COMMERCL.txt 7.5 COMMERCIAL VERSIONS OF APRS COPYRIGHT 1992,93,94,95: The APRS formats are provided to all radio amateurs for use in the amateur radio service. Anyone is encouraged to apply the APRS formats in the TRANSMISSION of position, weather, and status packets. However, the author reserves the ownership of these protocols for exclusive commercial application and for all reception and plotting applications. Other software engineers desiring to include APRS RECEPTION in their software for sale within or outside of the amateur community will require a license from the author. (very reasonably priced) COMMERCIAL VERSIONS OF APRS ARE AVAILABLE and we can engineer specific needs and applications. Pricing is under $200 for the first dispatcher copy of APRS and a modest fee per stand-alone-tracking unit (Less than $25 each for 10). Additional copies of APRS for mobiles with PC's are significantly less. Two significant enhancements for the dispatcher are the OPTIONAL data interfaces so that APRS CAN SEND POSITS TO OTHER SOFTWARE PACKAGES. Some of these other packages can zoom into the individual street address and access other data bases for dispatching of fleet vehicles. There are currently two such interfaces: STREETS-ON-DISK: With this option, APRS writes all positions to a file so that the other program such as STREETS-ON-DISK, can display all object positions from that file (you run both APRS and STREETS in a multi-tasking environment) The STREETS program is sold by KLYNAS Engineering 805 583-1133 for about $225 but costs an additional $95 per county. The APRS interface to STREETS is available from the author or PACCOMM at an introductory rate of $95. (Less for amateur use). For more info contact Jim Carter, 2029 W. Hall Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92704-5508 who has written a detail interface document. DELOREM MAPING: For other maping and data base programs that accept a NMEA input on a serial port, APRS can output NMEA data via its second serial port to simulate the output of a GPS. In this method, the APRS operator hooks any object on the screen, and that position report is sent as a NMEA string over to the other program that plots it on the map. In this scenario, APRS CAN MAKE AN IDEAL FRONT END PACKET COMMUNICATIONS PROCESSOR FOR ANY OTHER DATA BASE SYSTEM! Note, that this arrangement requires TWO COMPUTERS connected via a serial cable. Thus the APRS computer will need DUAL COM1/COM2 ports. The second compputer running Delorme software does not even know APRS is there. It simply thinks it is seeing a position report from an attached GPS. APRS outputs a GGA/VTG data format as if it was a navigation device. To select an object or station for output from APRS to the other computer, simply use the cursor to HOOK the station either on the map or on the P-List. Each time you hook a station, a NMEA-0183 report will be sent to the other computer via the selected COMMport (usually 2 if your TNC is on COM1). If you want to track a particular station continuously, simply hook the station on the P-List and select TRACK function. Then, every position report from that station will generate a NMEA report to the other computer. Also the +/- keys can be used to quickly step through every station in APRS and transfer those posits over to the other computer. This pre-processor arrangement allows APRS to keep the big picture of where everyone is on the big maps, and allows the normal APRS communications capabilities between stations. All detail maping functions and database applications are then run on a companion computer indpendent of APRS. The communications operator simply hands off position reports to the database operator whenever further detail on a unit is needed. Since Delorme or other computers expect a single GPS connected, only one object shows up on their maps at a time... To activate this interface, bring up APRS from scratch as APRSxx/new. Then when it asks about your second COMM port, answer with the un-prompted "O" for other. After you complete all of the remaining configuration items and save the CONFIG file, it will ask you for your DELORME validation number. If you enter that correctly, then DLRM will show in upper case on your control panel and you will begin to see your own posit output via the second serial port at a rate set by the POSRATE command. Hook any other station and you will see their posit output as well. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Bob Bruninga 410-293-4380 days 115 Old Farm Ct, Glen Burnie, MD 21060 OR: PacComm 813 874-2980 BUSINESS 4413 N. Hesperides St 813 875-6417 TECH Tampa, Fla 33614-7618