The HinzTec – anyfrog is the stand alone APRS weather- and position system for fixed and mobile use. Now with KISS mode for receive and transmit! This unit is the ideal stand alone solution for the demanding APRS – user with a multitude of options.

The HinzTec – anyfrog unit connects your weather station with the APRS – network in your neighborhood. Additionally, you can transmit your fixed or mobile GPS position in a variety of formats. Status messages are optional. Incoming analog 1k2 signals can easily be decoded. An integral KISS interface enhances the applications significantly. With a current drain of only 30 mA (at 12 V) anyfrog is predestined for power conscious applications.

More and more stations are now QRV on APRS, all using the same frequency. Cooperation among users is therefore necessary to avoid interference. Here is the solution: anyfrog enables collision free operation on the usual APRS frequencies. Through its digital DCD, anyfrog allows transmission of the beacon whenever the frequency is totally clear. The transceiver can be unsquelched, but even weak signals are recognized positively and quickly. The likelihood that your beacon information can be read by other participants thus increases significantly.

More and more stations are now QRV on APRS, all using the same frequency. Cooperation among users is therefore necessary to avoid interference. Here is the solution: anyfrog enables collision free operation on the usual APRS frequencies. Through its digital DCD, anyfrog allows transmission of the beacon whenever the frequency is totally clear. The transceiver can be unsquelched, but even weak signals are recognized positively and quickly. The likelihood that your beacon information can be read by other participants thus increases significantly.

anyfrog successfully powered all currently tested weather stations directly, without requiring additional voltages for communications.

Currently implemented Weather Stations:

TFA MATRIX-II / WS-2300 and compatible units
RadioShack WX 200 / Huger WM 918
Huger WMR-918 / WMR-928/ WMR-968
Davis VANTAGE with seriell interface
Peet Bros. ULTIMETER 2100 / 2000 / 800 / 100
Radiointerface S 2000 ID for CONRAD WS-7000 / ELV WS2000 / WMR 900H / La Crosse WS-2010

Whether you operate in mobile or fixed mode, anyfrog is the ideal APRS position system. In either mode, you have the option to transmit a stored position or an actual GPS-position from anyfrog. Note: in the latter case, a separate GPS receiver is required.
The local range function can inhibit the transmission of the beacon within approximately 200 meters of a fixed, stored position. The dynamic timer calculates the optimal timing between subsequent beacons to reach a reasonable ratio between beacon timing and velocity. Transmissions that would unnecessarily lead to crowded band condition can thus be avoided. iSetup will facilitate the change from the mobile to the fixed mode, and vice versa. This system creates two different configurations, that can be selected, depending on your needs. No more need to reconfigure the settings each time.

Starting with firmware version 1.2, anyfrog can demodulate received analog 1k2 signals. anyfrog incorporates a KISS interface to communicate with a PC or other hardware. This facilitates ongoing data manipulation, such as direct indication of received APRS stations in programs like TrackOn 1.2. Other programs or hardware must use the KISS protocol in order to interface with anyfrog.

No matter what your mode of operations is, anyfrog is your APRS program!

The following block diagram illustrates how HinzTec’s – anyfrog interfaces with the peripheral devices. The transceiver can be disabled through the green connections automatically during transmit pauses, which reduces power consumption significantly.

Specifications:

standalone APRS – weather and positions system
Weather station information will be transmitted as complete APRS beacon with position, wind direction and velocity, temperature, rain, air humidity and pressure.
GPS receiver data is transmitted as complete APRS position beacon with altitude and velocity.
Real digital DCD for collision free operation
Decoding of 1200 Baud analog packet data
KISSMODE to interface with other programs (TrackOn 1.2) and equipment
dynamic timer function with dynamic distance base selects optimal ratio between beacon and velocity
Supported positioning data formats: clear, compressed base91 and Mic-E with 15 kinds of information
iSetup System for a convenient stationary and mobile mission. Once configured, the switch occurs automatically on power up
in either mode, you can configure individual station info and status text
local range function can inhibit the transmission of the beacon ca. 200 m for the home QTH
Audio output level is configurable via software
Three LED’s indicate the status on the front panel
Front panel push button available for several purposes, among them for instant position beacon for test purposes
integral TTL to RS232 converter
full 8 Bit D to A converter for the analog output signal
full 10 bit A to D converter for the analog input signal
Internal jumper shifts PTT over to audio wire
GPS receiver can be fed directly from anyfrog. (5 V up to 100 mA is available at the CTRL port.)
simple connection through the Western connectors to peripheral equipment. (TRX, power, GPS receiver or weather station)
large voltage range from ca. 8 V to 18 V, with self resetting fuse.
Low power consumption, ca. 30 mA at 12 V (anyfrog only)
TRX can optionally be disconnected during transmit idle, reducing the power consumption significantly during standby
impact resistant aluminum case with anti slide plastic finish
firmware update via PC for future releases
small dimensions (52mm x 25 mm x 80 mm / W x H x D), lightweight

Version history:

Version 1.3

Added communication with the HinzTec – Short Message Display
Optimized setup version check
Fixed error when latitude was < 10° in Mic-E Format
Added new weather station / radio interface S 2000 ID CONRAD ws7000, ELV ws2000, WMR 900H, La Crosse WS-2010
WMR918 air pressure and temperature fixed
Added rain amount correction factor
insert / comment character only when automatically added dynamic data before
Added RX-Boost option
Added Short Message Display telemetry data analyses
Added free placeable macros for status- and info text

Price: 169 EU