APRS Article for QST Magazine Rejected
David Dobbins
I submitted this article for publication in QST, but they rejected it without cause. Guess it just wasn't good enough. Maybe the story stepping back into APRS time isn't the path they want to read about. In any case, I'll publish it here for y'all in hopes many of you will relate to our experience raising our APRS-child together. Comments welcomed, or hit the DEL button.
Back to The Basics of APRS
It was 1993 when I first learned about APRS, the Automatic Packet Reporting System created by “Father Bob” Bruninga, WB4APR. I was in my first year of ham radio, and active duty Navy living in land-locked San Angelo (Goodfellow AFB), Texas. I had familiarity with the Navy’s LINK-11 and LINK-14 plotting systems that Bruninga had much experience with and was “exporting” to ham radio. It was easy to grasp the concept and operation of APRS. If you were with us back then, you’ll remember the weekly updates to APRSdos that we responded with 45-minute long distance phone calls to download via from Bob’s BBS systems at 14400kbps to our Win3.1/DOS computers. Those were the days!
OK, so I don’t run APRSdos anymore, but I still have the Win3.1 color laptop stuffed somewhere in case I wanted to. If you used APRS in San Angelo, Tucson, San Diego, or Oahu, you used some of the vectored maps I created for APRSdos before I moved on to the more popular apps using disk and internet-based maps. I eventually landed on UI-View32 and operated it for many years after the app was no longer developed (due to the author Roger Barker G4IDE’s passing) and discontinuance of the disk-based Precision Mapping maps.
Moving forward to late 1996, I had retired from Naval service and moved to Washington state. There were a handful of us interested in advancing APRS in the northwest. Our small group set out to contact digi owners and ham radio clubs to increase activity in this fascinating part of our hobby. Packet interest was waning, so when APRS came along it was a no-brainer for many to convert their mountaintop digis to APRS functionality. We grew, and grew some more, and expanded beyond the Washington borders. We created a support group, the Northwest APRS (NWAPRS.info) web site that has recent updates and now help APRS enthusiasts in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and nearby Candanian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and The Northwest Territory. In reality, we offer support and encouragement to anyone interested in APRS. We hold an annual NWAPRS Summer Gathering now in its 24th year at Valley Camp in North Bend, Washington, just off Interstate 90, over the first weekend after Labor Day in September. Our next gathering is scheduled for Sept 10-12, 2021. Check our web pages for updates.
Jumping to 2021, there have been at least a dozen different APRS applications for all the major operating systems. Many have ceased development as their authors either moved on to other projects, or never gathered enough momentum to keep the effort going. For those that continue development, thankyou for keeping APRS going strong in ham radio events and activities. I wanted to share some recent research on resources used in APRS and where to find there. Let’s get started.
I’ve found many people interested in APRS first want to set up a mobile station in their vehicle, motorcycle, bike, or person. We’ve come a long way from the old ammo cans with a big heavy battery, HT or single-band mobile radio, Kantronics KPC-3 TNC, and DeLorme or Garmin III GPS. You wouldn’t want to lug that around all day. My “best” category mobile tracker has been a Kenwood TM-D710A dual band APRS-ready radio. The newest D710GA has GPS installed in the control head, eliminating the need for an external GPS, commonly the Italian AvMap G6 GPS. You’ll get 50 watts out on the APRS 144.39MHz freq on one side of the radio, and still have the other side for 2m/440 voice communications on the other side. Yaesu has a similar radio, the FTM-400DR, and Alinco offers DR-135TP radio that has room for a TNC chip to allow for APRS operations. Add about any dual band antenna and off you go. Once your radio is properly configured with your callsign and ssid, path and periodicity setting, good GPS fix and the BCON button activated, you’ll be on the air with signals very likely to reach the APRS-IS so it can be seen on the internet. If you want a less-costly solution, take a look at the Byonics.com series of trackers, or Argent Tracker2 series, or QRP-Labs.com LightAPRS, or even an HT like the recently discontinued Kenwood TH-D74 (chip fire in Japan), with an external antenna that will blast your position signals out. Alinco has the DJ-MD5TGP HT with APRS functions, and Yaesu has the FT-3DR to round out a nice selection of APRS-equipped radios. The AnyTone AT-D878UV HT has APRS TX over RF and VoiP transmit, but no TNC to decode any receive signals. You’ll at least be able to get signals into the APRS-IS, which is a primary goal of using APRS for tracking assets. The Icom ID-31A, 51A, and forthcoming 52A can likewise transmit an APRS-formatted position report to the APRS-IS, and the 52A may have full APRS capability, although I have not seen that in writing yet. There are an abundant number of miniature trackers that transmit low power and may be best configured with an external antenna and nearby digipeater to get signals into the APRS-IS. Byonics.com has my number as I use their trackers in the wife’s vehicle, my Harley Davidson Road King, a beach cruiser bike and high altitude balloons when I did those projects. The AVRT AVT510 is an all in one miniature tracker if that’s what you need, and TrackSoar.com has some great all-in-one project boards for mounting in the high altitude balloon projects.
OK, so you have a dozen trackers going now on your vehicles, toys, and projects, but you can’t see what they’re doing or where they are because you don’t have a monitoring solution yet. Next comes the home for mobile FULL-APRS station requirements which usually begin with a computer running a flavor of APRS. While there are still quite a few UI-View32 users out there with the Precision Maps v9.0 North American maps, it was over 93% of all apps used at one time, because the author passed years ago it is no longer widely used. New clients, centered on internet-based mapping applications, are where the focus is now. I’m currently using PinPoint APRS (featured in QST Sept 2018) by Frank Watervoort, AB0WV. This is a Windows-based app that draws its map sources from the internet. You can view maps or satellite image data, which helps me orientate where the resources are located. Other good APRS clients include APRSISCE/32 by Lynn Deffenbaugh, KJ4ERJ; YAAC (Yet Another APRS Client) by Andy Pavlin, KA2DDO, Xastir for Linux systems (this one is great for SAR APRS operations because it handles topographic maps very well). Another one for the Macintosh iOS is PulseModem A but I have no experience with it. And for us Android smartphone users, there’s APRSdroid app available from the Google Play store that can be operated by RF when connected to a radio (like an HT for portability) or RoIP which is usually how I use it. APRSdroid can also be used on the RFinder B1 smartphone/DMR/Analog radio that’s becoming more popular. While pricey, a future model will have full APRS functionality over RF, but for now it’s signals to the APRS-IS only. Confused yet? Keep reading, please.
I’ve mentioned the APRS-IS several times without explaining what it is and what it does. OK, here’s the Reader’s Digest version: The APRS-IS is the internet collection point for every APRS signal received and iGated from RF to the internet. It is accomplished by a group of servers around the world, all pointing at each other and sharing it’s processed signals. This is what allows you to lookup an APRS station on the internet using map.findu.com or aprs.fi or aprsdirect.com. If you want to try one, go to http://aprs.fi/k7gps-9 to find the location of my Honda CRV equipped with a Kenwood TM-D710 radio and AvMap G6 GPS, or try http://aprsdirect.com/k7gps-6 to see where my Harley Road King with a Byonics tracker, or http://map.findu.com/k7gps-10 to see where my Portable APRS Digipeater, with an Icom 2M mobile radio, KPC-3+ TNC, and aging Garmin III+ GPS. Go ahead everybody, type those in before reading any further to where my stuff is!
When I first started using APRS I was very interested in the emergency operations aspect of ham radio and helping get information to the people needing it. While stationed in Texas I helped develop the tracking of tornadoes along the southwest border of the tornado belt down by San Angelo. We asked Bob Bruninga to come up with a Tornado icon, which he did. We could add a tornado icon to the map on APRSdos, and give it a direction and speed. APRSdos would then transmit that information over the APRS RF, to be received by other stations near and far, and hopefully the station located at the EOC. When I moved (back) to Hawaii, I met a bunch of hams including Robin Liu, AH6CP who, with their EOC connections, got us a desk in the EOC for the annual Simulated Emergency Test (SET) one weekend. It was an all-virtual experience using resources around Oahu testing communications and sirens for activation. We had a number of simulated emergencies, including a boat fire offshore from Diamond Head, and airplane crashing into Ala Moana Mall, a gasoline truck fire and explosion in Haleiwa (taking out the historic Matsumoto Shave Ice store), and a major power outage on the western shoreline by Nanakuli (like the 1992 Hurricane Iwa did). Seems like we also had emergency services responding to a time-convenient bank robbery in Honolulu, along with lots of rain and threat of a Tsunami. Granted it was a lot of activity, but we were there all day long injecting these natural and man-made disasters into the scenario. As each event occurred, I was inputting the data into my APRS client on a laptop, connected to a Kantronics TNC and Radio Shack HTX-202 (going down memory alley here) and out to the APRS network on Oahu. At the same time I noticed the EOC Commander as he was bouncing around asking people questions and getting radio updates, with his notebooks and assistants, trying to keep things sorted out. He eventually landed on my station, which we had connected to a big screen TV, showing all of the events on the map, and resources responding to them. For the duration of the SET, the Commander remained there SEEING what was going on, and directing his resources based on what was going on the APRS map. It was a coup for us wanted to get APRS into the EOC. I know this has been accomplished around the country, and many EOCs have an APRS station, and people familiar with operating the various clients with great knowledge.
What else have we used APRS for over the years? Marathon support has been a big user of APRS. I’ve done these on Oahu, Seattle, and Missoula, with chase and other support vehicles, First Aid and check point stations all on APRS. We’ve outfitted bikes, motorbikes, and ATVs with trackers, ambulances too so we know where the race resources are. Fun stuff. High Altitude Balloon (HAB) projects are perfect for APRS projects, and quite often you find a balloon icon (SSID -11) floating at 90k feet altitude or higher, and chase vehicles on the ground waiting for the payload to return to earth. Yes, I’ve left some stuff out.
I want to close this with a plug for all the hams in the NWAPRS group. I’ve met some good people who’ve become really good friends over the years. Our common connection has been ham radio, and in particular, APRS enthusiasts. I look forward to continuing our Summer Gatherings in September and sharing the fun we have with APRS. Everyone is invited. You just have to show up ready to enjoy a weekend with a great group of ham radio operators with a shared interest - the Automatic Packet Reporting System. 73. David Dobbins, K7GPS, k7gps...@gmail.com.
APRS Resources:
APRS Clients:
APRSISCE/32 for Windows: http://aprsisce.wikidot.com
YAAC (Yet Another APRS Client) for Windows: http://www.ka2ddo.org
PinPoint APRS for Windows: http://www.pinpointaprs.com
Xastir for Linux: http://www.xastir.org
PulseModem A for iOS: http://www.pulsemodem.com
APRSdroid for Android devices: On Google Play at http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.aprsdroid.app
SARTrack for Windows: http://www.sartrack.co.nz
APRSdos and APRS info: http://www.aprs.org
TNCs and Radios:
Kantronics KPC-3+ KPC-9612 KAM-XL: http://www.kantronics.com
Kenwood TM-D710A D710GA TH-D74A radios: http://www.kenwood.com
Alinco DR-135TP DJ-MD5TGP radios: http://www.alinco.com
Yaesu FTM-300 FT-3DR radios: http://www.yaesu.com
AnyTone AT-D78UV radios: http://www.bridgecomsystems.com
Byonics MicroTrak series: http://www.byonics.com
Argent Tracker2 series radios: http://www.argentdata.com
QRP-Labs LightAPRS trackers: http://www.qrp-labs.com
Tracksoar balloon trackers: http://www.tracksoar.com
AVRT AVT510 tracker: http://www.avrtx.cn
Other Resources:
APRS: http://www.aprs.org
APRS-IS on the internet: http://www.aprs-is.net
APRS.fi to track any APRS station in the world: http://www.aprs.fi
APRSDirect.com to track any APRS station in the world: http://www.aprsdirect.com
Map.Findu.com to track any APRS station in the world: http://map.findu.com
NWAPRS: http://www.nwaprs.info
Backpacking with APRS: http://www.mthikes.com/backpacking-aprs/
Python APRS Module: http://www.github.com/ampledata/aprs
APRS Hackaday: http://www.hackaday.com/tag/aprs/
APRS Tier-2 Network: http://www.aprs2.net
Microsat Advanced Digipeater/i-Gate: http://www.microsat.com.pl
APRS Packet Reporting Systems: http://www.hamwaves.com/prs/en/
Winlink and APRS interoperability: http://www.winlink.org/APRSLink
APRS on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/APRS/
Probably one of the best sites to learn APRS: http://www.wa8lmf.net/aprs/
Notes:
1 APRS is a registered trademark ob Robert Bruninga, WB4APR.
Photos by the author.
David was first licensed in 1992 while serving with the US Navy in Texas. He became interested in packet and APRS and helped spread awareness of APRS in Texas, then southern Arizona, the San Diego area, Hawaii, and finally in the northwest USA upon his retirement from the Navy in 1996. With others he helped develop the Northwest APRS Group, which assists APRS-enthusiasts in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. David maintains the group’s Web site at www.nwaprs.info and also the NWAPRS mailing list on Google Groups. David retired from IT work in 2020 and resides in Cascade, MT near the Missouri River and Interstate 15. He enjoys spending time with his artist-wife Becky, visiting with his grandchildren Owen and Penelope, riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle, flying his R/C airplanes and drones, and still fiddles with his N-scale railroad. You can reach the author in Cascade, MT or Oro Valley, AZ via email at ddob...@gmail.com.
Balloon tracking
SAR dog with tracker
Motorcycle tracker
APRSdos of Idaho Falls
New NWAPRS coverage map
APRS logo. APRS is a trademark of Bob Bruninga
WB4APR
Hawaii SET Hurricane Iwa
Byonics trackers
AvMap GPS
Kenwood new ™-D710GA w/GPS
NWAPRS Summer Gathering 2019
New NWAPRS logo
Dave K7GPS at Summer Gathering years ago (but
I haven’t changed a bit)
NWAPRS Summer Gathering 2019 group photo
Steve Stroh
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