1. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG APRS Introduction to APRS Geoff Gatward - VK2XJG February 2009

2. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG What is APRS ? Automatic Packet Reporting System Provides situational awareness to all operators of everything that is going on in the local area via packet radio (AX25) protocols. Information can be combined with a computer and mapping software to show the transmitted data superimposed on a variety of map displays

3. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Real-time tracking –Position report beacons (Posits) –Weather conditions and warnings –Virtual “Objects” Message Transmission to other APRS users VoiceAlert –91.5Hz CTCSS – acts as an APRS ‘radar’, or always- on back-channel between APRS operators Direction Finding What can I do with APRS?

4. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Remote Telemetry –SiteAlert installed at digipeater site to monitor: Battery voltage Ambient Temperature Mains Fail / Door Alarms Posits stored in global online databases –Review track history via the Internet Propagation Indication Home Automation –APRS Plugin for HA packages What can I do with APRS? (2)

5. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Simple PC setup at base station Tracking of WICEN and other key personnel –Car rally: Track nominated cars (e.g. 000, Sweep) –Horse events: Track nominated riders –Water events: Track floodboats and nominated competitors Use APRS network as scoring/timing net –Using APRS messaging capabilities –Customised APRS client applications APRS and WICEN

6. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Local Information Information relevant to immediate local area is transmitted by digipeaters –Local repeater frequency, offset and subtone –Local club meeting and net times –Hamfest location & Talk-in details

7. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Short (40 character) Station to Station Messages Bulletins & Announcements EMERGENCY! Beacons –Equivalent to SOS or MAYDAY transmissions –Sets off alarms in most clients Messaging Capability

8. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG What Equipment Do I Need? FIXED (Home) –Transceiver & TNC / Modem –Computer to Run APRS Client Software MOBILE: –GPS (with NMEA Serial output) –Transceiver –TNC with GPS capability or APRS Tracker Hardware

9. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Tracker Setups

10. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG APRS Clients Software –DosAPRS –MacAPRS/WinAPRS –APRS+SA –UI-View –APRSPoint –Xastir –javAPRS –PocketAPRS –APRSce Hardware –PacComm TNC’s –TinyTrack –All In One (MicroTrak) –HamHUD –Kantronics KPC 3/3+ –Kenwood TH-D7, TM-D700 & TM-D710 –OpenTracker –Yaesu Vx8 –Avmap

11. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG APRS Hardware

12. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG APRS Hardware

13. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG UI-View Screenshot Example

14. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

15. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

16. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

17. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

18. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

19. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG APRS Telemetry Example

20. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

21. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

22. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

23. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG

24. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG APRS RF NETWORK

25. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG WIDE Area digipeaters –Each WIDE covers a large area –Coordinated at a state level –Operates with dedicated APRS digipeater firmware Fill-In Digipeaters –Set up in areas where access to a WIDE is not possible I-Gates –Pass traffic heard via local WIDE digipeaters to Internet –Gate selected traffic from the Internet onto RF APRS Network Overview

26. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG HF Gates –Inject traffic heard on HF into VHF network SatGates –Inject traffic heard via APRS capable Satellites into VHF network Users –As many as possible! APRS Network Overview (2)

27. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG APRS Frequencies National 2m Frequency – 145.175 National 70cm Frequency – 439.100 HF –30m 10.149 USB (300bps) –20m 14.098 USB (300bps) –40m 7.034 LSB (300bps) Satellites –ARISS: 145.825 –PCSAT (NO44): 435.250 ↑ / 145.825 ↓ –GO32: 435.225 (9k6) ↓

28. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG All digipeaters respond to generic aliases APRS User transmits beacon with fixed path: –Home Station: APRS via WIDE2-2 –Mobile Station: APRS via WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2 –HF Station: APRS via GATE,WIDE2-1 –Satellite: APRS via ARISS,SGATE,WIDE2-1 Digipeaters perform smart relaying of beacons Generic Paths

29. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Beacon Rates No need to send beacons too frequently –Beacons ‘expire’ from map after 30 minutes –Conserving air-time for all users Recommended rates are: –Home/Fixed station = 30 minutes (1800 seconds) –Mobile station = Smart Beaconing if available, Otherwise 1 minute minimum (5 minutes on HF)

30. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Path demo - VHF APRS v WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2 DIGI-ADIGI-E DIGI-C DIGI-D DIGI-B DIGI-F DIGI-G I-GATE APRS v DIGI-A*,WIDE2-2 APRS v DIGI-A*,DIGI-B*,WIDE2-1 APRS v DIGI-A*,DIGI-E*,WIDE2-1 APRS v DIGI-A*,DIGI-B*,DIGI-C*,WIDE2* APRS v DIGI-A*,DIGI-E*,DIGI-F*,WIDE2* APRS v DIGI-A*,DIGI-E*,DIGI-G*,WIDE2* DIGI-H All hops used up No further digipeating

31. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Path demo - HF I-GATE DIGI-A HF-GATE APRS v GATE,WIDE2-1 APRS v GATE*,WIDE2-1 APRS v GATE*,DIGI-A*,WIDE2* DIGI-B All hops used up No further digipeating DIGI-C

32. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Path demo - Satellite I-GATE DIGI-A SATGATE APRS v ARISS,SGATE,WIDE2-1 APRS v ARISS*,SGATE*,WIDE2-1 APRS v ARISS*,SGATE*,DIGI-A*,WIDE2* DIGI-B All hops used up No further digipeating DIGI-C APRS v ARISS*,SGATE,WIDE2-1

33. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG SSID Even though we can tell from a station's ICON the type of station they are, a set of standards have been devised that links the SSID with the ORIGIN of the beacon. These standards apply globally. –For example, VK3EFG has a TinyTrack setup with the icon as a CAR. When we see this station on the map we know that it is a car, however how did the beacon get into the network? Using the standard SSID table, we could tell this information easily by looking at the callsign. VK3EFG-9 would indicate a standard VHF mobile setup. VK3EFG-6 would indicate that the station is sending APRS via the ARISS satellites VK3EFG-15 would indicate that the station is operating HF APRS. VK3EFG-7 would indicate that the station is using a Kenwood D7 Handheld, and therefore LOW power.

34. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG SSID Table -0 (No SSID)Home Station Digipeater, or Home Station running a Fill-In Digi, -2Digipeater [#2] on 70CM -3Digipeater [#3] -4HF to VHF Gateway -5IGate (Dedicated system, not home station) -6Operation via Satellite -7Kenwood D7 Handheld -8Maritime vessels - Boats, sailboats and ships (VHF / UHF) -9Mobiles (VHF / UHF) -10Operation via Internet Only (No RF capability) -11Aircraft, Helicopters or Balloons -12APRStouch-tone users and Portable Units such as Laptops, Camp Sites etc -13 -14Interstate Truckers -15Operation via HF

35. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Current and Proposed Digipeaters

36. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Further Information… APRS Websites: –http://www.aprs.net.auhttp://www.aprs.net.au –http://vk2.aprs.net.auhttp://vk2.aprs.net.au –http://wxsvr.aprs.net.auhttp://wxsvr.aprs.net.au OZAPRS Mailing List: –http://aprs.net.au/mailman/listinfo/ozaprshttp://aprs.net.au/mailman/listinfo/ozaprs

37. APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Copyright © 2009 – Geoff Gatward VK2XJG Q&A