ball@thehelm.com writes:
> 
> I think APRS (Automated(?) Position Reporting System) is
> causing a resurgence of interest.

Its also a pun on the originator's callsign, WB4APR

> I haven't figured out yet
> whether it uses AX-25, or replaces it.

Uses UI (Unconnected Information) AX.25 packets, the AX.25 equivalent to
UDP. Also makes use of beacons directed thru digipeaters ("router/
gateway"). Since the last time I payed attention they added tunnelling
over the internet. A friend travels a lot. Carries a GPS and one of the
new fancy HT's with built in TNC and APRS stuff. His wife can track his
movements with only a few seconds delay using a web browser.

> I don't know if there are any APRS programs for NetBSD.

The Sproul brothers got the specs hammered out and while WB4APR was 
playing with the DOS version, they went off and did a full blown 
MacAPRS, blowing the DOS version clean out of the water. Followed by 
WinAPRS, and X-APRS. Last I heard the X version was only Linux x86. 
Distributed only in binary.

This should be a good starting point. Looks like there is a javAPRS.
http://www.tapr.org/tapr/html/gpsf.html


--
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@hiwaay.net
=====================================================================
The human mind ordinarily operates at only ten percent of its
capacity -- the rest is overhead for the operating system.