APRS%20at%20NWS-ILX

1
APRS at NWS-ILX

• Weather Reporting using
• Automatic Position
• Reporting System

Larry M. Keeran K9ORP
This is the portion of multifaceted APRS used for
assisting coordination in your county and at the
National Weather Service office during weather
watches.
You may E-Mail K9ORP at k9orp_at_tapr.org
2
What APRS is

• Software
• Hardware
• Protocols
• Systems
• Computers
• Networks
• People

3
What APRS is NOT?

• APRS is NOT
• Magic
• Lifeless
• Only for Gurus
• Only for people with lots of money
• Only for people with GPS receivers

4
APRS Features

• Maps
• Weather Station Reporting
• DX Cluster Reporting
• Internet Access
• Messages
• Bulletins and Announcements

• Traffic
• All-Packet Log
• Heard Log
• Digipeater List
• Fixed Station Tracking
• Objects
• ACARS

5
Types of APRS

• Base StationsWith computer, TNC, Radio and maybe
  Internet access
• Mobile UnitsGPS, TNC and Radio
• RepeatersTNC and Radio

6
Software

• DOS
• Win95/98/NT
• Win95/98/NT
• Mac
• Win98/Win2K
• Linuxr
• Linux
• Perl
• Palm Pilot
• Internet Gateway

• APRSdos
• WinAPRS
• UIView
• MacAPRS
• APRSSA
• X-APRS
• APRSd
• perlAPRS
• PalmAPRS
• APRServ

7
APRS Software
8
What is a Tracker?
9
Using a RELAY to Digi
10
WIDE area Digipeaters
11
WIDE versus RELAY

• RELAYs are mostly home stations
• The are used to fill in areas with no WIDE
  coverage

• WIDEs are permament Digis
• They have good coverage

Generally RELAYs should be the first callsign in
the path, such as RELAY,WIDE,WIDE Relays are used
to fill in the gaps. Wides do most of the work.
12
Operation of the NWS-ILX Backbone
Wide
Packet Transmitted to Wide, MCL
Relay
Wide
Wide
Wide
ILX
13
APRS WX backbone details

• APRS backbone is on 445.925 9600 baud
• The GATE alias of MCL digipeats local APRS to the
  backbone
• The Kantronics KPC-9612 GATEs using two
  transceivers
• The 2 meter unit should only pick up local APRS
  stations.
• If it is too high, the delay waiting for dead air
  will slow WX Objects
• The PATH to ILX ends with ,MCL your WX UHF
  9600 path
• The in WX for the backbone is the tens of
  miles radius from ILX.
• WX Objects are entered by one emergency powered
  base in each county or net. Having the internet
  would be a plus. That station should be familiar
  twith his county roads and be able to enter that
  on his version of APRS while he is listening to
  the local voice weather net.
• WX Objects REMARKS MUST include YOURcall
  Confirmed (or Reported) by REAL NAME
• Damage reports MUST include YOURcall then the
  REAL AC PHONE of the person knowing the location
  of the damage.

14
Space Operations
15
Beacon Text on Fixed Stations
16
Weather Stations
Weather Stations may also be placed onto the APRS
network allowing automated weather reporting
17
Manually Added Stations
18
APRS Messaging - Person to Person
19
APRS Announcements and Bulletins
20
APRS work station at NWS-ILX
21
Visual Aid - NWS PUP Display
22
Visual Aid - APRS field units
23
Internet Gateways
24
URL of this presentation
http//www.qsl.net/k9orp/ILX.ppt
25
URL of this presentation
http//www.qsl.net/k9orp/ILX.htm