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CHASE

Use the CHASE command to call a host who is on the air and start a QSO. Follow it with a position report within 5 minutes, and the OTA bot relays your callsign and grid square to the host.

W1XYZ-5OTACHASE K7ABC-6 greetings from mike
OTAW1XYZ-5Send a position report within 5 mins to chase K7ABC-6

Your position report must come from the same callsign and SSID that sent the chase. W1XYZ-5 chases, so W1XYZ-5 beacons, not W1XYZ or W1XYZ-9. A beacon from any other station does not satisfy the window.

See exchange messages for the whole QSO, step by step, and QSL for how the host confirms it.

The short form

A message that opens with the callsign itself is the same command. It is the shortest chase there is, which is worth knowing when you are thumbing letters into a radio:

W1XYZ-5OTA@K7ABC-6 greetings from mike

Both spellings are permanent. CHASE @K7ABC-6 is accepted as well, so nothing you learn here has to be unlearned later.

Reference

CHASE <callsign> [message...] | @<callsign> [message...]

Call a host on the air to start a QSO.

callsign
The host to chase. Any SSID form of their callsign works.
message
Free text relayed to the host along with your grid square. optional
Available to
Anyone, from RF or APRS-IS.
Rate limit
2 per minute and 5 per 10 minutes

Replies

beacon_prompt
Send a position report within 5 mins to chase {station_call}
de_relay
DE {chaser_call} {grid} {message}
chase_receipt
Now chasing {station_call}. aprsota.org/{base_call}/ops/{number}
no_beacon_nudge
No beacon received. Send CHASE {base_call} to try again.
no_position_nudge
No position report from your client. See aprsota.org/beacon

Hints

a chase whose target has no op on the air
{base_call} is not on the air. See aprsota.org/now limited to 1 per hour, then silent
a chase targeting your own operator
You cannot chase your own op limited to 1 per 24 hours, then silent
a repeat chase while one is already relayed
Already chasing {base_call}. Wait for their QSL. limited to 1 per 24 hours, then silent
CHASE or @ with no callsign after it
CHASE needs a callsign. Send CQ for the ops on the air. limited to 3 per 15 minutes and 5 per 24 hours, then silent
beacon with no usable position while a chase awaits one
Beacon has no usable position. Wait for a GPS fix and beacon again limited to 1 per hour, then silent