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nicsure edited this page Feb 26, 2026 · 36 revisions

APRS Overview

Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) allows the radio to send and receive digital position and status information.

nicFW on the RT-880 can encode and decode APRS frames even on non-GPS models, which is functionality not offered by even the radio's manufacturer. When used with a GPS-capable radio, the device can function as a full APRS station.

Non-GPS radios can still transmit and receive APRS packets, but positions must be manually configured ("spoofed").
See Operating Modes → GPS

Received APRS beacons are saved in a list, this list can be browsed using Key Functions → Beacons

Received weather data is also saved, it can be viewed using Key Functions → Weather

Waypoints

See Radio → GPS Waypoints for a full description of GPS waypoints.
Waypoint 99 is a special slot, it defines the default spoofed location loaded on startup when GPS is disabled or when using a non-GPS radio.
Any selected waypoint can be used as a spoofed location by selecting Waypoint Browser Functions → Spoof GPS in the Waypoint browser.
For configuration using the RMS see RMS → GPS/APRS → Waypoints

APRS Menu Overview

The APRS menu controls transmission, reception, and decoding behaviour for APRS packets.

Deviation

Sets the volume (loudness) of transmitted APRS FSK tones. This overrides Main Menu → Advanced → TX Deviation.

  • Range: 0 to 126
  • Default: 64

Beacon Time

Interval between automatic APRS beacon transmissions of the current location.

Beacon Distance

Minimum distance travelled when GPS is enabled, before a new APRS beacon is sent.

Beacon TX

Sends an APRS beacon at the start or end of a normal PTT transmission, or both. This operates on the current transmit VFO, not the dedicated APRS VFO.

  • Values: Off, BoT (Beginning of Transmission), EoT (End of Transmission), Both
  • Default: Off

Beacon Comment

Custom comment string transmitted with APRS beacons. Up to 24 characters.

Beacon RX Override

When On and APRS Enabled is set to a VFO or 999 , scheduled APRS beacons can interrupt an active reception to transmit.

  • Default: Off

Callsign

Set your amateur radio callsign for APRS transmission.

SSID

AX.25 secondary station identifier for APRS.

  • Range: 0–15
  • Default: 7 (Human)
Value Identifier
0 Primary
1 Vehicle
2 Mobile
3 Camper
4 Home
5 Portable
6 Special
7 Human
8 BBS
9 I-Gate
10 Weather
11 Satellite
12 Digipeater
13 Experiment
14 Truck
15 Emergency

Enabled

Controls if APRS is enabled or not and how APRS operation behaves.

Value Description
Off APRS disabled
Active VFO APRS uses the current active VFO (not recommended for use, mainly for testing, prevents side buttons working)
VFO-A APRS operates exclusively on VFO-A*
VFO-B APRS operates exclusively on VFO-B*
VFO-C APRS operates exclusively on VFO-C*
Multiwatch needs to be enabled for the exclusive VFO modes
999 APRS operates transparently on channel 999
Multiwatch is NOT required for 999 mode

*Except for Beacon TX and TX Controls → Manual APRS Beacon.

Operating APRS on a dedicated VFO or 999 is recommended.

APRS Mode Icon Behaviour
Current VFO & No Automatic Beacons Compass Icon appears in main icon area. No VFO icon
Current VFO & Automatic Beacons Compass Icon with central dot appears in main icon area. No VFO icon
Specific VFO & No Automatic Beacons Compass Icon appears in main icon area and on the selected VFO
Specific VFO & Automatic Beacons Compass Icon with central dot appears in main icon area and on the selected VFO (without the dot)
Specific VFO If Hear Tones is set to Off a Speaker Mute icon will also appear in the selected VFO
999 & No Automatic Beacons 999 Icon appears in main icon area. No VFO icon
999 & Automatic Beacons 999 Icon with outward arrows appears in main icon area. No VFO icon
  • Default: Off

Hear Tones

Controls whether transmitted and received APRS FSK tones are audible.

Value Description
On Tones audible; APRS VFO not muted
Off Tones muted; APRS VFO muted with mute icon

Decode

Controls whether received APRS packets are decoded.

Value Description
Off No decoding
On Decodes packets and stores in beacon list
Popup Same as On, but displays a popup on receipt

Popup Time

Duration for which a popup is displayed when Decode is set to Popup.
Popups can be dismissed by the user before the time limit by pressing any kay.

  • Range: 0.0 (indefinite) to 99.9 seconds
  • Default: 3.0 seconds

Symbol

ASCII symbol used in APRS beacons to define station icon. Only standard/primary symbols are supported.

Status

Sets station status encoded in APRS beacons.

Value Status Message
0 Emergency
1 Priority
2 Special
3 Committed
4 Returning
5 In Service
6 En Route
7 Off Duty
  • Range: 0–7
  • Default: 7 (Off Duty)

Digipeaters

Configures AX.25 digipeater paths.

Value Description
None No digipeaters
WIDE1-1 Generic WIDE1-1 path
WIDE2-2 Uses WIDE1-1 and WIDE2-2
Custom Custom callsign and SSID via Custom Digipeater and AX25 DP SSID

Custom Digipeater

Callsign used when Digipeaters = Custom.

AX25 DP SSID

SSID used for the custom digipeater.

  • Range: 0–15
  • Default: 0

Ambiguity

Defines location precision in transmitted APRS beacons.

Value Description
20 m High precision, best available
200 m Medium precision
2 km Low precision
  • Default: 20 m

Filters

Overrides Main Menu → Advanced → AF Filters for APRS VFO and 999 reception.
Recommended: Low Pass Only.
Note: A VFO must be assigned to APRS or APRS 999 mode be in use for this to function

  • Default: Low Pass Only

Noise Filter

Extra low-pass filtering for received APRS signals.

  • Range: None, 1–3 (increasingly aggressive)
  • Default: 2

Noise Reject

Software-level phase hysteresis for APRS decoding.

  • Range: None, 1 (less), 2 (more)
  • Default: 1

Ignore Own

Prevents the APRS decoder from recording and displaying your own transmitted packets when they are repeated back by digipeaters.

When APRS is in use, your transmitted beacon may be repeated by nearby digipeater stations and received again by your radio. With this setting enabled, those repeated copies of your own packets will be ignored and not added to the received beacon list. This helps keep the beacon log clean and focused on other stations.

  • Values: On, Off
  • Default: Off

KISS Mode

Enables KISS mode (TTNC) over the serial interface. See:

Persist & Slot Time

KISS-mode settings:

  • Persist: Randomized transmission probability, 1–255
    • Default: 128
  • Slot Time: Delay in hundredths of a second before retry if Persist fails
    • Default: 10 centiseconds

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