Amateur Radio GIS
Robert Osband-N4SCY

Abstract: Amateur Radio operators (Hams) transmit Lat/Long information on a national APRS Frequency, 144.390 MHz using Packet Radio, a method of data communications. Once recieved by an Internet Gateway station, the GIS information is available from the FindU.Com website.


Amateur radio operators known as "hams", have adopted APRS, the Automatic Packet Reporting System developed by Bob Bruninga WB4APR as a GIS (Geographic Information System). Bruninga originally developed the system to track the small boats sailed in Chesapeake Bay by midshipmen at the US Naval Academy where Bruninga is an instructor. 

Begining with LORAN (Long Range Navagation) System recievers, Bruninga took the latitude & longitude data from the LORAN receivers, and transmitted it using ham radio "packet radio" transcievers that send and receive data over ham frequencies, 

When GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite recievers became redily available, the GPS data strings replaced the LORAN data strings, but both contained the same information. Over the years, the APRS Protocols have been expanded to where any station with packet radio capablity can be entered into a ham radio GIS database at http://www.FindU.Com

Anyone with internet access can see where things are via the FindU.Com system, however only licensed amateur radio operators can enter information into the system. There is free software available on the internet that allows ham operators to display station locations on computer generated maps in real-time, as packets are recieved off the air.

Packets containing the Latitude & Longitude information are relayed by packet radio stations until they come to an I-Gate (Internet Gateway). The packets are then Forwarded via the Internet to the FindU.Com database in South Florida. Knowing a station's call sign means you can enter a location request with a single URL (Uniform Resource Locator, or web address), such as the Brevard County Emergency Operations Center: http://map.findu.com/k4eoc

The APRS protocols also allow a packet station operator to enter in locations that do not have ham radio capability. This allows hams looking at the network to see where local recources are located.