What is APRS?

The Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) is a packet radio system used for tracking objects,  (people, vehicles, boats, aircrafts, manned or unmanned balloons, bicyclists, etc.), weather systems (temperature, wind, tornadoes, thunderstorms, etc.), events (holiday fireworks shows, Amateur Radio Conventions, Club Meetings), or just about anything, using a digital mode called unconnected (UI) packets.

Examples of the kinds of things that can be tracked

1. Objects
• People
• Vehicles
• Boats
• Aircraft
• Manned or unmanned ballons
• Bicyclists
2. Weather Systems
• Temperature
• Wind
• Tornado
• Thunderstorm
• Blizzard
3. Events
• Amateur Radio Conventions
• Fireworks shows
• Parades
• Bicycling Races
• Club Meetings
4. Anything
• Gas/Petrol Stations
• Police Stations
• Hospitals
• Mechanics

How Did it Start?

APRS was developed by Bob Bruninga/WB4APR, and was first introduced to the Amateur Radio Community at the ARRL Computer Networking Conference in New Jersey in 1992.

Over the past 12 years, APRS usage in Amateur Radio has grown and expanded across the globe.  Many new features and capabilities have been added since its inception.  Thanks largely to the availability of cheap (around $100) GPS units, APRS has seen a large focus on tracking vehicles moving around.  It is a good thing, in that it has raised interest in APRS even more. However, it has taken the original focus away from tracking all the many other things that are more important.  The events that people can attend is one great example.

What is Needed to Get Started?

Equipment for APRS is relatively inexpensive.  A basic system consist of a two meter handheld radio, a TNC and a GPS unit.  The GPS is an optional item, since you can still participate in APRS without one.  As a matter of fact, you can even take advantage of APRS without the use of a TNC.  If you want to take it a step further, as long as a friend has APRS capabilities, then you don't even need a radio.  Both of those examples will be explained further in another article however.

Tracking Example

Below is an example of how an object can be tracked.  This is the most common method of tracking, which is simply using the updated information from one of my APRS systems. You may note however, that there are other APRS objects on the map.

If the map is not visible, then a static map can be seen here.