How APRS Works

Latest — Sep 13, 2024

APRS Device Identification Database (aka tocalls)

One way to tell a good developer from a bad developer is that a good developer does their due diligence. Many will even maintain a section in their documentation to indicate the steps taken before releasing their product into the world. I only mention this because there have been several

More issues

APRS Digipeater Algorithm

Amateur radio repeaters retransmit signals from other stations to increase their range. Analog voice repeaters listen on one frequency and simultaneously retransmit the same signal on a different frequency. APRS digital repeaters (digipeaters) use a “store and forward” approach. A packet is received, examined, then possibly modified and retransmitted. Usually

APRS in Space

Did you know that APRS is part of the International Space Station? There has been an APRS radio aboard the ISS for many years now. You can send and receive packets on 145.825 MHz FM 1200 BPS Packet. There are times when the radio may be offline for maintenance

APRS Information Services

Besides sending “messages” to other people, you can also send messages to many automated APRS Information Services. I could not find a comprehensive list, so I started my own list. I would greatly appreciate any additions, corrections, and improvements. Tell your friends! ANSRVR ANSRVR allows you to quietly remain joined

APRS Thursday

APRS Thursday is a net managed by Michael KC8OWL, held every Thursday with the aim of growing message activity on APRS across the world. Many manufacturers are now including APRS functionality as a standard feature, making APRS more accessible, and hopefully more popular than ever. The APRS Thursday net is

APRS[tt] without special equipment or software

Very few hams have portable equipment for APRS but nearly everyone has a handheld radio that can send DTMF tones. APRStt allows a user, equipped with only DTMF (commonly known as Touch Tone) generation capability, to enter information into the global APRS data network. Earlier implementations required specialized hardware and

Help Wanted - Documenting APRS Use Cases

Why do you care about Use Cases? APRS, like many other protocols, can be overwhelming! It isn’t easy to know where to start. When someone asks you about APRS? What’s the first thing that comes to your mind? What is it that you use APRS for? How did

How to Get Started in APRS

How can a newcomer get started in APRS? A web search produces mostly: * Very specialized such as the configuration of a specific radio. * Outdated information. (e.g. you must buy a legacy 1980s style TNC or references to software apps abandoned decades ago) * Only talks about trackers and aprs.fi.

Polaric Server: A Versatile GIS and APRS Platform

Polaric Server is a powerful and flexible open-source platform designed to handle geographical information systems (GIS) and Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) data. It's particularly well-suited for tasks such as: * Tracking and visualization: It can display real-time location data from various sources, including GPS devices, APRS radios, and

The Best APRS Presentations

Club meetings and ham conventions are always looking for speakers. There was nothing about APRS during the 2024 Dayton forums. Suppose you wanted to give an APRS presentation at a club meeting or ham convention. But... It's a big job. You are not sure where to start and