Why do I want APRS???

[whatevah]

The Colorado mountains are covered with digipeaters. I found a few valleys where I didn't get a good signal, but most of the time I was pinging away. Of course, higher up line of sight really takes over, I had a few 100+ mile pings from my 50W radio and 1/4 wave antenna. Around Moab, there are a few digipeaters either on mountains or commercial towers. I was even fine on most of the White Rim Trail, the main problems are the low roads along the rivers (like Rt 128). If you go on the www.aprs.fi site, it'll show you the digipeater locations on the map.

 

[1911]

Makes my wife feel better, to be able to see where I am in real time, just by checking a web page. I've also used it to to find and meet an internet friend in the middle of the San Juan Mountains - my GPS (connected to my APRS radio) is able to navigate to any other APRS-enabled ham operator. A necessity? No. But a fun use for the amateur radio hobby.

 

[spressomon]

A buddy of mine has been using APRS for tracking his car and sailboat for over a decade, but me being a latecomer to amateur radio only started using it last year for tracking during an overland trip through CO and UT. I knew that I'd be well out of cell reception and wanted emergency communications and the tracking ability was simply cool. I had a bunch of people back home following the trip on aprs.fi, even when I was high up in the San Juan mountains or deep in the Utah canyons. I was using the OpenTracker USB which has the capability of two-way communication with the correct accessories, but I was only using it as a tracker.

Shortly after completing the trip, I sat in on a presentation on APRS given by Bob Bruninga (the guy behind APRS). It was a basic presentation for people that didn't know anything about it, but also gave his feelings on the capabilities. Since then, I've upgraded my mobile rig to a Kenwood TM-D710 that has native APRS support so I can send (painfully) and read messages along with seeing the local stations on the display. Along with that, I've configured my radio to use the Voice Alert setting and 100hz squelch. With that, your radio will mute all of the APRS traffic from the speaker except when the 100hz tone is included. That tone is not used by repeaters so you'll only hear it when somebody is within simplex distance. So, if you're bored, you quickly have somebody to chat with. And, the radios with native APRS support will include their voice frequency in the comments so you can quickly tune to their frequency to chat.

It's a very powerful, if also simple system... great possibilities but also limited by most of the operators only using a simple tracker with no two-way support. It's local and yet global because of the internet relays. You can send a text message to a callsign from thousands of miles away and as long as they're near an igate with a two-way radio (some are receive-only), they'll get the message. That's incredible. VHF coverage is pretty good, but does depend on local hams to build the infrastructure... YMMV.

KC3DEI-9

= my use and reason for having APRS (same radio...APRS object displayed on my Lowrance Baja 540C). And although most in our group of adventure travelers are not running APRS it would be super handy when a group member(s) need to join up...esy to spot where they are located for simpler join up.

 

[unseenone]

My last weekend cruise was out of cell phone coverage and very lightly traveled. Should I break down, get injured or do not turn up, someone would have an idea of where to start looking. Each day, when the solar charges the battery the system would automatically attempt to update my position and so on regardless of my ability to do so.

 

[AlbanyTom]

But a fun use for the amateur radio hobby.

This is something I need to remember.

To me, the idea of APRS feels like wearing a tie. A little noose around my neck tracking me. I know that's a silly reaction, but it's just the way it strikes me.

I have to remember that some things that I find just completely boring or pointless in ham radio are other peoples favorite things. Just like I'm sure that some things that I do and find fun (building antennas, playing around with PSK) other people would think nutty, boring and/or torturous.

 

[1911]

I have to remember that some things that I find just completely boring or pointless in ham radio are other peoples favorite things. Just like I'm sure that some things that I do and find fun (building antennas, playing around with PSK) other people would think nutty, boring and/or torturous.

Personally I like and do both of those, but contesting and fox hunting (among others) just drive me bonkers. The amateur radio hobby is so big and diverse that there is room for every taste I guess.

 

[whatevah]

This is something I need to remember.

To me, the idea of APRS feels like wearing a tie. A little noose around my neck tracking me. I know that's a silly reaction, but it's just the way it strikes me.

I know what you mean... but, depending on your radio or standalone tracker, you can use a "position ambiguity" setting that'll decrease the resolution of the reported location. So, people can see you, but only know your position to a rough area. Or, only transmit your position after you key the radio. Or, selectively turn it on or off. You can do that with the radios that provide native support (on my Kenwood it's the "BCON" button) or just put the power feed to your standalone tracker on a switch.

But, like you said, it's just another extension of the ham hobby that you can use or ignore at will.

 

[rgallant]

Well I travel solo mostly, so if I stop moving for more than a day or do not ping in that time my wife has an idea where to send help to. It is not perfect and sometimes there are no repeaters but she feels better, and the email function is pretty handy if painful if I have a change of plans (planned or otherwise). I need the radio to monitor logging truck freqs some of the time so APRS is just a bonus.

 

[Chris Boyd]

I use APRS and think it's one of the neater uses of the ham spectrum. I also like echolink and other tech that mixes RF with the Internet. (I'm a SATCOM & Networking guy). That said APRS and EchoLink tend to be viewed as fringe use of ham by the old elmers of the hobby. To each their own.

In my rig the D710 is couple to a GreenLightLabs GPS and the right side is setup for APRS. The left is for simplex and repeater chat, though I don't use it much for rag chewing.

I do use it for track logging when overlanding, and the coverage is really surprising. I have used it for text and even for position interception of a group convoy. Because I'm traveling with my kids, for real life safety communications I have an inReach. I like the guaranteed (and private) two-way conversation with family and The GEOS if needed.

 

[Wh1t3nukle]

Your post stands out to me because I also picked up the Mobil linkd TNC. I've only had a chance to use it with my cellphone to get my understanding set. I sort of got it. I've wanted to run similar as yourself as I have spare Baofeng (magmount antenna) and Google Tablet already inhand.

Any chance you'd share a step-by-step setup and usage of yours?

Is there any conflict with other gear you have that is also in operation to be aware about?

Thanks!

If the group is running together you don't need to track the whole group or even half the group.

APRS was meant for situational awareness, but has turned into not much more than GPS tracking. But that aspect alone can be used in a variety of situations. Multi-group trail runs, search and rescue, storm chasing, lets the wife keep tabs on you, can track your vehicle if it is stolen, etc.

As previously mentioned you can send messages to other APRS users as long as they are running a full setup as opposed to a tracker only set up, you can send text messages to a phone and emails.

I had an extra Baofeng HT ($30) laying around, purchased a Mobilinkd bluetooth TNC ($65) and a cheap android tablet (Asus, $80) off amazon that has bluetooth and gps and with a mag-mount antenna had a fully function APRS set up where I can see stations on a map, send messages, etc. I spent a little more than I would to buy a new SPOT beacon but have no subscription to pay, ($200+ a year) and I can not only track myself, but I can track others.

APRS.fi and OpenAPRS.net are both good websites, but if you look at your area on the map and don't see anything that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any APRS activity in the area it may just mean there isn't an IGate to pass the info to the internet.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

APRS is a neat tool, it's not an end all tool imo and not really something I would even recommend people look into unless they are already a hammer. I started with a Tiny Tracker in my Tacoma, it was fun to use as an 'after the fact' tracking tool as well as offer friends and family back home a way to know where we were on trips. Occasionally we'd use it to have someone meet us at a remote camp, even if they were not a hammer they could log in and see where we had landed without any need for two-way comms. When I set up my 100 Series I used a APRS capable Kenwood and a GPS unit. I played with it more and again I've used it to meet up with others, send messages about spare parts needs, etc. We put a Tiny Tracker in our race car and for US based races with good repeaters, it was nice to have tracking information on the car (location and speed) even when they were well outside of normal radio comms. Again, nothing ground breaking but if you have an APRS capable radio... I'd tinker with it. I'd love every person in my travel groups to have them, herding cats would be that much easier

This is one of the fun parts for me... having a neat track of our route that folks can follow along with realtime.

(Image courtesy of BoxRocket)

 

[geo.greg]

I have both APRS using a Yaesu FTM 400g and/or a Spot Messenger (first and second version) with spotwalla personally i like the spot/spotwalla combo better for a hundred reasons and if i was going to rely on one to work. my money is on the spot.

 

[rambrush]

I am with Kurt on allowing family to follow along by viewing my track. I use the Kenwood D72 connected to a outside antenna. As I also do Geocaching it makes a nice addition to the toolbox, use a Laptop connected to the gps antenna on the dash with topo mapping software to get a larger view of the trails in the area.

 

[tanglefoot]

One of my favorite parts about APRS is being able to see the other ham activity around you. Even if you aren't sending your own position out (this is certainly optional), you can see who's around you and who you might be able to get in contact with if you had to (some stations include the voice frequency they are listening on).

I am often impressed with the ability to get a text or e-mail message out with APRS. I've been able to use it to send short status e-mails from places that had no hint of a cell or mobile data signal.

I've participated in a special event that uses APRS. Many of the mobile medics, at least one ambulance, route marshalls and sags were equipped with trackers. The event net control was watching on an APRS monitor. When a trouble report came in, the net control could immediately dispatch (via 2m FM) the support people who were closest to the incident.

I use a mobilinkt TNC as well and find it very easy to setup and use. It lets you put together a really slick setup, even with an old radio like my FT-470. I use the APRSDroid app on the Android phone. Just order the proper connection pigtail for your radio (or make your own), set up your personal parameters and you're on the air. It's much simpler than my previous tracker, and I like the mapping and messaging ability the last one didn't have. I also like the Bluetooth flexibility--it's nice not needing a cable connection between the mobile device and the TNC/radio. You can set the radio/TNC somewhere and then walk around with the phone...

 

[geo.greg]

I am with Kurt on allowing family to follow along by viewing my track. I use the Kenwood D72 connected to a outside antenna. As I also do Geocaching it makes a nice addition to the toolbox, use a Laptop connected to the gps antenna on the dash with topo mapping software to get a larger view of the trails in the area.

oh my gosh... did he say geocaching... (here is my GC profile)

http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=3ff7f0d3-d739-4e66-9cec-721f63dde59f