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1 DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT
2 CONTENTS TM-D710A/E
1.2 Evolving Development
In order to develop an APRS model following the TM-D700 series, we discussed face-to-face
directly with Mr. Bob Bruninga, developer of APRS, an operation specification to better implement
the flexibility of the APRS protocol. We were going to “kick it up a notch” and make APRS still
more powerful.
We enhanced capability with several new important APRS functions on top of the basic functions
of the TM-D700 series:
• Added the capability to connect to weather observation devices and send weather information.
• Substantially increased the number of stations in the station list and message list.
• Included various sorting functions for finding information in the station list.
• Developed a proportional pathing function that reduced on-air traffic loading.
• Introduced a menu-configurable Digipeat function.
• Added the voice frequency to outgoing packets.
• Added display of the voice frequency on incoming packets.
The lists of ideas generated from these meetings were endless. In the future, we will endeavor to
develop more new features and turn the ideas into reality via version upgrades.
1.3 Affinity with VoIP
We closely studied EchoLink since this system has the greatest number of amateur radio operator
users of any VoIP system currently in use. Our studies indicated that a mobile station was the
most convenient method for access to the EchoLink system. Also, the concept of a fixed node
number per each station using the EchoLink system was fundamental.
In order to connect the amateur radio equipment to a computer more simply, we re-developed the
interface cable, too. This interface improvement made the system more robust.
The merging of APRS and VoIP has great potential for the future of ham radio. The APRS
network knows where everyone is by callsign. The EchoLink network knows how to connect
distant FM transceiver users via VoIP. Future merging of these technologies should be able to
allow end-to-end voice links anywhere on earth by a simple APRS message request by callsign
alone. Think of it as ham radio’s cell phone system.
We believe the TM-V71A/E, TM-D710A/E and RC-D710 give the potential to the amateur radio
community to evolve into this future network.