APRS PCB (1999)

APRS TRACKER for AISIN GPS UNIT

This page is dedicated to the work done by Ron Graham, VK4BRG on the APRS-GPS interface for the AISIN OEM GPS units, that were retailing for US$20 in 1999.


This is the PCB from Ron

Ron should be commended for his work on this project. It was initiated with the donation/exchange of a couple of the GPS units as an encouragement. Ron has since produced some fantastic boards, allowing the GPS units to be mounted directly on the PCB with the modem, with the protocol converter IC. All the PCB's are double sided making soldering very easy, making it possible to produce a professional job. It has been so long since I worked on a double sided plated through board that I had forgotten how much fun they were to use.

I only received the boards on 23 December 1999, so in the last 24 hours I have been busy. I have located sources of all the parts that are difficult to obtain economically in Australia. These pictures are not of the final units. I am still working, but they are going well.
 

APRS board from Above APRS board from below with GPS
Maxon HT for APRS work, Mated with APRS 
equipment above

Blank 12C672 PIC's, 16F84-10P PIC's, 3.58 MHz resonators, 10 MHz crystals and voltage regulators are available from  www.microzed.com.au . Programmers for the 12C672 are available from  www.oatleyelectronics.com  . The MX-614 is available from  www.tapr.org .

My units are being integrated with handheld units from MAXON, with crystals from Hy-Q.