[aprssig] RE: paket map software

[Robert Bruninga]

> would you consider making a software that will 
> display and make as you link along a packet map.
> You bring your packet software on a freq say 
> 145.070. you link a station from your mheard list. 
> and bingo, that station apears on a map...

This was part of the original inspiration for APRS back in the
early 90's.  To capture on a map, every packet station on every
frequency, so we could see the network.  I was doing maps of the
packet network going all the way back to the early 80's.

As part of the original APRS concept we hoped that all packet
stations and nodes on all frequencies would include position
info in their beacons so that they could be plotted on a map.
This would let APRS map everything on each freq.  The problem is
that if stations are not transmitting their positions, then they
usually do not show up on a map.

That is why the original APRSdos puts a station "in its APRS
system" even if it has not transmitted position.  Its position
is marked as a "vicinity plot" in the surrounding area until it
does get a position.  This way, you can still capture its
status, and packet statistics and any other packets even if no
position is transmitted.

But if the packet heard is DIGIPEATed via another station, (NODE
or digipeater) then APRSdos will plot them on the map "in the
vicinity of" that first digipeater that they used.  This is a
big start in building a map.

As you learn more about them, you can click on thees  obnjects
and move them where you really think they are.  But in my mind,
every packet system on the air, no matter what its application,
should at least include its 6 digit gridsquare for this purpose.
This looks like this [FM19sx] at the beginning of the packet.
All APRS software is supposed to plot that.

Bob, WB4APR
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mr Jeffrey L Ross [mailto:radiooperator at comcast.net] 
> Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 10:47 AM
> To: bruninga at usna.edu
> Subject: paket map software
> 
> Hello, Sir, would you in your spare time consider makeing us 
> hams a software 
> that will display and make as you link along a packet map.
> 
> We are in need of packet maps but with your knowlege of your 
> aprs software I 
> feel you would be the one to make such a thing or advise on
one.
> 
> This would be used by many packet hams.
> Heres the IDEA. You bring your packet software on a freq say 
> 145.070. you 
> link a station from your mheard list. and bingo, that station 
> apears on a 
> map in a window, then you can add data like, Toms digi, red 
> cross bbs, 
> watts , heading, -7 is node, -1 is bbs, etc. then you go 
> along and link 
> another via a node / digi and bingo, the next station pops up 
> on the map. 
> etc. It would build a map as you link stations. Can this be
done?
> 
> 
> thank you much, kc8gkf 
> 
>