New APRS Digipeater Now In Service Atop Pine Mountain Outside Of Whitesburg, KY
APRS stands for Automatic Packet Reporting System. It’s a digital communication protocol used primarily by amateur radio operators to exchange real-time data over radio frequencies. APRS combines GPS (Global Positioning System) technology with packet radio to provide a way to track and display the location of vehicles, objects, or individuals on a map.
The APRS system enables the transmission of various types of information, including GPS coordinates, weather reports, messages, announcements, telemetry data, and more. The data is typically transmitted in small packets and can be received by other APRS-equipped devices within range. These packets can then be displayed on a map or shared with other APRS users.
The APRS system operates on several frequencies, depending on the region and the band used by amateur radio operators. The most commonly used APRS frequency is 144.390 MHz in the 2-meter band. This frequency is widely adopted in North America and many other parts of the world.
Additionally, APRS can be accessed through the internet using the APRS-IS (APRS Internet Service). This allows APRS data to be transmitted and received globally, providing a wide range of coverage beyond the limitations of traditional radio communications.
Whitesburg APRS Node Info
- Frequency 144.390
- Call Sign is AF4Y-10
- Radio is a TM-V71A (yes a bit of over kill for the purpose but it was laying the shack dormant)
- Running APRSIS32 as the APRS brain
One other great benefit of having this node atop Kentucky’s second highest mountain is knowing if there is a 2m band opening. APRS data is fed to https://vhf.dxview.org/#. From here you can see what other digipeaters are hearing AF4Y-10. As an example on July 15th AF4Y-10 (then operating as AF4Y-5) was heard by K8GPS-10 in Columbus, Ohio. (NOTE: distance is in kilometers not miles, in miles that is roughly 288 miles)
For more information on APRS and some of the things you can use it for, please enjoy this presentation from the Fayette County Amateur Radio Club in Georgia. Also a special thanks to Tim Webb KK4WH for his help in getting the digipeater up and going.
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