Introduction

Background and why

APRS was originally designed as a real-time two-way tactical digital communication system for sharing information about everything going in a local area. Innovative ham radio operators have connected local APRS nets via the internet with APRS-IS. The aprs.fi site receives messages from APRS-IS and plots them on a map. Automated bots like APRSPH facilitate worldwide APRS nets using APRS-IS. The #APRSThursday net regularly has 700+ operators check in.

Parks on the Air and Summits on the air bring fun and competition to making contacts by creating an event out of it. You can all CQ over the air, but you can also add a spot to the website, which lets more people know where you are and that you are ready to be contacted. Digital modes are allowed, but contacts can not be made using land-based repeaters, so APRS is hardly ever used. For Parks on the Air, logging is up to the activator, and it’s so easy that the documentation has a section called Why is logging for Parks on the Air so complicated.

APRS On The Air

APRS On The Air is an activity and associated service combining the vibe of a Parks on the Air activation with native APRS messaging which logs all the contacts as they happen. The purpose is to:

Connect operators ready to go on the air
Invite newcomers to do more with APRS
Challenge seasoned operators to expand their skills
Score every QSO with stamps, achievements, and leaderboards

APRS On The Air has two components: the aprsota.org website, and an APRS message bot named OTA. You use the service and participate in APRS OTA ops by sending APRS messages to the OTA bot. The OTA bot also listens for APRS position beacons you send. The website shows the messages to and from the OTA bot. You don’t (and can’t) create an account on the website. If you want to use the service, you send APRS messages to the bot.

The rules

There are three rules for APRS OTA.

Be nice.
Have fun.
When you host an op, all your messages must be sent and received via RF. In order for messages to reach the OTA bot, they will need to transit through APRS-IS. That’s fine, but the first leg on a transmission and the last leg on a reception must occur via radio waves.

What’s Next

Want to learn more? Let’s get started!