for your phone. You could have some small static maps, but not high resolution over long ranges.

[@hamout227]

It would be nice if it would also be a IGate and send info you get in the radio back to APRS

[@snake_eyes_garage]

You should be able to use this as an iGate with the right app and Internet connectivity. I have a goal of setting up my aprs setup as an iGate in my ‘go box’ so that while it waits, it is making itself useful. Then when it is time to move I am beaconing.

[@drdiesel1]

What kind of Android device is that, the one that looks like an HT?

[@brianpacchetti5028]

RFinder Android Radio

[@user-vm2ke3yk9n]

Can this set up be used as a igate

[@snake_eyes_garage]

The size and simplicity is nice if it works and is energy efficient. Bummer that usb is only for charging. Data is radio audio or Bluetooth only. Their website doesn’t list any specs at all.

[@Mobilinkd]

Hi! USB on the TNC3 is for data as well (USB serial port). What sort of specs are you after that are not covered on the product page of our online store?

[@snake_eyes_garage]

Good to know. I’m not trying to be a turd. The line ‘usb for charging’ lead me to believe that’s all it is for... specs like Bluetooth (I see now as 4.2 on the shop page) and usb protocol/version, battery charge capacity mah, standby and operating time (I see that now as two days?), operating temperature range... but it’s just me

[@Mobilinkd]

​@@snake_eyes_garage I appreciate the feedback. I try to provide as much information as possible without duplicating information everywhere. I do see that I need to clean up the website a bit to make sure the information is updated. Thanks for the candid feedback.

[@todd9524]

still messing with mine. i think the directions were written in a tad bit of a snarky manner

[@canaanp]

Maps won't load without internet.. unless you have a particular area cached ahead of time.

[@k4sbb829]

Looking to get the 2 to work with my tmv71a

[@lgcacher9205]

Got one of these because of this video about 4 or 5 months ago. I received packets but that's it. Need help kj4yzi and still trying to get it work I got a new kenwood v71a radio and new antenna and tnc3 and wire for my radio and paid for the aprsdroid got it all set up and Nothing then I tryed on a base antenna with 50 watts nothing on winlink all this does is .it pickup aprs packets it does not do aprs message or work on winlink Please help I sign up on winlink email all it works on is internet nothing with the radio. I can hear it making noises on another radio so I think it is trying to work do I need to put a 150 watt amplifier. With the radio . I can hear aprs and winlink frequency on the radio but that's it. What is wrong. Was this a wast of money and time.

[@mtbeers1670]

I am running a ft2dr. What setting do I need to set on the radio and what setting do I need to set on aprs.fi ios

[@linaskerbelis5636]

Can you unplug mobilinkd from radio and use radio for voice call and then to replug it in order to continue APRS( without restarting the whole process)?

[@HamRadioConcepts]

first

[@wushock92]

LOL

[@thomasmoen9110]

So basically an iPhone is still useless for APRS via Mobilinkd?

[@daleurban4059]

Thomas Moen the mobilinkd3 is iOS campatible

[@thomasmoen9110]

@@daleurban4059 Maybe, but the only ios app that's useful is the Mobilinkd configuration app. Nothing else I've found is comparable to aprsdroid.

[@digitalskratch9760]

@@thomasmoen9110 That's what I'm trying to find out in my research. It seems like just the config app is for Apple. If so how do you "use" it. I have an old burner android I could use but want to take this hiking and don't want to have to bring my iphone, radio, TNC3 AND an Android phone just to be able to text or drop my location via APRS. Can anyone confirm this?

[@MikeG-js1jt]

there is no igating support with aprsdroid though.....

[@joshjones4295]

Would you use this to connect your Davis to APRS?

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

Why would I want to spend hundreds of dollars to broadcast my exact location to the world?

[@sonicthreads]

Such a common misnomer of APRS. Read the documentation and you will be able to see the capabilities.

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

@@sonicthreads I can't see anything that I can't already do by other means.

[@sonicthreads]

@@BarefootBeekeeper by other means that doesn't require spending hundreds of dollars (at least at some point?)

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

@@sonicthreads I can get an exact GPS location, send email, even allow my phone to be tracked already. What else can it do?

[@sonicthreads]

Works without internet.

[@TecSpyToxicTeam]

you sold it to me

[@EdwardVanNatta]

I am looking for about your product place lace me a message . When I post this, I am looking for more information no this . like know can get one me can find one .

[@gremlin591002]

You know the creator for APRSdroid is dead right?

[@Mobilinkd]

That means @APRSdroid is able to tweet from the afterlife. :)

[@JNET_Reloaded]

its not things not working with crapple its more likely crapple not working with things! android owns!