transmit packets every 1 minute

[Scott]

Hello 

I have read the instructions and read a few posts here prior to asking a question. 

I used APRS with APRS.FI and APRSDroid to track mobile resources during the 2026 Publix Atalanta Marathon (10,000 runners on March 1 2026). I need mobile resources (SAGs, Pace, Motorcycles, Bicycles) to beacon once every 1 minute to direct resources to runners in need around a 26 mile course with many road closures etc. I should be able to get APRS.FI on an Iphone to bacon every 1 minute by setting minimum and maximum transmit interval to 1 minute per instructions. The best I can do is minimum to 1 minute and maximum to 5 minutes. I am using version 2.7.4.2 on an Iphone 16. What am I doing wrong? Thanks Scott Sheppard 

[G0MNI]

Do all those vehicles have a licensed amateur in/on them as I believe the APRS network is for use of licensed Amateurs only. 

When I was in Raynet at the control station we used a laptop running Aprsis32 connected to a radio on a non APRS frequency but not connected to the internet , all mobiles then used APRS enabled radios on that frequency with digipeat enabled so as to not swamp the local APRS network

Andy G0MNI

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[Marco GPS]

Scott, the APRS system and APRS.fi should not be used commercially. Use by a single runner with their radio callsign is possible, but I don't believe they would want to carry an extra cell phone weight during the race. To use a system that transmits complete variables, look for a specialized company that will certainly help you.

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[Heikki Hannikainen]

Hi,

On Mon, 2 Mar 2026, 'Scott' via aprs.fi wrote:

> transmit interval to 1 minute per instructions. The best I can do is
> minimum to 1 minute and maximum to 5 minutes. I am using version 2.7.4.2
> on an Iphone 16.

Correct, the aprs.fi app will not allow forcing transmission of unchanged
positions every 1 minute.

https://ios-guide.aprs.fi/#_beacon_timing

It has a smart beaconing algorithm which dynamically triggers
transmissions based on speed, turns and corners. A moving station, or a
station which makes a turn, will send packets more often. The shortest
transmission for a non-moving station is once per 5 minutes. This is a
feature, works as designed.

- Hessu

[Allen Lord]

Do you believe a person operating an IPhone requires an Amateur Radio license to operate on a bicycle? The APRS-IS does not. Neither does aprs.fi. If a bicycle group with hundreds of riders started transmitting on the national APRS frequency once per minute, it would be an RF train wreck! Staying off Ham RF entirely is the way to go. 

73,

Allen AF6OF

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[Heikki Hannikainen]

On Thu, 5 Mar 2026, Allen Lord wrote:

> Do you believe a person operating an IPhone requires an Amateur Radio
> license to operate on a bicycle? The APRS-IS does not.

Well... Rules and law applicable to amateur radio do not, as such, cover
APRS-IS. It's a thing on the Internet, not a radio thing.

But, on the other hand, there's a whole lot of transmit-capable gateways
which will transmit packets from APRS-IS to RF on amateur radio
frequencies. While in some countries having those gateways emit packets
originated by non-hams is not a problem, in many (most?) countries it is
an immediate violation of the local amateur radio license rules or
regulation. There's some variation here, but it's rather common that the
transmitters should only be keyed by amateurs, and communication with
non-amateur radio stations is strictly forbidden.

So, if you wish to keep that 2-way messaging capability available
worldwide, it'd be best to try to keep non-ham traffic away from the
APRS-IS.

> Neither does aprs.fi.

Indeed, when the aprs.fi app is only used to upload positions to the
aprs.fi web site (without APRS-IS beaconing), that is technically alright,
as it's not going to get transmitted anywhere.

- Hessu

[Scott Sheppard]

Hello Allen

I think you did not follow my logic. 

Everyone is a ccc amateur 

This is NOT rf it is cell over IP no amateur radio frequencies involved. 

For my need I am using 3-7 operators over a 8 hour period for special events. 

So this is a focused, clear use case over a defined time and not cluttering 144.390 MHz. 

So I ask the question again for event coordination I need to know where my assets are so I can direct them around road closures or to disabled runners needed transport back to teh starting area of events. 

I do 100% agree with you regarding unlicensed, or thoughtless utilization of BW. 

Scott Sheppard

1702 Frazier Park Drive 

Decatur, GA 30033

732 861 3383 

sshe...@bellsouth.net

KJ4ZZB Call Sign

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aprsfi/CABpCtgK0DXFq0woPPgjHup%3DN_dqTAcKgCe7VHPzPg%3DrVRVO%2Bhg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Heikki Hannikainen]

On Thu, 5 Mar 2026, 'Scott Sheppard' via aprs.fi wrote:

> I think you did not follow my logic. 
> Everyone is a ccc amateur 

I'm sorry, I'm not following. What is a "ccc amateur"?

- Hessu

[Scott Sheppard]

Alan 

Thank you that is something I never realized. A user without an FFC Call sign can use an application like APRS.FI to send position packets to APRS-IS. I could then listen for teh id for teh unlicensed user for position tracking. That would help with selected events were we do not have enough licensed amateurs. Again however this is Cell to IP to Internet to APRS-IS (an Internet thing) NOT an RF transmission. 

Again though for my event needs I need to have 1 minute or so temporal resolution. 

Scott Sheppard

1702 Frazier Park Drive 

Decatur, GA 30033

732 861 3383 

sshe...@bellsouth.net

KJ4ZZB Call Sign

On Mar 5, 2026, at 09:15, Allen Lord <al...@byonics.com> wrote:

[Heikki Hannikainen]

On Thu, 5 Mar 2026, 'Scott Sheppard' via aprs.fi wrote:

> Thank you that is something I never realized. A user without an FFC Call
> sign can use an application like APRS.FI to send position packets to
> APRS-IS.

No, please do not do that. The APRS-IS is meant for amateur radio
communications sent by amateurs.

Packets sent to APRS-IS are often transmitted to RF by transmit-capable
gateways (tx igates). And it's often a bit hard to know beforehand whether
it will happen or not.

If you intentionally bring in unlicensed users to APRS-IS, those packets
may be transmitted to RF on amateur frequencies, which then puts the
maintainers of those gateways in a difficult position, as they may be
breaching their license terms by transmitting non-amateur originated
packets to RF on amateur frequencies.

So, please do not do that.

If you do that using the aprs.fi app, and if I notice, I will promptly
shut it down.

> Again though for my event needs I need to have 1 minute or so temporal resolution. 

aprs.fi as such does give you that, with the dynamic timing, but it will
only send once per 5 minutes if the station does not move.

- Hessu, OH7LZB (aprs.fi maintainer)

[Scott Sheppard]

Hessu

OK that is the answer I was looking for. “CCC" was a typo for FCC. 

I have no intention of using unlicensed user on APRS-FI. But it was an interesting , if incorrect, idea. 

Thanks 

Scott Sheppard

1702 Frazier Park Drive 

Decatur, GA 30033

732 861 3383 

sshe...@bellsouth.net

KJ4ZZB Call Sign

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