November 13, 2012
APRS in Emergency
Communications
Benefits of APRS:
1) Single-view, location-based data.
2) Message broadcasting.
3) Automatic logging of received
messages.
4) Integration with other services.
5) Already built in to many mobile
and handheld transceivers.
APRS is generally used in two ways:
Broadcast
Peer to peer
APRS Clients:
Windows:
UI-View (http://www.ui-view.org)
(http://www.apritch.myby.co.uk/
uiv32.htm)
APRS-ISCE
(http://aprsisce.wikidot.com)
Mac, Linux:
XASTIR (http://xastir.org)
iPhone (App Store):
iBCNU
PocketPacket
Digipeter:
A station that retransmits received
packets after a brief time delay.
This can be done either by settings in
the TNC, or in the software.
Linux and Mac can both use
X-Windows based programs,
like xastir.
http://www.xastir.org/wiki/
Main_Page
As root,
chgrp users /dev/ttyS*
Or,
chmod 666 /dev/ttyS*
Depending on your system, this
may have to be done every reboot.
Common SSIDs:
0 – base
1-4 – mobile/portable/tactical
7 – HT or hiker
10 – Internet gateways
12 – One-way tracker
13 – Weather station
15 – General use
Send a message to:
CQ, TEST, or a specific callsign
CQSRVR – An APRS-IS enabled
gateway can digipeat messages
to a registered group of specific
callsigns.
Message text:
CQ GROUPNAME Message
Send a message to:
CQSRVR
CQ ?: List all active groups on this
server.
CQ ? GROUPNAME: Get a message
back with the member count.
CQ L: List all groups I am a
member of.
Send a message to:
EMAIL: forwards a 67-char
message (including address) to
the internet.
Message text:
email@address.org Message
Send a message to:
WLNK-1: Use APRSLink via an
enabled gateway.
http://www.winlink.org/aprslink
Message Text:
SP email@address.org Subject
Keep sending your message 1 line
at a time.
End with /EX by itself.
Send a message to:
WLNK-1: Use APRSLink via an
enabled gateway.
Message Text:
SMS email@address.org Message
One line message
Send a message to:
WLNK-1: Use APRSLink via an
enabled gateway.
Message Text:
L
Get a list of 5 messages pending.
R1
Read message #1.
APRS has even more potential
than we’ve discussed tonight.
Bulletins relevant to large groups
can be broadcast at regular
intervals.
Status reports from multiple sites
can be delivered at once and kept
available for a period of time.