Installation and setup of APRS Jason Greene n1iic CVRC Regular meeting, May 14, 2002

Topics of Discussion w WinAPRS Installation Configuration Limited operation

Download w Go to w Click on “Software” on the left w In the left frame, scroll down and click on “Latest WinAPRS” w This will take you to a list of windows APRS versions and other files available. w Choose “waprs251_nomaps.zip “ It will fit on a floppy!waprs251_nomaps.zip

Unzip w Use WinZip or similar unzipping program. w An evaluation version of WinZip can be downloaded from w Extract it to your favorite folder. Be sure to click on “Use Folder Names”, or WinAPRS will not work

Your first run of APRS w Find the folder that you just extracted the files to w Double click on WinAPRS.exe w This will bring you to the introduction and info screen

Configuration w Under the settings tab, choose station. w Enter your callsign, and all other information that you have. w Latitude and longitude can be obtained from w Your icon can be picked from list > icon list in WinAPRS.

Configuration, continued w The most common icon for a fixed station is a dash, which is a house on the map.

Configuration, continued w Under Settings > WinAPRS, enter status text which is just a comment about your status or station w Under Settings > Serial Port, set the VHF settings for the correct com port and speed. w Under Settings > Select TNC Type, I use a Kantronics KPC-3

Configuration, continued w Under Settings > TNC, click on KAN w “Unproto APRSM via” is your unproto or digi path w Leave your path be for now, you will learn more about that in the future

Start me up! (TNC) w Under Settings > click on open VHF TNC w APRS will initialize the TNC, and with any luck, things will magically happen!

Start me up! (Internet) w If you have an internet connection but you are lacking a TNC, you can connect to the internet and go to Settings > TCP/IP Connections > Connect to APRServe Network

Navigation w Go to Maps > New England to start. w To talk to the TNC directly, go to Windows > Terminal Window w Start me up! w Under Settings > click on open VHF TNC

Send a message or NTS traffic w You can send a message by either double clicking on a station, or by pressing F7. w For NTS traffic, go to Lists > New NTS Message

Quick Notes w The documentation can be found at Help > Open Help in Web Browser w The lists are very helpful in finding info about stations

Internet w This presentation can be found at

Questions?