by: Michael Martens, KB9VBR and APRS in Wisconsin The Automated Packet Reporting System by: Michael Martens, KB9VBR and Mark Rasmussen, N9MEA APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Overview Introduction Protocol and Implementation Software Hardware Network APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS is: A one-to-many, unconnected packet protocol. A tactical protocol designed for local RF use. A protocol with many reporting capabilities. A protocol with SMS capabilities. A protocol also adapted to the Internet. A protocol with extensive flexibility built-in. A protocol still under development. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Introduction APRS, the Automated Packet Reporting System, is an open system that uses unconnected AX.25 radio packets to transmit and collect data. This data is usually overlaid on a map APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Uses of APRS Using GPS data to track vehicle location Sending short, tactical bulletins and messages between stations Transmitting data collected by a weather station APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

The APRS Network Home stations Mobile and Portable GPS enabled stations (trackers) Digipeaters (Wide-area and Fill-in) Internet I-Gates Automatic Weather Stations APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

What is needed to begin Computer with APRS software installed Terminal Node Controller (TNC) VHF transceiver and antenna GPS required for mobile stations only APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Data Flow APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Frequencies VHF 144.39 MHz HF 10.151 MHz LSB Experimental work is being done on other frequencies. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Raw Packet Originator Path Application KB9DED>APW251,W9SM-10*,WIDE4-4,qAo, N9SDL:=4457.01N/08938.76W- WinAPRS 2.5.1 -WIMARWAUSAU -251- Location Status APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Paths WIDEn-N (ex, WIDE3-3) WIn-N (ex WI2-2, keeps packets within the state of Wisconsin) Named Path (KC9NW-10, KB9VBR) Relay and Trace (Obsolete, Do Not Use) APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

WIDE and WIDEn-N Digipeaters acknowledge WIDE paths Home stations should not set myalias to Wide WIDEn-N is not the same as WIDE (WIDE3-3 is not the same as WIDE,WIDE,WIDE) APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Named Paths Most efficient form of message propagation Only the station with the matching Alias will digipeat the message AB9PJ-4, N9QIP-10, K9ABC-1 APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

WIn-N Keeps APRS Packets within a geographic location, in this case Wisconsin Reduces APRS overload as packets won’t propagate beyond their geographic confines Great for public service event stations (eg walks, parades, races, etc) APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Best Path to Use: In the Wausau area: W9SM-1, WIDE2-2 If you are mobile: WIDE1-1, WIDE2-2 If you don’t want your packets to leave the state WI2-2 APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

How APRS Packets Propagate APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Real Time Propagation http://www.mountainlake.k12.mn.us/ham/aprs APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

SSID Special Station Identifier (SSID) allows multiple stations with the same callsign to coexist on the network. Home stations have no SSID Digipeaters may use the ID -1 (W9SM-1) Mobile Stations may use the ID -9 (KB9VBR-9) Kenwood APRS radios may use -7 (WA9NBC-7) APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

SSID Suggestions No SSID - Home Station, Home Station running I-Gate. -1 Digipeater, Home Station running a Wide1-1 Digi, WX Digipeater -2 Digipeater [#2 or] on 70CM -3 Digipeater [#3] -4 HF to VHF Gateway -5 I-Gate (Not home station)  -6 is for Operations via Satellite -7 Kenwood D7 HH -8 is for boats, sailboats and ships (maybe 802.11 in the future) -9 is for Mobiles -10 is for operation via the internet only -11 is for APRS touch-tone users  (and the occasional Balloons) -12 Portable Units such as Laptops, Camp Sites etc. -14 is for Truckers -15 is for HF APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Software WinAPRS/MacAPRS UI-View APRSDOS APRSpoint Other platforms include: Palm, Linux, Java APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

WinAPRS/MacAPRS www.winaprs.org Very easy to use Uses USGS Tiger maps and integrates with Precision Maps from Undertow Software Also uses old style APRSDOS vector maps. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

UI-View www.uiview.org Lots of features, more complex interface Handles plug-ins. Vibrant developer network Uses raster maps. Integrates with Precision maps. Plug-ins for Street Atlas, Mapblast, and Tiger Maps APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRSDos web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/aprs.html The original APRS application. Development going back to 1992 Very rudimentary maps Has satellite tracking features, network utilization analysis, and direction finding support APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRSpoint www.aprspoint.com Easy to use, familiar Microsoft style interface Integrates with Microsoft Streets and Trips exclusively APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Software All APRS software applications are shareware and require a registration fee for continued use. Registration fees range in cost from charity donation to around $100. Some applications may also require you to purchase a map package. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Hardware VHF Transceiver Terminal Node Controller (TNC) GPS for mobile operation APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

VHF Transceiver Any 2 meter radio will work as long as it will work on 144.390 csq. You will need to make a cable to connect mic audio, RX audio, and PTT to the TNC. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Enabled Radios Some radios have built in TNCs for direct connection to a computer or APRS interaction right on the display. Alinco DR-135 Kenwood D-700A Kenwood TH-D7A APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

TNC The TNC, also known as a radio modem converts the digital information from the computer and/or GPS into audio tones. The APRS network runs at 1200 baud The TNC communicates with the computer via the serial port. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

TNC The most common TNC is the Kantronics KPC-3+ TNCs can be purchased used on EBay for about $40-50. Kantronics TNCs will be higher in price. Older TNCs work great for home stations, ex: AEA PK-12, MFJ 1270 series, KPC-3 Tiny Trak 3 and 4 - Open Tracker 1+ and 2 APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Kantronics KPC-3+ About $230 retail Has a dual port that allows simultaneous computer and GPS connection Great TNC choice for running an APRS computer in a vehicle Kantronics KPC-3+ APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Tiny Trak 4 and Open Tracker 2 About $65-$100 retail Has a dual port that allows simultaneous computer and GPS connection Cheaper than a regular TNC but has limitations Tiny Trak 4 Open Tracker 2 APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Tiny Trak 3 and Open Tracker 1+ About $32 or $33 (kit) - $42 or $46 (built) retail Has a single port that only allows connection to a GPS Cheaper than a regular TNC but it only transmits data Tiny Trak 3 Open Tracker 1+ APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Global Positioning System (GPS) A GPS unit is required for real time mobile tracking GPSs come in many different forms Any GPS with NMEA output will work with APRS Garmin Etrex Legend Garmin Streetpilot APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Home Station Equipment Watching on RF Radio TNC Computer Watching on the Internet

Tracker Station Equipment There are two ways to send out your position when mobile. Dedicated APRS system Mic-E system

Dedicated Tracker Station Equipment With computer Radio TNC (High end unit) Computer GPS Without computer TNC (simple unit)

Dedicated Equipment Pros and Cons Can watch other units on map and send messages Position is sent out at predetermined intervals Separate radio system in the car in case your 2M voice radio dies Separate radio infrastructure in case your repeater goes down Could also be used as Winlink or Packet station Cons Another radio in the car More 2M RF to interfere with your local repeater traffic Higher cost because of more equipment

Mic-E Station Equipment GPS Cheaper Encode only TNC Uses your normal voice radio, no extra radio

Mic-E Pros and Cons Pros Cons Don’t have to install another radio in the car Cheaper than the dedicated equipment way Can use the cheaper encode only TNC Cons Can not track other units on a map Can not send messages to other units Position only goes out when you talk on the radio Position on map could be very old because you didn’t talk on the radio More expensive for the repeater owners Won’t work on all repeater systems No back-up radio if your voice radio fails If the repeater fails, no one sees your position

Putting it all together Mobile tracking unit with integrated computer. GPS Computer running WinAPRS Transceiver tuned to 144.390 csq KPC-3+ TNC APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Putting it all together Portable tracker box Tracker GPS Antenna Radio APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Putting it all together Who could this be? Bike Mobile APRS GPS Antenna Radio/Tracker APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Putting it all together APRS Home Station - notice no GPS TNC Radio Computer APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Digipeaters Digipeaters extend the coverage of the portable and mobile units much like a repeater but operating on a simplex frequency. They are usually located at a high location on a tower but can also be located at someone’s home to help fill in a certain area.

Digipeaters in the NE District

Estimated APRS Coverage to a Mobile

APRS Network I-Gates are internet gateways that expand the reach of APRS worldwide. An I-Gate listens to the local RF channel and relays the information into an APRS Internet data stream. I-Gates also relay information from the Internet data stream to a local RF station APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Benefits of I-Gates Reduces RF network congestion Increases the trackability of mobile stations Allows RF access of weather service bulletins and alerts Can set up an APRS station without a radio and TNC Any APRS station can be queried at www.findu.com (map.findu.com/kb9vbr) APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Weather Service Messages The National Weather EMWIN data stream is injected into the APRS data stream. Alerts and messages can be color coded on the APRS maps. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS and the Internet UI-View radar plug-in superimposes NWS radar data onto the APRS screen. WinAPRS has a similar feature. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

Weather Stations You can also send out your local weather information if you have the right equipment. 2M radio on 144.390 TNC Weather Station Possibly a computer

Weather Information

APRS Satellites PCSAT2 is the second generation APRS satellite PCSAT1, launched in 2001, is no longer fully operational PCSAT2 launched August of 2005 has returned to earth with STS-115 in 2006 The ISS is capable of digipeating APRS when the radio is not used for other activities. APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Books APRS, Moving hams on Radio and the Internet A good basic introduction to the mode OUT OF PRINT ISBN 0-87259-916-7 APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

APRS Books VHF Digital Handbook Covers APRS, Packet, D-STAR, and more 2008 printing, $19.95 ISBN 0-87259-122-0 APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com

For Additional Information Wisconsin APRS discussion group: groups.yahoo.com/group/wisconsinaprs web site: http://wisconsinaprs.net KB9VBR APRS page: www.kb9vbr.net Michael Martens: kb9vbr@wvraclub.org Mark Rasmussen: n9mea@wisconsinaprs.net APRS in North Central Wisconsin Presentation - www.kb9vbr.com