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APRS With all the buzz about the new Kenwood TH-D7A handheld, and the TH-D700
Mobile, many Hams are discovering APRS. But many have questions about this
portion of the Amateur Radio hobby. This article addresses some of the basic
FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions). “What is APRS.” The Automatic Position
Reporting System (APRS) is a method which uses amateur radio to transmit
position reports, weather reports, and messages between users. The basic
components of an APRS system consist of a computer, TNC, radio and APRS
software along with a mapping program for fixed station operation. The
software is the heart of the system. For mobile operations a GPS is needed
and a the computer is optional except to program the TNC. In 1992 Bob Bruninga (WB4APR)
introduced a DOS software version of APRS called APRSDOS. His software has
undergone massive changes but is still a popular version. A big benefit of
the APRSDOS version is the fact it is far less demanding than other versions
in terms of computer hardware needs. And, APRSDOS can run on cheaper
computers that are considered outdated by today’s standards (APRSDOS is free
from the TAPR web site). Today there are APRS programs for Mac, Windows, and
Handheld Pocket PCs. (I personally recommend Ui-View for the APRS program
used with Precision Mapping Map software. It will provide street level
tracking maps. Go to the
Ui-view
web page for more information.) “What can APRS be used for?” This radio system can be used
for tracking objects, including people, vehicles, boats, aircraft,
manned/unmanned balloons, weather systems, or just about anything, using
unconnected packets. Useful applications for APRS include disaster response,
race/parade support, high altitude balloon tracking, mobile tracking, message
distribution, and weather tracking. “How can I find out more
about APRS?” A good source of information
is the internet. Many websites exist with information ranging from software
available for download to lists of elmers. Two good sites are the Tucson
Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) site and the Northwest APRS Group site. Their addresses
are
www.tapr.org and
www.nwaprs.org respectively. Both organizations sponsor
SIG reflectors. These reflectors allow members of the SIG to post messages to
all the members easily in order to further everyone’s knowledge. |