PLXTracker - APRS Tracker/TNC

51.17€

Product may vary slightly from image representation.
29 March 2024: I received a new batch of 110 pcs SMD-premounted boards for PLXTracker. The product is back in stock!

Configuration software for Windows (STABLE firmware):
PLXTracker Configurator v1.03 (installer): download
PLXTracker Configurator v1.03 (zip file): download

Our devices are always shipped with latest STABLE firmware version.

Configuration software for Windows (DEVELOPMENT firmware):
PLXTracker Configurator v1.07 (installer): download
PLXTracker Configurator v1.07 (zip file): download

Device manual v1.02: English language
Microsat devices feature comparison: download

Mic-E/Base-91/Plain text position reporting
The main feature for an APRS tracker is position reporting. PLXTracker allows you to select between three most common position reporting formats:
- Mic-E – uses both AX.25 destination address and information field for position report and is the most compact reporting method, giving the shortest packet length,
- Base-91 – second compressed method oriented to short report packet length,
- Plain text – in this method station position report is sent in human-readable plain text format,
You can also select between fixed time interval reporting which means that packets are sent every X number of seconds, and SmartBeaconing. SmartBeaconing is an algorithm which sends position reports with intervals dependant on speed and course, allowing for more accurate reporting especially in urban area. SmartBeaconing algorithm was first developed by Tony Arnerich KD7TA and Steve Bragg KA9MVA and now it is widely used by most APRS tracker devices.

Internal 512KB position memory
Internal device flash memory allow you to store your position history with second by second resolution. You can store more than 20000 history point which include:
- latitude,
- longitude,
- course,
- speed,
- altitude,
- time and date,
This feature allows the device to remember 5 hours of position history with second by second resolution or much more with slightly lower resolution like 10 seconds between points. You can simply read stored position history via USB and export them back to NMEA sentences which can be visualized on-line in most internet map services.

MultiPath APRS packets decoding
In PLXTracker device we resigned from hardware packet decoding method. MultiPath APRS packet decoding algorithm is a digital signal processing based method utilizing features of modern 32-bit microcontrollers used in our devices.
MultiPath decoding allows to decode received packets simultaneously by two decoding algorithms, with different digital filters applied to both paths. Packets distorted by low-frequency components or with imbalanced 1200/2200Hz tones are prefiltered which increases the probability of correct packet decoding.

APRS client
PLXTracker allows you to generate APRS data packets with information field defined by user and send them in a specified interval. In this way, it is possible to send beacons, objects, weather and telemetry data.

Simple alias-based APRS packet digipeater
With PLXTracker you can do a simple alias-based APRS packet digipeating. Generally APRS tracker units should not be used as a full-featured digipeaters but with alias-based feature you can digipeat WIDE1-1 packets sent by other mobiles increasing their chance of reaching an I-Gate.

Weather station support
PLXTracker allows you to receive weather information from weather stations via the RS-232 cable. Data is then encoded into the APRS packet and may be sent to APRS network at specified intervals.
Supported weather stations:
- LaCrosse/Technoline WS-2300,
- LaCrosse/Technoline WS-2350,
- Peet Bros Ultimeter 100,
- Peet Bros Ultimeter 800,
- Peet Bros Ultimeter 2000,
- Peet Bros Ultimeter 2100,
- Davis Vantage Pro (with RS232 datalogger),
- Davis Vantage Pro2 (with RS232 datalogger),
- Davis Vantage Pro Plus (with RS232 datalogger),
- Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus (with RS232 datalogger),

Telemetry reports and telemetry module support
Device allows you to send telemetry reports to APRS network. For this feature you need an external WXTelemetry module. With WXTelemetry module you can measure and send following values:
- two current measurement inputs,
- two voltage measurement inputs,
- DS18B20 digital thermometer input.

Firmware and configuration updates
In PLXTracker you can do all firmware and configuration updates over an USB cable connection from your PC using a simple Configurator application.

Device printed circuit board
Below you can see a photo of a device PCB. It is a compact design mounted on a high-quality 2-layer PCB manufactured in Poland. Every unit is mounted and tested by me.

What our customers say...

I've been using the PLX Trackers for a good year now and I'm very pleased with them. Easy to configure and hook up to a GPS and TRx, and once in use very stable and reliable. Coupled with a very reasonable price they have proven to be excellent value for money. Besides that MIcrosat gives very good service and ships promptly. w fr greetings/73 Leo PA5LS (-8 / -9)

Rated by Leo Starrenburg
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Polish English
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