Banana Boat Bytes

Tracking US

We've added a new feature to the website as an experiment.  Many of you know that Donna and I are amateur radio ('ham' radio') operators.  One of the many facets of ham radio is something called APRS (Amateur Packet Reporting System).  APRS is an amateur radio based system for digital communications, most commonly used to automatically report the position (GPS coordinates) of a person or object, or weather data at a remote location. It was developed by Bob Bruninga, callsign WB4APR, at the United States Naval Academy. The acronym "APRS" was originally derived from his callsign, and subsequently expanded to "Automatic Position Reporting System". As the system was modified and expanded to handle non-position packet data, the meaning of the "P" in the acronym was again changed to "Packet" rather than "Position". Today, it is common for hams to use either expansion of the acronym. In its simplest implementation, APRS is used to transmit real-time reports of the exact location of a person or object via a data signal sent over amateur radio frequencies. In addition to real-time position reporting capabilities using attached Global Positioning System receivers, APRS is also capable of transmitting a wide variety of data, including weather reports, short text messages, radio direction finding bearings, telemetry data, short e-mail messages (send only) and storm forecasts. Once transmitted, these reports can be combined with a computer and mapping software to show the transmitted data superimposed with great precision upon a map display.  (source: WikiPedia) APRS stations are not located in every town and city in the US and therefore we may not always be within range of an APRS receiving station.  But the APRS database will store the most recently received location for us for a number of days.  To find us just click on the 'Where Are We' Where are we?  Click HERE icon located at the top of each page.  That link will take you to FindU.COM, one of the tracking databases for APRS stations.  Our ID is N9DKO-13.  If our APRS transmitter has been heard you should see a graphic icon on a Google Map that will have an icon pointing to our location.  The age of the position report will be at the top of the page.  The equipment we use for APRS position reporting is shown at the right.  Let us know how it works! Rich, N9DKO & Donna, N9DKN