aprs at nws-ilx

APRS at NWS-ILXWeather Reporting using

Automatic Position

Reporting System

Larry M. Keeran K9ORPThis 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@tapr.org

What APRS is

Software Hardware Protocols Systems Computers Networks People

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

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

Types of APRS

Base StationsWith computer, TNC, Radio and maybe Internet access

Mobile UnitsGPS, TNC and Radio

RepeatersTNC and Radio

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

APRSdos WinAPRS UIView MacAPRS APRS+SA X-APRS APRSd perlAPRS PalmAPRS APRServ

APRS Software

What is a Tracker?

Using a RELAY to Digi

WIDE area Digipeaters

WIDE versus RELAY

RELAY’s are mostly home stations

The are used to fill in areas with no WIDE coverage

WIDE’s are permament Digis

They have good coverage

Generally RELAY’s 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.

Packet rebroadcast to Wide

Operation of the NWS-ILX Backbone

Packet sent to Relay,Wide,MCLPacket received by Relay

Packet received by 4 Wide Digi’sPacket Transmitted to Wide, MCL

MCL

Packet rec’d by MCL (gate to UHF)Packet transmitted to NWS-ILXWX3 is in range of ILX so noWX# is needed.

ILX

Relay

Wide

Wide

Wide

Wide

APRS WX backbone detailsAPRS backbone is on 445.925 9600 baudThe GATE alias of MCL digipeats local APRS to the backboneThe Kantronics KPC-9612 GATEs using two transceiversThe 2 meter unit should only pick up local APRS stations.If it is too high, the delay waiting for dead air will slow WX ObjectsThe 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 NAMEDamage reports MUST include: YOURcall then the REAL AC PHONE# of the person knowing the location of the damage.

Space Operations

Beacon Text on Fixed Stations

Weather Stations

Weather Stations may also be placed onto the APRS network allowing automated weather reporting

Manually Added Stations

APRS Messaging - Person to Person

APRS Announcements and Bulletins

APRS work station at NWS-ILX

Visual Aid - NWS PUP Display

Visual Aid - APRS field units

Internet Gateways

URL of this presentation

http://www.qsl.net/k9orp/ILX.ppt

URL of this presentation

http://www.qsl.net/k9orp/ILX.htm