Long-time packeteer Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, developed the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS), which allows packet radio to track real-time events. Amateur Radio WB8NUT. It can be used over any 2-way radio system including Amateur Radio (Ham). Most all APRS software programs can access the worldwide.

Was developed by Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, for tracking and digital communications with mobile GPS equipped stations with two-way radio. It has grown to encompass just about every aspect of Amateur Radio. TAPR supports this aspects of the hobby with kits, publications, and the TAPR APRS Special Interest Group. What is APRS?

Excerpt from APRS.TXT by Bob Bruninga APRS is a real-time tactical digital communicatons protocol for exchanging information between a large number of stations covering a large (local) area. As a multi-user data network, it is quite different from conventional packet radio. APRS is different from regular packet in four ways.

First by the integration of maps and other data displays to organize and display data, second, by using a one-to-many protocol to update everyone in real time, third, by using generic digipeating so that prior knowledge of the network is not required, AND FORTH, since 1997, a worldwide transparent internet backbone, linking everyone worldwide. APRS turns packet radio into a real-time tactical communications and display system for emergencies and public service applications (and global communications). Writing Effective Use Cases By Alistair Cockburn Ebook. Normal packet radio has only shown usefulness in passing bulk message traffic (Email) from point to point. It has been difficult to apply conventional packet to real time events where information has a very short life time and needs to get to everyone. Although the recent interfaces to the Internet make APRS a global communications system for live real-time traffic, this is not the primary objective.