X-Track!

An APRS Tracker Daughter Board for the TNC-X

The X-Track Daughter Board (Connector on Bottom)	TNC-X with the X-Track Installed

X-Track is a TNC-X Daughter Board that will allow you to connect an external GPS receiver directly to your TNC-X to transmit MIC-E encoded packets containing your position and beacon information. At the same time, all of the functions of the TNC-X are preserved. Thus you can, for example, run an APRS program on your computer, connect the computer to TNC-X through either the TNC-X's primary serial port or USB port, and connect a GPS receiver simultaneously to the TNC-X auxiliary serial port. Thus you can run an APRS program on your computer and take position information from a GPS receiver, all on a computer that has no serial ports at all.

X-Track can be configured using any standard terminal program on any computer that has a serial port. Even an older Palm Pilot running SimpleTerm can be used to reconfigure the device in the field. \

X-Track is a trivially simple kit to build. This is not a "one evening kit." It's more like a half hour kit. There are only nine parts plus the printed circuit board. There's only one IC, and it is socketed. X-Track plugs right into the expansion header on the TNC-X. X-Track fits entirely within the custom TNC-X box.

X-Track is available for only $17 plus shipping and handling in the United States, and $20 in the rest of the world. For mail orders contact John Hansen, W2FS. Or order on line via PayPal.