So my technically inclined brain and my somewhat deflated wallet have come up with a solution for a somewhat stupid situation I got myself into. A few years back, I had to sell all my ham equipment for cash. And because of that, I let my ticket expire...I know..now I realize the error of my ways! Here it is a few years later and I'm starting to stockpile equipment again and last season I found myself in a situation I didn't see coming. I'm all geared up except for this major deficiency and now I'm wondering if anyone has any experience to help me though until I can come up with a more permanent fix.
When I'm out, I'm using GR3, SN, and streets and trips. I'm using GPSgate for all my GPS needs, and I'm using my Motorola Q as my modem though a USB connection and PDAnet using Sprint. PDAnet has a feature that it's "supposed" to disconnect from the data net on an incoming call....that has never happened. I can get and send text messages while I'm streaming data, but the voice calling is disabled. And worse, in order to place a call while data is up, I have to disconnect the USB, drop my data, make the call, then hook up the USB, let PDAnet initialize and sign on, and then my data comes back. Not very convenient at all, especially if I want to call in a report.
So, until I get my ham ticket back, or decide to get a 2nd cell..which is very unlikely, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with a VOIP provider like Vonage or Skype. I've looked at both, and other than Vonage being $25/mo, don't see why either one wouldn't work. If needed, I could VOIP a call to the NWS or local government and not have drop any data or switch any wires. My only concern would be the amount of throughput needed for something like that and the potential to cause a hang up with PDAnet pulling data for GR3, sending data to SN, and now trying to make a VOIP call all at the same time. I can usually connect at 2.4Mb on PDAnet and have never seen a problem related to slow data yet using this current setup. Before GR3, I was using Weathertap and had some pretty substantial slow downs because of the Java app needing so much data all the time.
Any thought? Putting multiple heads together might even come up with a better solution than this!
Thanks.
When I'm out, I'm using GR3, SN, and streets and trips. I'm using GPSgate for all my GPS needs, and I'm using my Motorola Q as my modem though a USB connection and PDAnet using Sprint. PDAnet has a feature that it's "supposed" to disconnect from the data net on an incoming call....that has never happened. I can get and send text messages while I'm streaming data, but the voice calling is disabled. And worse, in order to place a call while data is up, I have to disconnect the USB, drop my data, make the call, then hook up the USB, let PDAnet initialize and sign on, and then my data comes back. Not very convenient at all, especially if I want to call in a report.
So, until I get my ham ticket back, or decide to get a 2nd cell..which is very unlikely, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with a VOIP provider like Vonage or Skype. I've looked at both, and other than Vonage being $25/mo, don't see why either one wouldn't work. If needed, I could VOIP a call to the NWS or local government and not have drop any data or switch any wires. My only concern would be the amount of throughput needed for something like that and the potential to cause a hang up with PDAnet pulling data for GR3, sending data to SN, and now trying to make a VOIP call all at the same time. I can usually connect at 2.4Mb on PDAnet and have never seen a problem related to slow data yet using this current setup. Before GR3, I was using Weathertap and had some pretty substantial slow downs because of the Java app needing so much data all the time.
Any thought? Putting multiple heads together might even come up with a better solution than this!
Thanks.