WB4APR's APRS Site | The Win/Mac APRS Site

APRS Live (requires Java) from: Miami | Atlanta | Rochester | Long Island

        APRS has grown in Florida over the past few years, thanks to dedicated volunteers and public safety agencies, who have developed an extensive network of data generating, and relay stations or 'digipeaters.'

        Collier County Emergency Management sponsors a high site digi at Carnestown, along US 41 near Everglades City, about 40 miles southeast of Naples, and about 65 miles northwest of Miami.  At 270 feet, the site easily connects the two coasts, and relays data including important weather information which is shared with the National Weather Service forecast offices in Miami and Ruskin (Tampa Bay).

        The site easily communicates with other south Florida digis around the clock, including:

WB2WPA-4, Naples/Collier County EOC APRS IGate (40 miles NW)
KD4BBM-6, Homestead which links to the Miami IGate (70 miles SE, at 1400 feet)
KS4NS, Ft. Myers (60 miles NW)
W4LHI-1, Lehigh Acres (60 miles NW)
KF4HFR, Punta Gorda/Charlotte County EOC (90 miles NW)
K4PKT-1, Clewiston (75 miles N)
K4PKT-3, West Palm Beach (94 miles NE)
WC4ACR, KS4JSD-3, and WA4WHD-3 in Broward County (75 miles east)
KF4DXY-3, Boca Raton (84 miles east) and
W4MLB-1, Melbourne (175 miles NE)

        At night, the site often shares packets with digis in the Tampa Bay (150 miles NW) and Orlando (180 miles N) areas, and often as far north as Jacksonville, over 300 miles to the north!

        The weather station network in south Florida uses the two sites to relay current weather data to both the Miami NWS office and the National Hurricane Center in Miami.  A new cross frequency link will be installed soon which will relay weather data from the Florida Keys into the south Florida network.  It should also be able to access both the Carnestown and Homestead digis.

        In the event that a major storm takes out either of the high sites, the other should remain on the air barring a worst case landfall on the east coast which then travels west along 41 which would also put Carnestown at risk.

        Working together, the KD4BBM-6 digi and KG5QD-3 provide solid coverage of south Florida for mobiles and fixed stations alike.

        Dale, KG5QD, is the APRS site trustee.  Our thanks to Dale for his long hours in getting the site on the air and maintaining it.  Taking care of a site this remote can take a lot of time, either in travelling back and forth, in developing remote control methods, or both.

 For larger images click on the pictures below.

	Located near Everglades City, about 37 miles from Naples on a bearing of 117 degrees, the site is about 60 miles from Miami.
	Located at 270 feet, the commercial four bay antenna links Naples and Ft. Myers with the east coast, from Key West to West Palm Beach.   The red arrow points to the APRS antenna. This is a commerical site.  The tower owner has generously provided space for government communications.  The tower is one of the tallest along US 41 between Naples and Miami.  It was in place when the center of hurricane 'Andrew' passed five to ten miles south of the site, and survived without damage. The building also houses one of the Collier County Government 800 MHz trunk sites.
	The Carnestown APRS antenna is on the southwest leg of the tower.  The antenna was moved from it's original position about two days before these pictures were taken.  It was lowered about 10 feet to provide space for a public safety antenna improvement.  However, in it's current location it hears and transmits to West Palm Beach without a problem on a routine basis.
	The equipment, housed in an air conditioned shelter, elevated above possible flood waters, and secured in a locked rack.  An ADI 50 watt two meter transceiver and Astron power supply are on the top shelf, with the MFJ TNC TNC (with the latest PacComm firmware) on the lower shelf.  The Astron supply which powers the radio and TNC can be cycled on and off remotely if the system hangs, as long as the receiver is working.  A time out timer is also used on the transmitter.
	Close up view of the RF area.  The ADI runs 50 watts, through a short pigtail to a Polyphaser lightning protector (silver box above the radio), which is connected to the building ground system through #4 ground wire, to the rack, and to the antenna through about 350 feet of 7/8 inch hardline.  A VHF antenna tuner has been added to provide the best possible load to the transmitter.  SWR on the transmitter end of the cable is about 1.7:1.  (Note spare fuses taped to the radio.) Every effort is made to keep connections as solid as possible to eliminate any potential interference to the digi or other site users. The other cables in the rack are not presently used, but run to other areas of the shelter for expansion.
	A 15 KVA  UPS provides clean AC and temporary back up power, to this portion of the shelter which also houses several other communications systems.
	Outside, a generator provides long term emergency power to the entire site, which includes a Collier County Sheriff's Office substation serving the Everglades City area.   The site is only about 4 feet above sea level, so the shelter and generator are elevated to protect from flooding.

        Our thanks to the agencies and volunteers involved in putting this site together and maintaining it.