APRS is an increasingly popular technology that allows real time reporting of your position by using a GPS unit in conjunction with a HAM radio. There are very limited software tools available now in this fast growing hobby.
An example of a way it is used. Several mountain bikers are on a ride but they are separated by some distance. With an APRS enabled small handheld radio and a GPS unit the position of each person can be tracked by the others. This information can also be transmitted to the Internet via gateways (right from the HAM radio) so other persons viewing on their home computers can view this information.
Imagine you are in the field sitting in your car. You have a HAM radio, A GPS unit, and a Laptop with Topofusion. You want to watch the progress of all your friends who are out in the field on their bikes. You open Topofusion and you can see their position right on the maps.
You are a search and rescue team and want to coordinate the locations of all your field agents. Send them out with a small handheld HAM radio and a GPS unit and you can track all their locations on Topofusion.
As I said there are limited software and hardware options available now in this fast growing field. One very cool hardware option is the Kenwood TM-D700A Mobile or the Kenwood TH-D7A Handheld hooked up to a GPS unit that shows your location and the location of your friends. Â
Here is an example of the Setup:
APRS HAM with GPSOne piece of software that is pretty cool is the DMAPPER software:
DMAPPERSearch and rescue teams, Fire departments, Emergency response teams, Outdoor sports organizers, Off Roaders, And Individual users of all types can benefit from this exciting new technology.
Bob Bruninga is the developer of the APRS software:
The APRS WebpageEd
