Libris Britannia 4/science library(b).zip/science library(b)/HAMRADIO/APRS400.ZIP/README/README.NEW

Text File | 1994-02-14 | 14KB | 238 lines

README.NEW     * * * *  NEW STUFF ADDED IN EACH NEW VERSION  * * * *

VERSION 4.00:  Upped the number of maps to 120 and included new maps for
LasVegas, Birmingham, Knoxville, Huntsville, NewMexico, Memphis, Amarillo,
S.Arizona, S.Carolina, OK City, Dallas, Houston, Tampa/Orlando, Atlanta.
Separated out non-essential files into EXTRA.ZIP so that distro would still
fit on 720K floppy.  No longer room to include PKUNZIP on distro disk.

VERSION 3.14:  Fixed a bug that prevented GPS devices reporting time to
hundredths of a second from being decoded.  Fixed WX reports to include time
of data, vice time of transmission.  In response to some ugliness from
California, I prepared a HISTORY.APR file to document my 10 year publication
history on my development of the APRS program.

VERSION 3.13:  On the guidance of KM6QX, hopefully solved many AEA handshaking
problems.  If correct, APRS should start up the AEA even from HOST mode.  AEA's
should also now work with MRPT-ON (by forcing OTHER always on).  I increased
the APRS mapsize to 1500 points.  To accommodate MOBILE stations with GPS to
make DF BEARING reports, I had to change the DF format to separate the vehicle
HEADING from the DF bearing.  This also permits the mobile to use RELATIVE
bearings.  This change is NOT backward compatible!  BE SURE ALL APRS STATIONS
ARE RUNNING 3.13 OR LATER.

VERSION 3.12: Corrected the ERROR 55 bug in 311.  MAPFIX.bas can now generate
64 mile range maps from USGS 2,000,000:1 CD ROM.  See README.CD.  I will make
these maps for areas as I find time (each still requires 4+ hours manual
filtering to get down to APRS size).  I may be convinced to prostitute myself
for $80 each.  See ATLANTA, DALLAS, HOUSTON, ATLANTA and TAMPA/ORLANDO to see
the result.  A FEW COPIES of 312 GOT OUT THAT ARE GOOD, BUT WILL DISPLAY V3.11.
IN MAPFIX.bas WITH THOSE COPIES, THE DIM OF THE GPS TRACKHISTORY OVERLAY ARRAY
must be increased from 10 to 1000 to avoid an error 9.

VERSION 3.11: Corrected small bug in Auto-DF interface, that prevented new DF's
from being plotted without redrawing map.  ALso probably affected WX reports
from auto-WX stations.  Added AUTODF.HST demo file to distro disk.  Replay this
file to see how APRS works with the N7LUE Doppler DF interface!!! Its neat!

VERSION 3.10: Added National Weather Service display capability.  See README.WX.
* Fixed 309 bugs with alt-L and TIME stamp on your own automatic WX reports.
* Modified clock-tick routine that kept APRS from running on some PC's!
* 310 dated 21 Jan will also save DF bearings to TK.HST files for later replay

VERSION 3.09: Divided up all files into MAP, HSTS and other sub directories to
simplify file management. Changed MAPLIST.MAP to .APR to separate it from MAPS.
* Put stronger warnings in VIA command about using RELAY when not necessary
* Fixed bug so your own WX data goes to TK.HST file if alt-P filter is off
* Eliminated the lower ZOOM limit.  Now U can zoom in smaller even if map won't
* Improved automatic DF bearing by adding 1 sec pause before 1st averaging
* New peace and quiet with BEEPS off and screen saver commands
* Added DOS Shell command

VERSION 3.08:  Added Lessons learned from 1700 mile GPS mobile Xmas vacation.
* Single Port Mode (SPM) now saved in Config file.
* Added READMAIL screen!
* Latest units plotted last so they show up on top of old units.
* Ctrl-V improved.  Hooks on Plist now don't need to redo the whole page.
* DR now works on your uplinked OBJects.
* You can now KILL an uplinked OBJect to remove it from everyone's screen!
* Added separate Yacht symbol for SAILboats.
* Added Ctrl-A APPEND FILE command so you can load a Backup file into existing
  L and P lists.  This makes it easy to load in a KD4UYR National Weather
  Service file to show all NWS stations and current conditions onto your map!  See README.WX for details.
   * * *   I dont have a copy of his program yet tho!  * * *
* Fixed crash bug if P or Llist are full.
* Fixed MAPFIX.bas error in filename when saving a new map.
* Updated 6 maps with actual GPS data from the trip from MD to AL.
* 14 New Ohio maps, but contact KB8JXO @ W8CQK.#CMH.OH direct.
* Added Shift-F4 to suppress unwanted BEEPS.
* UTC offset moved from MAPLIST file to system prompt for easier changing.

VERSION 3.07B:  Added Digitizer routines from W7KKE to MAPFIX.bas so you can
draw MAPs directly from a printed paper map! See README.DIG.  Same APRS307.

VERSION 3.07A:  No change to EXE, but fixed a small bug in MAPFIX.bas that
moved the cursor when using the OTHER command.  Also fixed MAPLIST.map to
properly include the BOSTON.map.  Added README.WWN for suggested operations
with APRS on the WaterWay Net.  Added better copy of FBALL93.HST.

VERSION 3.07:  Added many new WX symbols suggested by W2HOB.  Fixed PAUSE
function during replays from memory.  Added on-screen help (F1).  Moved center
of map to actual center of screen.  Added DIGIPEATERS display.  Added Carribean
map to encourage WaterWay net to join us on HF.  Modified POSIT filter so that
WX station data can be saved to track history files.  MAPFIX.bas now has a
routine written by W7KKE that can overlay a track history file to aid in
drawing roads over accurate GPS history data! Fixed POSIT beacon period to 10
minutes on start-up to minimize QRM.

VERSION 3.06:  Fixed minor bug in 305 that prevented a station from popping up
on the map until the second time he is heard.   Also added MOVE command
to the P-LIST hook so that you could move a station with 000/000 LAT/LONG!

VERSION 3.05:  Improved on 3.04 moving map display.  By selecting TRACK on the
P-list, you can cause the map display to remain always centered on the selected
station.  Version 3.05 anticipates the future movement and re-centers the map
ahead of your future movement.  Other changes:
 - Single Port Mode for mobile GPS and TNC with laptops with only one COMM port
   (This will only work with programmable GPS's like the Magellan or Motorola)
 - Fixed version 3.03 bug that would not work with PACCOMM TNC's and GPS units
   that report to the thousandth of a minute (6 feet).
 - Changed start-up beacon timing to reduce from 9 in the first 5 minutes
   down to only 2, for 5 fold reduction in QRM.
 - Fixed bug that prevented GPS mobile from selecting other than 120 sec period
 - Included an updated NewEng.map, NewJersey, and a new RhodeIsland map.
 - Now POSITS are also sorted with the ORDER command.

VERSION 3.03:  Improved automatic DF interface so that both CW and CCW arrange-
ments of LEDS could be accommodated.  Made the CROSSFIX (X) command toggle so
that all DF bearings were automatically plotted without needing to hit the X
key repeatedly.  Improved the GPS interface so that APRS would not lock up
while waiting for the next fix.  Added a FIRE symbol for Californians.

VERSION 3.02:  Fixed bug with PACCOMM TNC and GPS interface since they stripped
off the GPGGA label.  Increased the number of active maps up to 99 and also
the number of labels per map up to 99.

VERSION 3.01:  Made MAPFIX.bas able to build new map features on line.  This
makes it very easy to fill in MAP detail just by using the cursor.  But with
this version, you must still use a TEXT EDITOR to begin a new map.

VERSION 3.00:  Added automatic Doppler Direction finder interface.  See
README.DF.  The changes in the DF reporting format to accommodate a Quality
factor makes new DF bearings incompatible with older versions.  New bearings
are shown in yellow and are 'dotted' to show the quality of the report.  Older
versions will not plot these lines as DF lines, but will DeadReckon the
station along the DF bearing line.

VALIDATION NUMBERS:  Your APRS validation number is still VALID!  But, if you
were a previously registered user of the GPS or WeatherStation options, your
alternate validation number is now valid for GPS only.  The WeatherStation
option has changed to accommodate the new DF station option.  If you were
previously registered with the WeatherStation option, send me a packet message
with your old number and I will issue you a new WX station registration.

MAPFIX.BAS:  Can now list the MAPLIST.map file and can also display all map
borders from within the program.

MAPLIST.MAP:  NEW FORMAT IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OLDER VERSIONS!  Read this!
I added a comment field on EACH map line so that you can now keep notes on
all of the maps that are starting to be developed.  If this extra field
is not used, then a COMMA must be used to end the line.  This makes this
new MAPLIST.map file incompatible with earlier versions.  If you insist on
using your old file, insert the line * BEGIN * before the first 0,0 and
add a comma at the end of every MAP line.


VERSION 2.13:  Lots of lessons learned at the Marine Corps Marathon.
See README.MCM for details.  Here are some notes:

  1)  Before, when it was time to send messages, all outstanding lines were
sent and when it was time to send Objects, all outstanding Objects were sent.
As runners began to drop during the Marathon, and were added as objects, the
number of Object packets flying around was Horrendous.  This change alone,
should reduce the amount of APRS QRM by a factor of four or more!

  2)  Dead Reckoning can now be toggled on and off.  Since all 26 miles of the
Marathon were within 2 miles of the center, we were all operating on the 2 mi
scale.  At that range, a 3 minute error in your PC clock resulted in a 1/2 mi
Dead Reckoning projection of the moving objects!

  3)  Now the J command displays a sample SYMBOL so yu can see what they mean.

  4)  Have added DOS command line processing, so that you can invoke APRS with
a switch /EXT.  The three characters EXT can represent any number of different
CONFIG files.  By saving a different CFIG213.EXT file for each different field
application, you can rapidly switch between GPS, WX, MOB, HF, VHF, NEW, etc.
Some stations never reconfigured their APRS in the field from their home
stations and therefore were operating all during the Marathon with the same
call as their home!  Talk about QRM! (Both stations responded to all msgs!)
Notice that specifying a file extension for which you do not have a CFIG file
already saved (such as /NEW), forces APRS to start up from scratch so that you
can begin a new configuration at any time!

  5)  CHANGED THE MAPLIST.map format!  Now you can simply 'comment' out a map
with a (*).  Since we now have 60 maps on the distro disk, and that is the
limit for APRS, being able to 'comment' them out, keeps 'em handy for later.
This new MAPLIST.map format will only work with 2.13.  It will crash
earlier versions of APRS.  To upgrade it to version 3.00, just add a COMMA to
the end of each map listing line.


VERSION 2.08:   MAJOR CHANGES TO COMMAND KEYS!  These changes may confuse the
veteran user of APRS who is used to certain Key strokes.  Always read the HELP
and INFO screens closely for any changes.  Here are some details:

FEATURES - Map Features such as Roads, Lines, Labels, CIties, Water, etc have
       lost their unique ALT keys and are now toggled on/off via the FEATURES
       (alt-F) key.  This freed up keys for other new or moved functions:

       alt-P   POSITION FILTER  (was alt-F) turns on/off the position filter
               (does not save positions to disk that move less than 80 yards)
       alt-C   Turns on and off the CW sending of new BEACONS and MSGS
       alt-W   WEATHER command.  Cycles through all WX reporting stations
       alt-L   LOAD from BACKUP.BK  Permits one key reload of backup file
       ctrl-W  Sends out an ?WX? to query all WEATHER STATIONS.

CONTROL PANEL - With the changes above, I can now use only control keys for all
       CONTROL panel functions to be more consistent with the name.

       ctrl-G  Now toggles on/off the logging function (instead of alt-G)
       ctrl-O  Now toggles on/off the ONLY BEACONS or OTHER PACKETS
       alt-R   Now is the REPLAY function (vice ctrl-R)
       alt-Z   Now is the Zero Memory cmd (vice ctrl-Z)
*      alt-C   Now you must use ALT-C to Save or Alter your CONFIG file

HOOKED STATIONS ON P and L SCREENS - All keys have changed, and the Alarm
       function was added to the P list.  Use the first letter of the command.

ALARM POSIT - Allows you to mark a station for ALARM.  If the station moves
       outside of the FILTER (alt-P) range, then an alarm sounds.  The BEEPS
       are cleared by UNHOOKING the station, but the ALARM remains set for
       any more movement.  To disable the alarm, toggle it off on the P screen.

REPLAY - Significant improvements permit turning on/off CALLS and Zooming in
       and out as well as re-centering during replay!

THENETs - APRS now recognizes the fixed station position report format anywhere
       in a BText.  This was necessary for THENET Nodes which do not permit the
       SYSOP to change the first few fields of BText which are hard coded to be
       the NODE name and software version number.  When the SYSOP uploads a new
       BText to the node, it is only appended to the end of this fixed string
       data.  Now, APRS will look further into any BText to find the !LAT/LONG/
       SO TALK TO YOUR NODE-OPS and GET THEM TO ADD POSITIONS IN APRS FORMAT!

WEATHER - With version 2.07 there is an automatic weather station option that
       inserts WX conditions into your Posit.  All wx stations, whether manual
       or automatic, can be selected with the alt-W key.  The last selected wx
       station will show its wx conditions in a box at the top of the screen.
       Whenever a new report comes in from that station, the box will be up-
       dated.  This makes it possible to "lock on" to a neighbor wx station,
       and have those conditions always displayed on your screen.  For more
       info on the weather capabilities of APRS, see the README.WX file.

GPS/LORAN INTERFACE - After version 2.0, APRS includes an optional interface
       routine for any NMEA-0183 GPS/LORAN device via the serial COM port.
       With this ($9) optional interface, you can carry APRS with you on a LAP-
       top and see where you are going, James Bond style.  See README.GPS.