For those that might be interested, the latest version of Overland Navigator has been released. It was supposed to be a minor release but we wound up adding a few features anyway.
Some of the new features include:
- APRS specific NMEA support [/*:m:1m01lroj]
- Location specific Sunrise / Sunset times [/*:m:1m01lroj]
- UTM Coordinate Display [/*:m:1m01lroj]
- Continuous GPS Track Storage to Disk[/*:m:1m01lroj]
- GPS Output to external devices [/*:m:1m01lroj]
- NMEA logging [/*:m:1m01lroj]
- Display preferences [/*:m:1m01lroj]
- High end GPS support - Track up to 64 satellites [/*:m:1m01lroj]
- Bugfixes and performance enhancements[/*:m:1m01lroj]
There is a more complete description on the webpage, but a brief explanation of the APRS display support as it is the most significant new feature.
NOTE: Overland Navigator remains as simple to use as ever for non-HAM/APRS users. APRS allows a GPS and HAM radio to be combined to broadcast your postion over the airwaves. Others listen for these location beacons and can plot them on a map/GPS such as Overland Navigator. Repeaters repeat the signals so they can travel for a very long distance. Gateways take the locations and add them to a database that is accessible via the Internet by friends/family (E.g.
http://aprs.fi). APRS can do much more, but this is the basic description.
The software supports the APRS specific NMEA sentences that the Kenwood D7xx radios, Tiny Tracker 4, Argent Data Systems, etc trackers output. This allows Overland Navigator to display APRS specific symbols on the map. The radio/tnc/tracker is still responsible for handling the beaconing of your location.
You connect your GPS to Overland Navigator for input, then connect Overland Navigator to your tracker as it's GPS input. The tracker uses this connection to send any stations it heard back to Overland Navigator. This is, for example, the same way that you'd hook up a Garmin GPS to a tracker. There are some advantages to using Overland Navigator over a regular GPS though.
In contrast to most GPS units, when new stations are heard, Overland Navigator will update the location on the map instead of adding an additional waypoint. This greatly reduces the amount of on-screen clutter and removes the need to manually delete waypoints.
The APRS waypoints automatically fade away and then expire on their own. This lets you visually see how long it's been since you last heard from an APRS station. You can set the interval. If you have it set to 40 minutes, and a symbol is just about ready to disappear then you know it's been about 40 minutes since you last heard from it.
Finally, we tried to redo all the APRS symbols to have a consistent look/feel , offer more contrast with the background maps, and to be distinguishable from regular Overland Navigator waypoints (square).
Primary Symbols
Secondary Symbols
Craig
Linear Mode
