I have recently been playing around with APRS / DPRS (D-STAR Gateway) using various applications with and without radio. From my phone (which is an Android phone running the APRSdroid App) to my IC-2820H D-STAR radio, to the VWSaprs add-on package that communicates to the APRS-IS gateway for my home weather station. It has been interesting to get started again after so many years of not being into APRS.
For those of you not familiar with what APRS is or stands for, it means Automatic Packet Reporting System. You can go here to learn more about it. It is basically just as it sounds. It can beacon your position by using GPS and plotting it to a map. It can also be used with or without a radio. It is a form of digital communications and can also be used for messaging and widely used for reporting weather conditions as well from those who have weather stations. Here is the APRS site for more information: http://www.aprs.org/
One site you may also want to look at if you are interested in seeing what is going on with APRS is: http://aprs.fi
I am having fun rediscovering what APRS is all about and learning new things such as the DPRS to APRS tie-in now with D-STAR being gateways to other repeaters across the globe using the internet as well as digital communications.
73’s
Ed
K3HTK