APRS.FI - API Usage on Private Site

[Brant Scalan]

Hessu,

I could not locate an email address for you so the other option the API page mentioned was posting here. I am hoping to chat with you about aprs.fi API usage for search and rescue team looking to add features to our internal mission tracking site.  

Brant Scalan

bsc...@gmail.com

[Heikki Hannikainen]

On Fri, 31 May 2024, Brant Scalan wrote:

> Hessu,I could not locate an email address for you so the other option the API page mentioned was posting here. I am hoping to chat with you about

> aprs.fi API usage for search and rescue team looking to add features to our internal mission tracking site.  

Hi,

Just ask here, please do not reply privately. I can answer in public, so
that answers will be searchable for others, too.

If you're asking for additional features to the API, the answer currently
will likely be "no, please get the packets directly from the APRS-IS if
you need more complex features". This will also make your SAR
functionality not depend on the availability of aprs.fi, which is, after
all, just a couple of servers maintained by that one guy in Finland.

- Hessu

[Brant Scalan]

I am not seeking any additional features. The terms listed for API usage include that the site must be public and accessible. Due to the nature of our search and rescue operations, these missions and the tracking of responders on these missions is not something we can have open to the public.
However, the site we are developing would be tracking our responders for internal use and the API would be consumed on a non-publicly accessible website. We understand that the APRS data generated by our responders is available on the net. The python application under development would not be open to the public.
I/we are seeking an exception to the API terms so that we can consume feeds from our responders as part of our mission management application.  I am happy to send you specific headers or whatever you would need so that our traffic/requests can be easily identified.

Brant
Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery 

[Shawn Stoddard]

What’s the value add of getting the data from here versus APRS-IS directly?

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[Heikki Hannikainen]

Hi,

For your application I strongly recommend bypassing the aprs.fi API and
consume the data directly from the APRS-IS instead, so that it does not
depend on the availabilty of aprs.fi alone. APRS-IS is the true source of
that information, aprs.fi is just one database and service hanging on the
edge of the APRS-IS network.

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- Hessu

[Ryan Tourge]

I would bypass the APRS-IS all together and grab it over-the-air? That would eliminate  so many variables and keep our super secret search and rescue operations and even more super secreter. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aprsfi/fe1d9c12-d9-d4bb-506f-59d41acaa53%40hes.iki.fi.

[Arnie Shore]

I'm reluctant to do any marketing here so first, apologies (as well as thanks) to Hessu.  

But since your requirements are somewhat specialized, have you considered something like Tickets CAD?  It's free and open source, is password-protected, provides for aprs-equipped responder tracking via the API, and I expect you could find some way to anonymize your responders.

On Sourceforge, it's available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/openises/

Discussion group at https://groups.google.com/g/open-source-cad

AS

[Sam Cheshire]

I was able to find an answer to my own question thanks to this feed… so thank you. 

As for the use in Search and rescue , I do IT work for my local SO/FR. I am assuming that you are part of a volunteer group associated with your locality. Before making an application I would make sure that the data you need within this application isn’t CJIS or HIPPA protected. Your CJIS officer should be able to help you with this. Simply having your tool “not available to the public” might not be enough protection. These requirements can often be difficult to navigate and can vary from state to state. 

I do understand the need for tracking on search and rescue operations. Our own teem here has been looking at solutions. If your locality it using Motorola radios, and they are encrypted, I believe there is a similar service to APRS that offers tracking. 

And of course, thank you for your service to your local community. I love it when Hams are able to offer assistance at this level. It’s the reason I decided to get licensed myself. 

73’s