On 6/22/99 2:51 AM Gerd ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote:
>What exactly is APRS and why are almost all of you so interested
>in that topic?
APRS is "Automatic Position Reporting System", which uses unconnected
AX-25 to send messages, position reports, weather data, telemetry, and
anything else we can think of. There are well developed Mac, Windows, and
Dos client programs.
The internet portion of the system includes a redundant pair of central
MacOS servers which accept feeds from Internet Gateways around the
country (generally 1500-2000 stations heard in an 8 hour period), a Java
client for web display, and a dynamic web page generator using maps from
mapblast.com.
For example, http://map.aprs.net/k4hg-5 will show my present location.
http://www.aprs.net uses the java client to show activity in South
Florida, a pop up menu allows you to select different maps, though none
are as detailed as the mapblast ones above.
The system features automatic routing of messages between different RF
networks...for example, while driving to the Orlando hamfest, I had a
keyboard QSO with one of the designers of the Kenwood D7...he was in
Japan, using the handheld to enter message, I was driving through Miami,
but the conversation was effortless.
A few other sites worth visiting are http://www.qsl.net/kd4rdb/aprs.htm,
a good introductory site, http://www.aprs.org, the site of Bob Bruninga
(the "Father of APRS") which has a lot of demos of specialized features,
and http://www.aprs.net/vm, the APRS Virtual Meeting with intermediate
level info. There are a whole lot more out there too...
Steve K4HG
