Transcript KC5GOI 1999 DCC Presentation in MS Power Point

Introduction to APRS
By Guy Story, KC5GOI
www.kc5goi.net
[email protected]
Topics to be covered
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What is APRS?
Why do I want APRS?
How do I view APRS?
OK, now how do I go mobile?
Current software
The internet piece of the puzzle
Upcoming goodies
What is APRS
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Automatic
Position
Reporting
System
• By Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
• Brief history
History of APRS
• Initial use as we know it in 1990 to track boats during
summer cruises. The following flavors followed.
• MacAPRS
• WinAPRS
• APRS+
• pocketAPRS just released
• PerlAPRS
• XAPRS released as beta at 1999 Dayton Hamvention
Why do I want APRS?
• For Starters….
• Ok, Joe Ham tells me he has a bike rider
down but has no clue were he is.
• Or, Joe Ham has hail coming down and still
has no clue were he is.
• Joe Ham is part of a disaster evaluation
team.
How do I view APRS?
Basic setup f or a f ixed station
Home Stations
This can be:
EOC
NET Control or Home
TNC
PC with maps
Radio on local frequency
Software
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There are many flavors to APRS
DOS APRS
WinAPRS and APRS+SA
MacAPRS
XAPRS for Linux (currently in beta)
pocket APRS (Palm Pilot)
APRSdigi, digi software
PerlAPRS
OK, now how do I go mobile?
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TNC route
Mic-E route
Pic-E route
GPS receiver
Do I have/want to use a laptop?
Mobile Equipment
TNC Verses Mic-E or Pic-E
• TNC route requires a separate radio
• Mic-E and Pic-E can go in-between radio
and mic.
• Either route can be run on separate radio
• Either route is referred to as a “TRACKER”
Definitions
• A tracker is a mobile station
• Posits are position reports
• UI Frames are frames that do not employ
error correction techniques, entirely that is.
• Digipeaters are stations that act as a simplex
repeater except in a digital format
• IGATES are stations that feed data to and
from the internet
Definitions
• GATES are stations that take the HF APRS
data and retransmits them on VHF and
possible the internet.
• APRServers are stations that IGATES send
data to and redistribute them to the IGATEs
How does it work, basically?
• A tracker or fixed stations sends out a UI
frame that has lat/long and possibly other
data.
• If the packet burst passes the checksum, the
info is then displayed on the screen.
• If the checksum fails, the packet is lost.
This is not a big deal since the posit will be
transmitted again soon.
The Next Level
• IGATES, why would I want to do this?
• IGATES provide a feed to the net so
everyone can see what is going on and
allows for messaging on a world level
• Balloons, mobile stations, weather events
you want to track, using automated
watch/warning data to transmit in your area.
What else can I do with APRS
• Connect your weather station
• DF abilites
• track vehicles (balloons, trucks, space
vehicles, hurricanes)
• messages
• Propagation, PropNet
Guy Story:
W8XF baloon launch
on 8.3.97. The X
indicates max
altitude achieved.
Digipeater does and don’ts
Other station tips
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What is my tnc deviation?
The target is 3 kHz deviation
Greatly improves channel throughput.
Go to http://www.febo.com/layerone/index.html for more data.
• Open squelch??????
• Hidden and deaf transmitters
Credits
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Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
TAPR
Mark, KB2ICI and Keith, WU2Z, Sproul
Brent Hilderbrand, KH2Z
Steve Dimse, K4HG
Mike Musick, N0QBF
Rich Perry, W9IF
John Ackerman, N8UR