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his chapter describes how to use APRS on the air and on the Internet. WHAT ARE THE COMMON RADIO FREQUENCIES FOR APRS OPERATION?

On VHF, most APRS activity in North America occurs on 2 meters at 144.39 MHz using 1200 bit/s. On UHF, 445.925 MHz is the focus of UHF APRS activity using 9600 or 1200 bit/s. On HF, 10.151.51 MHz LSB is the frequency of choice and 300 bit/s is the data rate. Note that the carrier is actually 2125 kHz down from 10.151.51 MHz, so it is within the Amateur Radio allocated frequencies. I START APRS AND ITS MAP FILLS UP WITH DATA. WHAT AM I TO MAKE OF IT ALL? An APRS map display like that shown in Figure 5-1 may be a little overwhelming to the novice APRS user, so let us try to get a handle on what we are looking at. The map is a simple outline map that represents the Eastern Seaboard of the US from the southern tip of Maine to Toms River on the New Jersey shore. The only geographic features represented on this map are state borders, the coastline, major bodies of water, and major highways; everything else you see on the map is APRS-related. The various symbols on the map represent the various APRS
Operation 5-1

Figure 5-1Twenty-four hours of APRS activity fills an APRS map.

stations and objects detected by APRS. The vehicle symbols (automobiles, trucks, jeeps, boats, trains, etc.) represent APRS stations that are mobile. The building symbols represent APRS stations that are stationary (home/base stations, emergency operations centers, hospitals, police stations, etc.) The star symbols represent APRS digipeaters. The circular WX symbols represent APRS weather stations. The narrow lines emanating from some vehicle symbols indicate the course or direction that the vehicle is heading. The thick lines emanating from the weather stations indicate the wind direction and relative wind speed (the longer the line, the higher the wind speed). The blurs, like the one near the center of the map, represent moving APRS stations. The blurs are the result of the moving stations symbol being redisplayed each time its movement is detected and displayed by APRS. Redrawing a map eliminates the blurs/multiple symbol displays and results in a map like that shown in Figure 5-2. That makes the map less cluttered and easier to interpret.
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Figure 5-2A redrawn APRS map eliminates the clutter and redundancy that results in extended periods of APRS activity.

HOW DO I CHANGE THE MAGNIFICATION OF THE MAPS THAT APRS DISPLAYS? All versions of APRS that use maps permit you to zoom in (magnify) and zoom out of the maps. Figure 5-3 shows how APRS looks after I start it up at my APRS base station. The software loads the map I selected for startup (an outline map of the northeast corner of the US) and displays it all in one window. This map display is fine for a wide view of APRS activity, but the APRS activity is cluttered and, as a result, the map is not very useful to see what is going on at the local level. Figure 5-4 shows the result of centering the map on my APRS base station (in west central Connecticut) and zooming in by one level of magnification. This map display is fine for a local view of APRS activity, but it is still too cluttered to clearly pick out each APRS station. Figure 5-5 shows the result of zooming in the map by two levels of magnification. This is better, but there is still a lot of clutter.
Operation 5-3

Figure 5-3Starting up APRS typically results in a map reduced to fill the APRS map window.

Figure 5-4APRS allows you to magnify a map for more detail. This is the result of one level of magnification.

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Figure 5-5Two levels of magnification results in this APRS map display.

Figure 5-6 shows the result of zooming in the map by three levels of magnification. Except where stations are co-located or nearly so, you can differentiate most of the individual APRS stations. Further magnification is possible. You can continue zooming in on clusters of APRS stations until you can differentiate practically all of them. However, if the APRS stations actually share the same location, no level of magnification will separate the stations. For example, WA1LOU-85 at the center of the map is actually three APRS stations at the same location: WA1LOU-8, my mobile station parked in my garage and WA1LOU-15, my APRS home station, which is an APRS wide digipeater and APRS weather station, each with their own symbols. By the way, the Page Down and Page Up keys are used in many APRS applications to zoom in (Page Down) and zoom out (Page Up) of maps.
Operation 5-5

Figure 5-6Three levels of magnification of this APRS map is just about right to see what is going on at the local level.

HOW DOES APRS TRACK A MOVING OBJECT? The ability to track moving objects on a map is the primary function (and attraction) of APRS. This function has made APRS an appealing tool for public service communications. The dynamics of tracking public service events require the tracking power of APRS, and the ability to replay the track of a moving object just adds to this power. Tracking requires the moving object to transmit its position as it traverses its route. This may be accomplished automatically via a GPS receiver configured to the transmitter in the moving object, or manually via operator control. Manual operator control may be performed by an operator inputting position information into a computer running APRS aboard the moving object or remotely by an operator, who placed a moving object like a hurricane on an APRS map. In either case, each time a new position is transmitted for a moving object, the symbol of that
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object appears in a new position on the APRS map. Replaying the track of a moving object is performed differently with the various versions of APRS. For example, to replay the track of one object in APRSdos or APRS+SA, you must select the object before tracking begins. With MacAPRS, WinAPRS and X-APRS, you can select one moving object at any time to replay the entire track of that object only. Figure 5-7 shows the result of tracking one selected moving object, in this case, K1LTJ-9, a mobile APRS station. K1LTJ9s track begins at his base station (K1LTJ-5), goes south on Route 7 in Western Connecticut, then makes the return trip north up the same route. The solid overlapping lines along Route 7 indicate the north and south paths of K1LTJ-9 detected by APRS and the automobile symbol near the north end of the path indicates the last position of K1LTJ-9 detected by APRS. The fields at the bottom of the map display additional information about K1LTJ-9s trip. The fields display the number of packets received from K1LTJ-9 (131), the date and time of

Figure 5-7This APRS map displays the track of K1LTJ-9 commuting to and from work.

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the first received packet (10/01/03, 8:19:03 AM) and the last received packet (10/01/03, 6:46:06 PM). The fields also display the last received position of K1LTJ-9 (41 25' 24"N, 73 27' 07"W), altitude (449), course (183), speed (20), and finally, the distance (30.0 mi) and direction (241) between K1LTJ-9s last received location and the location of the APRS station that was the source of this map (WA1LOU-15). Figure 5-8 shows the result of tracking multiple moving objects, in this case, all the moving objects detected by APRS. In this display, most of the moving action seems to be taking place on I-84, the route that crosses the map diagonally from the southwest to the northeast. In addition to displaying tracked objects on maps, APRS also generates a table of tracked objects on command. Figure 5-9 is an example of a tracked objects table. The table is sorted according to the time. As a result, the last tracked object detected by APRS appears at the top of the table. (The table may be

Figure 5-8This map displays the tracks of all the stations in motion detected by APRS.

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Figure 5-9The Tracked List of WinAPRS delineates the tracked stations received by your station.

resorted using the other headings of the table.) The table displays the following information about each tracked object: type (primary and secondary symbols), call sign and SSID, time of last received packet, number of packets received, number of packets represented by the track, last received course, speed, and altitude, the total distance traveled, the distance to the location of the APRS station that was the source of this table (WA1LOU-15), the color of the track, and the identification text (if any) appended to the objects packets. HOW DO I SEND AND RECEIVE TEXT MESSAGES WITH APRS? Sometimes an APRS map itself is not enough and you have to contact another station to pass information concerning activity being displayed on the map. Or you may have a need to pass information to all the stations in the APRS network. The authors of the APRS protocol foresaw this need and as a result, the software supports communication in real-time. The
Operation 5-9

Figure 5-10You originate an APRS message or bulletin using this window in WinAPRS .

software accomplishes this by permitting you to send one-line messages to any active station in the APRS network or by sending multiple-line bulletins to all the stations in the network. The process of sending and receiving messages varies with each version of APRS. Receiving messages is usually hands-off; whenever you receive a message addressed your station, most versions of APRS automatically display the message. All you have to do is read the message and reply to it if you wish. Sending a message is a little more involved. Typically, you access a message composition function. Figure 5-10 represents a typical message composition window. (It is the message composition window of WinAPRS, which is virtually the same as the message composition window in MacAPRS and X-APRS.) You type the call sign and SSID of the station you wish to contact in the To: field, type the contents of the message in the Msg: field, and send it on its way (by clicking the OK button). When the message is received, you receive an acknowledgement of that fact. HOW DO I MANUALLY ADD AN OBJECT TO AN APRS MAP? Besides your APRS station, you can add other things to the APRS map and they will appear on all the APRS maps in your network. For example, you can display the path of a hurricane,
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Figure 5-11The icon of Hurricane Hiram moving up the East Coast is under the control of an APRS station operator.

the lead runner in a marathon, the lead vehicle in a parade, or a mobile communications control center in an emergency or natural disaster scenario. Let us use the hurricane example. Hurricane Hiram is coming up the coast. You obtain its coordinates, speed and course from the National Weather Service, the Weather Channel or some other reliable source. With this information in hand, you access the add object function of APRS, and input the name, coordinates, speed, and course of the hurricane. You also select an appropriate symbol for the APRS map display (enter the @ in order to display the hurricane symbol). Figure 5-11 illustrates an object, Hurricane Hiram, that an APRS user placed on a map. As you receive updates concerning the position, speed and course of Hurricane Hiram, you access APRS and enter the updated information in order to adjust the symbol of the hurricane on the APRS map. And, when the hurricane is over, you access APRS to remove the hurricane symbol from the APRS map. WHAT STATION INFORMATION DOES APRS COLLECT? All versions of APRS collect information about the stations
Operation 5-11

that are active on your APRS network. How they display that information varies between the various versions of APRS. A list of stations that are active on your APRS network is available in one form or another from most APRS applications. Figure 5-12 is an example of such a list. It lists the stations received by your station in their order of receipt (the oldest first) and provides the following information concerning each station: primary and secondary map symbols, call sign and SSID, the CAATOFPWDG field, number of packets received, time of first receipt, and contents of identification text (if any). Each column of the CAATOFPWDG field indicates the following information concerning each station: The C column indicates the symbol character. The first A column indicates the symbol table. The second A column indicates the alarm type, if any. The T column indicates the tracked type, if any. The O column indicates the object type, if any.

Figure 5-12The Station List of Mac/Win/X-APRS delineates the APRS stations received by your station.

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 The F column indicates the flagged type, if any. The P column indicates the current count of the message pending counter. The W column indicates the warning type, if any. The D column indicates the danger type, if any. The G column indicates the GPS destination, if any. You can also obtain information about an individual station in APRS. Typically, you select the station whose information you wish to view and APRS displays that information in various ways. For example, Figure 5-13 is the result of double-clicking your mouse on the symbol of a station displayed on a MacAPRS map. The window displays the stations primary and secondary map symbols, call sign and SSID, number of packets received, date and time of first and last receipt, last received location (latitude and longitude), number of messages sent, and contents of status, identification, and beacon text (if any), actual contents of last received packet, and distance from your APRS station.

Figure 5-13APRS displays a variety of information concerning individual APRS stations.

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5-13

The History panel in the lower half of the window displays all the packets received from the selected station. Clicking the automobile symbol button reveals additional information, which appears in the upper right panel of the window, as shown in Figure 5-14. This information refers to the track of the station (if any) and includes the following data: the number of packets received that compose the track, the distance of the track from beginning to end, the total distance traveled, the current speed and altitude, and the maximum speed and altitude achieved during the track. In this example, notice the anomaly of 0.3 miles distance start-to-finish vs. 76.2 miles distance traveled. The explanation is simple: in this example, APRS tracked a trip totaling 76.2 miles whose starting point and ending point were 0.3 miles apart. Clicking the balloon symbol button graphically represents the various altitudes that the station reported during its trip, as shown in Figure 5-15 . This view was originally intended for

Figure 5-14APRS also displays information regarding the track of individual APRS stations that are in motion.

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tracking APRS stations aboard balloons, but may be used for any moving APRS station. (By the way, that track represents two roundtrips between my home and the salt mine and yes, the trip home does seem as steep as the graph indicates especially during a snowstorm.) All versions of APRS provide a way of viewing the digipeater path of the APRS stations received by your station. Figure 5-16 is an example of such a list. It includes the call sign (and SSID) and digipeater path of each station. An asterisk (*) next to the call sign indicates that you received the packets directly from that station, not via a digipeater. An asterisk next to a digipeater indicates that you received the station from that digipeater. All versions of APRS permit you to display a list of the packets received by your station. Figures 5-17 and 5-18 respectively illustrate the view packets displays of APRSdos and

Figure 5-15The changing altitude of a moving object is displayed graphically by APRS.

Operation

5-15

Figure 5-16The Digipeater List of APRSdos lists the digipeaters used by the APRS stations received at your station.

Figure 5-17The View Packets list of APRSdos displays the last 12 packets received.

MacAPRS. (The WinAPRS and X-APRS versions of this display are very similar to the MacAPRS version of this display.) Some versions of APRS have a function that lists the number of packets received per hour from each station over the previous 24-hour period. APRSdos presents this data in a tabular format, while MacAPRS , WinAPRS, and X-APRS presents this data graphically. Figures 5-19 and 5-20 illustrate the APRSdos and MacAPRS versions of the display, respectively. (The WinAPRS and X-APRS versions of this display are very similar
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Figure 5-18The History List of MacAPRS lists all the packets received by your station.

Figure 5-19The Heard Log of APRSdos lists the number of packets received each hour in a tabular format.

Operation

5-17

Figure 5-20The When Heard List of MacAPRS lists the number of packets received each hour graphically.

to the MacAPRS version of this display.) WHAT WEATHER INFORMATION DOES APRS COLLECT? Most versions of APRS collect weather information from the weather stations that are active on your APRS network. How they display that information varies between the various versions of APRS. Most versions of APRS display weather data next to each weather station that appears on its maps. Figure 5-21 is an example of such a display. The weather data in this display of the area around Lake Michigan includes temperature, wind speed (MPH), wind gusts (MPH), rainfall (inches), atmospheric pressure (millibars) and relative humidity (%). The line overlaid on the weather station symbol indicates the direction of the wind. A counter indicates the age of the data (in minutes).
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Figure 5-21APRS weather station data is displayed on APRS maps.

A list of weather stations that are active on your APRS network is available in one form or another from some APRS applications. Figure 5-22 is an example of such a list. It lists the following information concerning each weather station: primary and secondary map symbol, call sign and SSID, day of the month and time of last packet received, temperature (degrees Fahrenheit), rainfall during previous hour (inches), rainfall during previous day (inches), relative humidity (%), atmospheric pressure (millibars), wind speed (mph), wind gusts (mph), wind direction (degrees), number of alarms generated by the station, distance (miles) and direction (degrees) from your station, and brand of weather station equipment. Some versions of APRS also display weather data from individually selected weather stations. Figure 5-23 displays N1HRKs weather data textually, while Figure 5-24 displays the same information graphically. In both views, wind speed, air temperature, barometric pressure and rainfall are displayed.
Operation 5-19

Figure 5-22The Weather List of MacAPRS delineates the weather data received from the APRS weather stations.

Figure 5-23APRS permits you to display the weather data from individual APRS weather stations in a textual format.

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Figure 5-24A graphical display of weather data from individual APRS stations is also possible with APRS.

DOES APRS DISPLAY ALL THE MAP SYMBOLS THAT IT USES? Some versions of APRS allow you to view all the symbols that may be used to represent stations and objects on its maps. Figure 5-25 illustrates all the map symbols available in APRS, their keyboard equivalents and names. HOW DOES APRS INTERFACE WITH THE INTERNET? Some APRS stations (called IGates for Internet gateways) are connected to the Internet in order to relay the APRS data they receive locally to central Internet sites called APRServers. The APRServers massage this data (deleting bad and duplicate packets), and then allow other stations to access that data in order to view APRS activity worldwide. If the computer you use for running APRS is connected to the Internet, you can connect to an APRServer and display international APRS activity on your APRS maps. Figure 5-26 shows a WinAPRS map of the Continental US filled with APRS activity after connecting the software to an APRServer via the Internet.
Operation 5-21

Figure 5-25Here are all the map symbols available in APRS.

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Figure 5-26Connecting APRS software to an APRServer via the Internet results in a map filled with APRS activity from coast-tocoast.

This virtual APRS window has the same capabilities as an RF-originated APRS window. For example, you can send oneline messages to APRS stations in the virtual APRS window in the same way that you send messages to APRS stations over the local RF APRS network. By the way, if you connect your APRS software to an APRServer while it is also connected to your APRS station, there will be an intermingling of Internet-originated and RForiginated stations and objects on your APRS maps. You will not be able to differentiate between them, but that does not matter because you can interact with both the Internet-originated and RF-originated APRS stations in the same way. Also, you can configure your APRS software to permit it to feed your local activity to the Internet; thus, your station becomes an IGate, too. HOW CAN I SEND E-MAIL VIA APRS? In addition to giving you the capability to view worldwide APRS activity, IGates permit you to originate one-line e-mail messages to legitimate Internet addresses. After properly addressing the message and transmitting it on the air, any IGate that receives it (and is properly configured to relay it) relays it to the Internet. After the relay, the IGate sends an acknowOperation 5-23

ledgment over the air to the originating station. To originate a message, simply address it to EMAIL and insert the Internet address as the first item in the message. For example, to send e-mail to n1ed@arrl.net, you address the message to EMAIL and the contents of the message would look something like this: n1ed@arrl.net Are you going to Dayton this year? After transmitting the message, you will receive a message like Email message delivered OK from any IGate that handles it. Yesthis implies that more than one IGate will relay it to the Internet, but I think you will agree that is a small price to pay for this capability. IS THERE A DATABASE THAT STORES ALL THIS APRS INFORMATION? Since the late 1990s, the APRS Internet system has been up and running collecting APRS data from around the world to link all the local RF APRS networks into a single real-time wide-area network. The system handles approximately 300,000 packets a day. Since late 2000, there has been a system in place for longterm storage of the APRS packets. By querying the APRS database, you can obtain pertinent data concerning APRS activity. For example, I use the system almost every day. After I arrive at the salt mine, I check the system to see if the APRS tracker in my land barge is working. If it is working, my tracker progress from home to the salt mine appears on the maps created from the data stored by the APRS database. Anybody can access the data, but to facilitate access, a handful of hams have created Web pages that allow you to query the database via a user-friendly interface. Figure 5-27 shows an example of such a page, i.e., Brian Rileys, N1BQs APRS Search Page (www.wulfden.org/APRSQuery.shtml), which has been up and running for a long time and is a favorite destination for folks wishing to access the database. Entering the call sign and SSID of an APRS station in the
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Figure 5-27Brian Rileys, N1BQs APRS Search Page accesses the Internet APRS database to find you an APRS station.

Location(s) of call field of N1BQs APRS Search Page causes it to access the database and extract the pertinent data that results in the creation of maps displaying the APRS stations last reported location. As shown in the accompanying Figures 5-28 through 5-30, N1BQs APRS Search Page displays three maps that indicate the location of the station you asked about. A local street-level map covers an approximately 0.5 by 1 mile area, a city- and town-level map covers approximately 25 by 50 miles, and a regional map covers approximately 200 by 400 miles. The page indicates when the last packet was received from that station and the course and speed of that stationif it was in motion, that is, like an APRS tracker. The page also displays the stations distance and direction from the nearest city, the contents of the stations status packet and the contents of the last raw packet received from that station. Links on the page allow you to access a list of stations near the station of interest. They also allow you to display a US Geological Survey topographical map and an aerial photo, if available, that covers approximately the same area as the local street-level map. In addition to station location and tracks, you can also
Operation 5-25

Figure 5-28The location of an APRS station extracted from the Internet APRS database is displayed on a local street-level map.

Figure 5-29The location of an APRS station extracted from the Internet APRS database is also displayed on a city- and townlevel map.

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Figure 5-30A regional map is also used to display the location of an APRS station extracted from the Internet APRS database.

display messages sent to or from a particular station, find APRS stations near another station, near a specific ZIP code, near a specific latitude and longitude, during a specific time period, etc. Also, current weather information and weather history from specific APRS weather stations may be viewed. Raw packet data from any APRS station may also be viewed. Figures 5-31 and 5-32 show the variety of options that you can use to access the database. DESCRIBE SOME PRACTICAL USES OF THE APRS INTERNET SYSTEM? Practical Use 1 A ham posted a message on the Tucson Amateur Packer Radio (TAPR) APRSSIG e-mail list asking if anyone had received any position packets from the APRS station installed in his vehicle. It seems that his vehicle was stolen and if the perpetrators happened to turn on the station equipment, the position packets might help locate the vehicle. Another ham suggested checking the APRS database to see
Operation 5-27

Figure 5-31N1BQs APRS Search Page permits you to extract APRS information from the Internet APRS database in a number of ways.

Figure 5-32Here are still more ways of extracting APRS information from the Internet APRS database courtesy of N1BQs APRS Search Page.

if his mobile APRS stations position packets had been relayed to the Internet. After checking, he discovered that one of his stations position packets was indeed relayed to the Internet. This clue led the authorities to the location revealed by the
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position packet and resulted in the arrest of the perpetrators and the recovery of various items of stolen property. Practical Use 2 I drive my land barge to and from the Dayton Hamvention every spring. I dont own a cell phone because I believe cell phones are a product of the Evil Empire. As a result, I am not on the phone calling home to let the family know that I did not get lost in Akron during the trip. However, the family keeps track of my whereabouts for free by accessing N1BQs APRS Search Page (www.wulfden.org/APRSQuery.shtml) and asking, Wheres WA1LOU-8? Yes, you do not have to have an Amateur Radio license to access the APRS database, so let your family and friends in on the fun. Practical Use 3 I live on a hill and work in a valley. The two locations are only 19 miles apart, but the weather conditions can be very different between the two sites. In the winter, it may be raining

Figure 5-33This Web page accesses the Internet APRS database to extract and display data from an APRS weather station.

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at work, but snowing at home. A few times, I have left work at the end of the day driving through a light shower only to find six inches of snow at the top of the hill (assuming that I make it to the top of the hill with the balding all-weather tires that I have on the land barge). I have a fully outfitted APRS weather station at home and it would be nice to be able to access it from work to know which way the snow blows on those winter days when it is raining at the salt mine. But I cannot access my weather station from work because the APRS radio in the land barge is one that does not display weather data from APRS weather stations. Instead of buying a new radio, I built a simple Web site (www.tapr.org/~wa1lou/wx.html) that accesses the APRS database, extracts my weather stations data, and displays it on a Web page in tabular format, as shown in Figure 5-33 , and a graphical format, as shown in Figure 5-34. Now, I can access

Figure 5-34Another Web page accesses the Internet APRS database to extract the same data from an APRS weather station, but displays it in a graphical format.

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my weather station using the computer on my desk at the salt mine. HOW CAN I USE APRS TO CHASE DX? Two meters is open this morning. There is a tropospheric (or tropo) inversion along the East Coast that is enhancing propagation out to a range of 100-200 miles. You would never know this by monitoring the 2-meter SSB calling frequency as there is nary a signal to be heard there. So, how do I know that 2 meters is open? APRS is showing the way. Long before the marriage of home computers and Amateur Radio led me into the ham radio digital dimension, my main interest was in the VHF/UHF world. One of my first radios was a Heathkit 2-meter Benton Harbor Lunchbox, also known as a Twoer. It was a one-channel AM transceiver with a superregenerative receiver. Super was a misnomer. It certainly was not of Clark Kents lineage as it left a lot to be desired in the selectivity department. It was so non-selective that one strong signal seemed to fill the whole 2-meter band! But, due to my limited college income (or should I say superincome), I used to haul my Twoer around in my car looking for the high spots in New Haven County, Connecticut, trying to work 2-meter DX. It was tough going, but I managed to work a handful of states because the receiver was sensitive, albeit non-selective. Then came FM, but I wont get into that. Anyway, the VHF/ UHF bug bit me a long time ago and I still chase 2-meter DX whenever it is available. Propagation Tool Time When I started playing with APRS, I thought that it might be a suitable tool for chasing 2-meter DX. Since most APRS activity occurs on the same channel (for example, 144.39 MHz on 2 meters), if you continuously monitor that channel, you can tell that the band is open when stations begin appearing on your APRS map that dont normally appear there. I was sold on using APRS as a 2-meter propagation alerting mechanism when one July afternoon, stations in Georgia started
Operation 5-31

popping up on my APRS map. I guessed that sporadic E propagation was in the works, so I switched to SSB and worked a number of stations in Florida for my 26th state on 2 meters. The outer limits of my APRS coverage area during normal 2-meter propagation conditions is WA2JNF in Brooklyn, 85 miles to my southeast and W1TDG in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, 90 miles to my northeast. However, the morning I wrote this, my computer monitor displayed stations such as WA1YKN on Cape Cod, 135 miles to my east, NR1N in Warner, New Hampshire, 133 miles to my northeast, and N2MSM on the South Jersey shore, 174 miles to my southeast, indicating that there was tropo inversion propagation. Wheat vs. Chaff To use this tool correctly, you must correctly interpret what your APRS map is displaying. On a typical day, an APRS map displays a lot of stations within a 150-mile radius of your station as well as pockets of activity scattered across the continent. Such a display does not necessarily mean that the band is open. Most of the stations within a 150-mile radius (give or take mileage depending on the lay of your APRS LAN) are displayed on your map because APRS digipeaters are relaying their positions to your station. Similarly, the stations beyond the 150mile radius are likely to be HF APRS stations whose positions are being relayed to 2 meters by an APRS HF gateway station on your APRS LAN. In any case, you are not receiving most of these stations directly; repeaters and gateways are doing the work. Only when you receive a distant station directly is it an indication of unusual propagation conditions. So, how do you differentiate the directly received stations from the digipeated and gatewayed stations? Various versions of APRS allow you to filter out all but the direct stations. For example, invoking the Controls-FiltersDirect series of commands in APRSdos will only display the stations you hear directly. Display>Station Display Mode/ Options>Direct Stations Only does the same in MacAPRS, WinAPRS and X-APRS. After you have used APRS for a while, you get a feel for

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which stations are within your normal outer limits, as well as the HF stations that are normally being gatewayed to your LAN. When an unfamiliar station appears on your map, you can check how you are receiving it by using commanding APRS to display its path. For example, today the path of N1HRK in Candia, New Hampshire appears as K1HJC>APRS,NR1N-2,WIDE. This indicates that I am receiving K1HJC directly. An asterisk in the path would indicate otherwise. For example, if an asterisk followed NR1N-2 or WIDE, it would indicate that I was receiving K1HJC via digipeater NR1N-2 or via a digipeater with an alias of WIDE. Similarly, if GATE* appeared in the path, it would indicate that the station was being gatewayed to me. That explains how you can use APRS as a VHF/UHF propagation tool. Now let me go and look at my APRS map. Maybe I can work state number 27!

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