What is APRS?
What can APRS be used for?
APRS Facts and Myths by George Boyd, N4NIV
Links for APRS
Links for Live APRS Feeds
Latest APRS Software
APRS & the ISS
APRS Station Locator
APRS Documentation
Kingston and Area Maps
Maps - General
KARC Map Listing with thumbnails
Weather Stations
APRS Overlays
GEO and INF Files
What is APRS?
APRS - Automatic Packet Reporting System. Frequency: 144.390 MHz, 10.151 MHz
LSB
Automatic Packet Reporting System originally developed by Bob
Brunigar,WB4APR. APRS is trademarked by Bob Bruniga,WB4APR. MacAPRS and
WinAPRS is trademarked by Mark,KB2ICI and Keith,WU2Z Sproul.
Bob Bruniga,WB4APR on his web page "APRS
Tactical real-Time Operations" states:
"In the middle years as APRS grew in user size, it seemed to deminish evey year from its original intent as a tactical real time information resource and fast 2-way communications system to nothing but a vehicle tracking system in many people's eyes. Its time to re-open their eyes!
APRS is not about vehicle tracking. It is a single information resource channel where everything that is going on in ham radio in the surrounding area can be announced and updated in real time. It presents to the viewer on his APRS radio front panel all that is happening right now, where it is, and all the info he needs to participate whether it is an event, happening, net, activity, announcement, future activity, or situation. The APRS channel is his one-stop look at everything that could be going on in the local area, and his one-stop place to post what he might be doing that might be of interest to others. APRS is not about GPS positions, it is about a situational map display of everything that is happening, and most of that is OBJECTS containing INFO on the activty and how to contact other operators.
APRS is not about dumb-one-way-trackers. APRS was designed for the manual and automatic entry and management of large numbers of on-screen objects that would be a major function of the display of local information. . Further, Bulletins and Announcements would keep everyone informed of the SAME information at the SAME time. . Operator Messages would communicate important information in the background without encumbering voice nets. See Messaging. And finally, that all mobiles would have simple displays to keep them in communicaitons and aware of their
surroundings."
See his web page "APRS
Tactical real-Time Operations" for APRS misconnceptions.
APRS combines the use of Amateur Radio packet systems, Global Positioning
Satellites (GPS), Weather stations, and the Internet to make use of real time
physical location and weather information.
APRS information can be obtained through the Internet, via a receiver or
scanner, or to transmit your information a transmitter is required. APRS
Software is available for DOS, Windows, MAC, Linux, Java, Perl, Windows CE
devices, and the Palm Pilot.
Using your current packet program you can receive the packets from the APRS
system, you will not have the maps etc, but you can see the callsign,
latitude, longitude, position reports, messages, etc.
The basic equipment to use APRS on air is a computer , TNC, and a radio
(scanner, receiver, or transceiver).
There are many Internet sites that have live feeds from the APRS system so
that you can see what is going on in the world without having to use a radio/TNC
combination.
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What can APRS be used for?
An APRS system can be utilized in many ways, from tracking a mobile station,
sending messages to each other, radio direction finding, seeing if satellites
are within your receive footprint, CANWARN and storm warnings, tracking
weather statistics, and using this information for weather
prediction/analysis, moving map general purpose navigation.
One of the uses proposed is during emergency communications to keep track of
the stations that you have deployed for communications. You can create objects
on the display that is sent out via APRS, ie you can mark on your APRS map a
station location, even if that station itself is not set up for APRS - great
for event communication coordination and control.
You can use APRS for general navigation HOWEVER,
be aware, depending on how the maps
were created and accuracy of those maps and data, your position can be off.
Case in point, one of our local Amateurs entered his Lat Long using a
topographical map and GPS coordinates, and when plotted on some maps within
APRS placed his house on the wrong side of a major highway, on the wrong side
of a river and even out in Lake Ontario!! - watch out for that sand bar!
Seriously though, it is accurate enough for most needs. GPS units are now very
accurate themselves since the United States turned off Selective Addressing at
12:04 am EDT 2 May 2000. (SA - used to add a random error to the plotted position).
If you are running a mobile APRS station, with or without a radio, under WinAPRS, you can have the map
scroll, as you travel, great for your right seat/back seat Navigator(s)
when you're taking those scenic trips!!
WinAPRS supports the Baycom modem and sound card use through the use of SV2AGW's
AGWPE.
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Links for APRS
Maps, software, documentation,
weather stations, almost live feeds
G0VRM's
introduction into APRS
Joe Mahaffey & Jack Yaezels GPS info page - excellent web site for info and links on GPS
and GPS related questions
Tiny Trak - APRS tracker
interface by Byon Garrabrant, N6BG
Tuscon Amateur Packet Radio
(TAPR)
Bob Bruninga, WB4APR's
APRS Web Site
Ottawa Region APRS Group
- (June 2009 - Map downloads not working!)
KC7JR's
Techmobile
G4IDE's UI-View (UI-View free registration)
and download
site: Roger Barker passed away on 9
Sept 2004 from cancer and UI-View registration is now free through several
Amateurs looking after registrations. Roger asked that you make a
voluntary donation to your local Cancer Society in lieu of paying a
registration fee. Roger's website for UI-View.
Jeff, N8NOE - Yahoo
Group For Mac/WinAPRS
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Links for Live APRS Feeds
(some delay due to internet traffic, etc)
APRS Stations in the Kingston Ontario area
using OpenAPRS-Google Maps
OpenAPRS - customizable
Google Maps APRS - customizable
Realtime Satellite Orbits using OpenAPRS-Google
Maps
Stations digipeating through the International
Space Station (ISS) - Steve K4HG
Locate Kingston/Quinte area APRS stations or other
APRS stations by callsign - last reported position with maps, check
weather conditions, area APRS activity.
Near real time APRS in the US
- Java APRS Site
Latest APRS Software
(Right click and 'Save Target As' for those marked as Download)
Xastir for Linux - (X Amateur Station Tracking and Information Reporting)
APRSISCE/32 (Windows and Windows Mobile)
SV2AGW's AGWTracker (Windows and Windows Mobile)
G4IDE's UI-View (Windows)
DOS
APRS version
WinAPRS
MacAPRS
APRSPlus
APRSPoint
APRS/CE
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APRS Documentation
George, N4NIV's articles on APRS Operation
(N4NIV QTH was Belleville for a while)
The Automatic Position Reporting System,
Compiled from a series of articles by Arte Booten, N2ZRC - (Very good reading
especially for DOS and KAMs)
Kingston and Area Maps
Maps that are good for the Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and area.
KARC APRS Maps listing
Maps - General
KARC APRS Maps listing
TAPR's DOS
APRS Maps
Weather Stations
Check weather conditions at APRS
weather station locations.
Peet Brothers Ultimeter