Synopsis of APRS Applications and Doodads

This page was last updated on: 03/19/2011  

Applications:

APRSdos: The old standby dos APRS application still works, and is periodically updated. If you have an old dos or Windows 3.11 computer sitting around doing nothing, it can run APRSdos. There are zillions of maps available, or you can make your own. Download APRSdos and the maps from http://www.tapr.org

APRSISCE: One of several new APRS apps for both Windows32 computers and Windows smartphones.

APRSPoint: This APRS application is relatively new, but development has slowed. It's a great program but lacks some capabilities the other applications offer. It works very well with Microsoft MapPoint maps. If the author could further develop this application it would have great potential.

APRS/CE: Limited function APRS application for the Windows CE, Mobile PC PDAs. Bluetooth GPS interface works well. With PDA USB support, can connect to the Greek USB-TNC. Pretty cool. Here's a source of maps: http://radioroom.org/public/APRS/Maps/. No longer supported.

APRS+SA: This version of APRS draws on the excellent Delorme Street Atlas maps through version 9. This is a great program with many features, but a bit of a learning curve. The are menus and sub-menus available to tailor the program to work for you.

DigiNed: This is actually a computer application designed to run a WIDEn-N digipeater. It can be extensively configured to put more controls on what gets through the digi, and what doesn't.

MacAPRS: For Macintosh enthusiasts, your choices are MacAPRS or Xastir. The maps issue never progressed as far as its Windows counterparts, so the only maps available were fairly rudimentary. MacAPRS has been updated to work with Apple OS X but also works with previous operating systems. Has not been supported for years.

PocketAPRS: Limited function APRS application for the Palm Pilot. Development curtailed at the moment. There are many maps available that work with all PDAs, check below.

UI-View:  UI-View32 remains the premier APRS application. Registration is free, but the "arrangement" is a suggested donation to your local cancer society. The author, G4IDE, passed away from cancer in 2004. UI-View works best with Undertow Software Precision Maps Ver 8.1, which includes detailed street-level maps of the U.S. and Canada. Precision Maps can be purchased for about $50 USD.

U2APRS: This smart phone version is for Android phones. It is not yet available on the Android Market. Get it direct from the web page using your phone's browser.

Weather Display: An alternate solution to record weather data from a number of weather stations, then link that data to APRS. The fee is about $73USD, but there is a "lite" version for APRS linking to weather stations that may be freeware.

WinAPRS: Until UI-View came along, WinAPRS was the application of choice. It also works great with Precision Maps, but only versions 3.0, 3.5, and 5.0, not version 7.0. It is full featured, and even though development of this one has slowed, it does get an occasional update to keep things current. WinAPRS also works great with TigerMaps which are readily available on the internet.

Xastir: Probably next in popularity amongst a growing number of users, Xastir is a unix-based APRS applications with many features, and the ability to digest nearly every map and photo source available to man kind.

APRS Radios:

Kenwood TH-D7A(G): Now discontinued, but available on eBay and other venues. This radio has APRS features built in, and when connected to an external GPS, is a fully functional mobile APRS station. You can send messages and EMAIL.

Kenwood TM-D700: Also now discontinued, but likewise available on eBay. Great mobile radio. When connected to one of several GPS displays, any stations received/processed by the radio can be displayed on the GPS.

Kenwood TH-D72A: Replaced the TH-D7A and introduced in Dec 2010. Has built in GPS and many other improved features. One of my favorites is the autotuning of objects received in the station list.

Kenwood TM-D710: Replaced the TM-D710 with new features make this the PREMIUM APRS radio, especially when joined with the AvMap GeoSat 6 GPS. Very cool radio and simply put, you MUST have at least one of these in your ham radio arsenal.

Yaesu FTM-350 and VX-8DR/GR: Also good radios but not quite as good as the Kenwoods. Reason: Kenwood worked closely with APRS developer Bob Bruninga WB4APR. Yaesu did not, or so I've been told. I don't own either the Yaesu HT or mobile, and have not received detailed performance reports, but people who have, like them.

GPS Devices:

Garmin: Garmin makes a fine selection of GPSs compatible with APRS. Most of the newer models will actually plot the APRS objects on the GPS screen, thus freeing the need for bringing a laptop along for the ride. The discontinued Garmin Street Pilot III and 2610 are two fine color screen models available and work great with the Kenwood D700 and D7A. I've also used the discontinued Garmin III Plus and V models with the same interface, along with the Etrex models. Another model, the GPS-35, is designed to mount atop the vehicle and looks like a computer mouse. Check out the Garmin Nuvi 350. Along with a special linking cable, you can see all the APRS stations on this GPS screen. Cool stuff coming out of Garmin. Note: If you Garmin has USB, it may NOT be compatible for APRS tracking.

Magellan: I don't know much about the Magellan GPSs, but others report they are good units.

AvMap: The AvMap GeoSat 4 (G4T) and GeoSat 5 have the largest displays, now over 5", for APRS use, and serial interface to any TNC for use with APRS. A serial cable is included to work with the Kenwood TH-D7AG and TM-D700/710, so that APRS objects processed by the radio appear on the GPS screen. G4T and G5 have been discontinued. The current model is the AvMap GeoSat G6 APRS and will be available for purchase in mid-April 2011. It has the same features and some new ones, including a magnetic mount to make installation and removal a little easier for folks who need to hid their GPS when the vehicle is parked in "not so safe" areas. Initial price is $500.

Green Light Labs: GLL makes the GPS-710 which is a small module that mounts behind the radio head of a Kenwood TM-D710, for about $70. Very favorable comments from those who have them. If you don't need or want a GPS with display, this is the way to go.

TNCs:

Kantronics: KPC-3 Plus: The current model of TNC from Kantronics, which makes great stuff. The KPC-3 Plus is also in general service at remote WIDEn-N digipeater sites.

Kantronics KPC-3: The TNC predecessor to the KPC-3 Plus, and is routinely available on eBay. These will work great as your home TNC hooked to a radio and computer, but not really compatible for use in mobile or WIDEn-N applications.

Kam XL: If you want to do simultaneous HF and VHF/UHF packet, this is the TNC for you. You can configure this TNC to do HF gating as well. 

Kantronics 9612: This is a dual, or triple port TNC with one 1200 baud and one 9600 baud ports. It'll work great on the mountaintop or on your desk or vehicle.

Elcom USB Micro TNC: This one comes from Greece, and is the first TNC with a USB interface. There have been some flash firmware problems reported, but when those are fixed this will be a great TNC with full APRS support as digi, tracker, or just TNC. Now you can attach your favorite broadband or wireless equipped PDA and run APRS/CE and connect to the internet.

PocketTracker: This micro tracker device combines a low-powered VHF radio with a TinyTrack III in a module that fits inside an Altoids can. It's perfect for use as an aircraft or balloon tracker, and works great in environments where there is not a lot of APRS activity flooding the network. When these were in production, they could be purchased as partial or completed kits, and run off a 9v battery. Great little devices with lots of utility in APRS. Note: no longer in production

TinyTrack III/IV: If you're looking for a very small tracker, the TT III or IV is a great choice. It's about the size of a tic-tac breath mint container, with DB-9 ports on either end, one goes to the radio, the other the GPS. You configure these goodies with a computer. The TT III is a transmit only TNC, but includes a carrier detect function so as to not transmit when the channel is already busy. The TT IV is more of a TNC as it has receive options and can be used to plot objects on the Garmin and AvMap GPSs. These are referred to as dumb trackers, but there's nothing dumb about these gems. TT IV has other capabilities beyond APRS, but can also be used for 9600 and 300 baud applications, besides the slow 1200 baud we use for APRS.

OpenTracker:

Tigertronics TigerTrak: This is another transmit-only TNC with carrier detect, and a few more features over the TT III. You can program different path settings and transmit rates w/o a computer attached, allowing the user to reprogram on the fly. These units are about 1/2 the size of a cigarette pack.

UI-Digi: This is not a user application, but rather an eprom that can be configured to run a APRS digipeater protocol in any TNC-2 compatible terminal node controller. The capabilities exceed that of Kantronics with their KPC-3 Plus TNCs.

Weather Stations:

La Crosse Technologies Weather Station: These are relatively low cost home-based weather stations, wireless or wired, which report the temperature, barometric, wind speed/direction and rain and can be mounted up to 30-40 yards away from the indoor monitor/panel. The wireless operates on 400 mhz. A serial cable connects the indoor monitor to the computer, and the (included) Heavy Weather program downloads the data from the weather station into the computer, and APRS picks up the latest weather data file. These run about $100 or less and can be found on eBay or Amazon.com. Note, To use Heavy Weather program with UI-View, you also need the UI-Weather add-on file. Alternately, you can get the Weather Display software which direct link to UI-View. A note, when you set up the weather station in UI-View, check the UI-View STATION SETUP and turn beacon intervals OFF, and in WX STATION SETUP turn beacon intervals ON with 10 or 15 minute updates to both radio and internet.

Davis Weather Station: Another good choice of APRS-compatible weather stations. Pretty pricey, but great quality.

Pete Brothers Weather Station: Another good choice of APRS-compatible weather stations. A lot of our users have these at home. Note, these weather stations listed are not designed to survive brutal winters like those on the mountaintops. These are good general purpose home weather stations.