APRS Map Essex – Live Amateur Radio APRS Activity

Amateur radio operators use a system called APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) to share information such as their location over amateur radio. APRS can be built into handheld and mobile radios, or radio amateurs can use a computer, Raspberry Pi or smartphone to send and receive APRS information.

APRS position reports can be received by local radio gateways, known as APRS iGates, which pass information between the amateur radio network and APRS internet services. This makes it possible to see the location and activity of APRS-equipped amateur radio stations on a live map.

Live APRS Map for Essex

Here’s a real-time APRS map showing amateur radio activity in Essex and the surrounding area. Click on a marker for information about an APRS station or receiver site.

The map above shows APRS information received from the live network, but may not include every active station or receiver site. For a more comprehensive view, visit the aprs.fi interactive APRS map.

Using APRS on an iPhone

You don’t necessarily need to buy a radio with APRS built in to experiment with position reporting. If you have an iPhone or iPad, an APRS application can use the device’s GPS location and send position reports via the internet to the APRS network.

There are several iPhone APRS applications available. One option is aprs.fi for iPhone and iPad, which provides access to APRS mapping and position reporting from an Apple device.

APRS Gateways and iGates

An APRS iGate is a receiver that listens for APRS transmissions from nearby amateur radio stations and forwards the received information to the APRS internet network. Running an iGate can be particularly useful in areas where APRS receiver coverage is limited.

Essex Ham operates an APRS receiver in the Southend area. See Essex Ham’s APRS receiver and iGate for details.

It’s also possible to build your own low-cost APRS receive gateway using a Raspberry Pi and suitable radio receiver. See our guide to setting up an APRS gateway with a Raspberry Pi.

What is APRS and how does it work?

In simple terms, APRS lets one amateur radio station send a short burst of digital information containing details such as its callsign and position. Other stations can receive that transmission, and an APRS iGate can forward it to the internet. Services such as aprs.fi collect these reports and put them onto a map. This means that a radio amateur travelling in a car, walking with a handheld radio or operating from a fixed location can share their position with other APRS users. APRS can also carry other small amounts of information, including messages, weather reports and telemetry.

Tried MeshCore?

If you like the idea of APRS and position sharing, you may also find MeshCore interesting. MeshCore uses small, low-power LoRa radio devices that can communicate with each other through a network of repeaters. As well as sending text messages, compatible MeshCore devices can share their location with other users on the network, allowing positions to be displayed on a map. Unlike traditional APRS, it forms part of a LoRa mesh-style communications network and doesn’t require an amateur radio licence when operated on the appropriate licence-exempt frequencies and within the applicable limits.

For an introduction, see What is MeshCore?

Related APRS Links

• Essex Ham APRS iGate
• APRS.fi live APRS map