APRSViewer

APRSViewer main window

APRSViewer is an Automated Packet Reporting System (APRS) client application.

APRSViewer is an Automated Packet Reporting System (APRS) client application written using the Java programming language. It isn't 100% complete yet, but it does provide a lot of functionality. It is missing some features that a fully functional APRS application should provide, such as IGate capability and messaging, but it is a working APRS client application. Development on this project has taken a temporary back seat to some other projects. If people express enough interest in this project I will devote more time to APRSViewer.

Some of the features include:

  • Sending and receiving APRS packets through a KISS TNC (serial or network)
  • Sending and receiving APRS packets over the Internet (APRS-IS)
  • SmartBeaconing using the method developed by Tony Arnerich KD7TA and Steve Bragg KA9MVA
  • Mapping APRS reports including proper icons and decoding of packets
  • OpenStreetMap and Virtual Earth map providers
  • Viewing APRS messages
  • Support for multiple simultaneous TNCs
  • GPS integration
  • Dead reckoning
  • Support for decoding telemetry packets

This application was developed using Java for cross-platform compatibility. In order to run it you must have Java installed. This application no longer requires the user to install any external dependencies.

This is the main screen of the application

APRSViewer main window

This is the station list dialog.

APRSViewer station list dialog

This is the message list dialog

APRSViewer message list dialog

After unpacking the zip file, to run the application, use the command

java -jar APRSViewer.jar

from the command line. On some systems just double clicking on the jar file will work as well.

The TNC code has been recently revised to permit multiple TNCs. Unfortunately this means that for previous users, any existing TNC will need to be added again to the application as the settings are now kept in a different format. Beaconing is tested and working for both APRS-IS and TNCs. I have added built-in support for additional TNCs, and have provided a dropdown in the TNC dialog to permit loading the definition for those TNCs. I have tested the application with Dire Wolf and the network TNC code is working

The APRSViewer software is available for download here.