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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computers that are considered outdated by today’s standards (APRSDOS is free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. Other interesting APRS
websites that can provide more information about APRS are:
http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/aprs.html “What frequencies are most
commonly used?” Many VHF APRS networks have
standardized on a nationwide frequency of 144.390. In Nebraska the
Digipeaters are on 144.390. These Digis cover most of Northeast and Southeast
Nebraska. There are plans to expand the coverage area, but support is needed.
Hopefully your interest has
been sparked. I invite you to browse the many APRS related websites. After
downloading your favorite software you may undoubtedly have questions. Elmers
are listed on many of the sites, so take advantage of them. Or, drop me an
email at
N0XBN@ARRL.NET and I will try to help you out. Dave Thege N0XBN Adapted from an article by Ron Reeves N7QXO, Northwest APRS Group
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