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  1. Our Sponsor • Heartland Tower • Providing Discounted Tower Space to Amateur Radio Emergency Services throughout the Heartland • NEKSUN • Join in the fun of APRS and repeater building across Northeast Kansas www.kØham.com

  2. APRS & YOU in NE KS NEKSUN kØham.com kØsun SUNFLOWER INTERLINK NEKSARC APRS

  3. The NEKSUN KØHAM Network

  4. Why We Are Here • APRS is a powerful tool for emergency management • Readiness requires skilled reserve of Hams • Topeka is a key APRS network point • Capitol is destination for traffic • Links from Wichita, KC & Lawrence

  5. What is APRS • Automatic Position Reporting System • Packet communication protocol for sharing live data on a network in real time • Real time tactical communications and display system for emergencies and public service applications (APRS Spec)

  6. APRS Features • Maps • Messaging • Objects • Bulletins and announcements • Weather station reporting • DX Cluster reporting • Internet access • Telemetry

  7. History • Invented by Bob Bruninga, WB4APR in 1992 • Devised to facilitate short haul, short duration data transfer – conventional packet was not suitable

  8. History • APRS for DOS was the first program • MacAPRS & WinAPRS 1994 by Sproule brothers • UI-View—best support & popularity • Many other APRS apps since – runs on Windows 3.x, 9x, NT and XP, Mac, Linux, Palm, CE and DOS • GPS adjunct came afterwards

  9. Uses • Passive Fun • Watch the display of many stations • Watch the ISS or PCsat fly by • Watch emergencies in action • Tracking • Find your buddies • Track your teenager • Balloons and rockets • Meet hams spontaneously on the road

  10. Uses • Telemetry • Balloons and rockets • Post bulletins, event notices and venues • Send email

  11. More Uses • Events • Track the parade Grand Marshal • Track the last marathoner or bike racer (brew to brew run Demo) • Emergencies • Search and rescue • Disaster information • EOC messagingm (Single Line) • Track the fire chief

  12. Still More Uses • Weather monitoring • See wind speeds and temperatures in the area • Report wind damage • Track tornados

  13. Weather monitoring • Users can create and move objects such as hurricanes and funnel clouds. • The objects can be transmitted through the APRS network to the NWS • Objects could be used to transmit attributes not quantifiable as a number • Collection of data • Trending Weather Data • Weather Alerts from NWS • Superimposed RADAR

  14. Theory • Assumptions • Packet radio • Digipeaters • APRS Protocol • Frequencies • GPS

  15. Assumptions • Radios • Antennas • PC Skills

  16. How does APRS Work? • Some details…

  17. Packet Radio • History • AX.25 protocol was approved by ARRL in 1984 • Came from X.25 protocol (the A is for Amateur) • Primary difference from X.25 is allowance for call signs and for unconnected packets

  18. Packet Radio • Packets • Strings of data bytes called frames • 3 kinds of frames in ordinary packet • Information (I frame) • Supervisory (S frame) • Unnumbered (U frame) • 6 kinds of U frames, one is Unnumbered Information frame • UI frames are used for transmitting data in an unconnected mode

  19. Packet Radio • In packet radio, qso’s are always between ‘connected’ stations • Several qso’s can take place simultaneously on the same frequency • Packet qso’s may be digipeated but by specific stations

  20. How is APRS different from Packet Radio? • Communication is ‘one to many’ • Uses generic digipeating with well-known aliases • Supports intelligent digipeating to reduce network flooding • Uses UI frames for messaging, bulletins and announcements • Provides maps and other features

  21. How APRS uses Packets • Uses the same AX.25 protocol but only a part of it • Uses Unnumbered Information (UI) frames exclusively • Always runs in connectionless mode

  22. How APRS uses Packets • Frames are transmitted without expecting any response • Reception is not guaranteed • Messages work same way but use an ‘ack’ technique

  23. The UI Packet

  24. Destination Address • From the APRS spec…

  25. Destination Address • The adr ‘SPCL’ is to be used for special events. APRS s/w should provide for only showing stations with this adr (but it doesn’t). • Usually just shows the software version. WinAPRS v2.6.1 sets this to APW261

  26. Destination Address • May also contain • MIC-E encoded data • Other unique encoded data • No reason to change this since s/w can’t cope

  27. Source Address • My station call sign

  28. An Intervening Word about Digipeaters • Why do we need them? • Increase coverage • Digipeater versus repeater • Voice repeaters operate in duplex mode • Digipeaters operate in simplex mode • Digipeaters use store and forward technique

  29. Digipeaters • Wide area digipeaters • In this area are usually on a tower • Have good antennas and high power • Operate automatically • Operate all the time • Have Battery Backup

  30. Digipeaters • Relay digipeater • Usually somebody’s home station • Should be able to communicate with a WIDE station • Purpose is to help low powered stations get to the WIDE

  31. Digipeaters • WIDE • Examples: KØHAM-14 • …or not • Examples: WVØS

  32. Digipeaters • Digipeaters respond to certain generic aliases • Relay, used by any station to relay mobiles to a wide • Echo, HF only, same function as Relay • Wide, all high digipeaters (dumb) • WideN-N, wide digipeating limited to N hops • Trace, use call sign substitution to indicate path the packet took (TEST ONLY) • WideN-N, wide digipeating limited to N hops • Gate, HF to VHF connection

  33. Digipeaters • Digipeaters only repeat if their call sign, their unique alias, or a generic alias is in the digi path • Two Types: • UIFLOOD- WIDE3-3 • WIDE,WIDE,WIDE

  34. Back to the UI Packet -- Digipeater Addresses • Also known as the ‘unproto path’ • Up to 9 addresses • Specific or generic aliases • Specified in s/w configuration or in the UNPROTO command: APRS V RELAY, WIDE,WIDE • Represents the route you want your packet to follow

  35. Digipeater Addresses • Rules of thumb • Don’t use RELAY unless mobile • If you can hit a wide, then include it as the first digi in the string • For maximum range, add WIDE2-2 or WIDE3-3 after a specific DIGI • Examples: • APRS V KØHAM-14, WIDE2-2 • APRS v RELAY, WIDE,WIDE • APRS V WIDE3-3 • Anything MORE than 3 should be avoided!

  36. Digipeater Addresses • You can be really specific about the path • Example: • APRS V KØHAM-14, KØHAM-12, KØHAM-13 would route you down to Matfield Green, nowhere else

  37. Types of Data • There are ten main types of APRS Data: • Position • Direction Finding • Objects and Items • Weather • Telemetry • Messages, Bulletins and Announcements • Queries • Responses • Status • Other

  38. Data Example • Position data

  39. Data Extension Example • PHG extension refers to power, height and gain (also directivity) • Height is above ‘average local terrain’ • Form is ‘PHGphgd’

  40. Frequencies • VHF 144.39 • 1200 baud • HF 10.15151 LSB • 300 baud • Satellite • ISS Downlink 145.800, uplink 145.990 • PCsat simplex 145.828 • 1200 baud

  41. Getting on the Air with APRS – What to Buy/Scrounge • Details…

  42. Hardware • Home station requirements • 2 meter radio and antenna • Desktop computer • TNC or soundcard/interface • Mobile station requirements • 2 meter radio and antenna • Variables

  43. Hardware • Mobile variables – Track & View • GPS • Laptop • TNC

  44. Hardware • Mobile variables – Mobile Tracking • GPS • Tiny Track, or Tracking TNC

  45. Hardware • Mobile variables – Portabletracking • GPS • No computer • Tracker interface device • Power source for portability

  46. Hardware • Kantronics KPC-3+ • Supports single PC Serial Port Tracker • Supports UI Flood Protocol • Current Version is 9.0 • Simple Mobile Operation • Cost $189

  47. Hardware • Kantronics KPC-3 • Good for Home use • Version 8.2 Supports UI Flood Protocol • Average cost used: $80

  48. Hardware • KPC-2, KAM, MFJ, others • Good for Home use • Low cost • Check http://swap.qth.com/ for deals

  49. Hardware • Mic-E • A mike encoder – • Compressed Packet burst at end of transmission • Must be supported by local repeaters (none currently enabled) • Tigertronics TigerTrak TM-1 ($90) • Also functions as a full function tracking and telemetry module

  50. Hardware • A self-contained tracking/telemetry module • Tigertronics TigerTrak TM-1 • Tiny Trak III kit ($30) • See http://www.byonics.com/tinytrak/index.html

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