[aprssig] APRS for IPad

[Stephen H. Smith]

On 6/12/2013 9:42 PM, John Willis wrote:
> OpenAPRS - Yes
> IBCNU - Nope
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:11:06 -0400
> From: mattwillis at gmail.com
> To: aprssig at tapr.org
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] APRS for IPad
>
> Search the App Store for OpenAPRS
>
\

1)   Note that all the iOS APRS apps are totally dependent on being tethered to 
the Internet (either by WiFi or cell data), since they all ultimately depend on 
Google Maps for their display.  Thus they are not very useful for autonomous 
use in the field

2)   Further, only one iOS APRS app (PocketPacket) has any provision at all to 
be used with a radio/TNC.    This one uses the mic-in/headphones-out jack with 
a software TNC apparently similar to AGWpe or the UZ7HO sound modem. 
Unfortunately, the user feedback on this software TNC has not been very positive.

3)   Note that OpenAPRS hasn't been updated for over three years, according to 
the App Store description.  Doesn't look like it's under very active development.

4)   The WiFi-only iPads lack a fully-functional GPS (according to Apple and 
discussions on numerous Apple fan blogs), but instead depend on triangulating 
crowd-sourced data on the location of known WiFi hotspots to determine 
location.

However, I am somewhat puzzled about Apple's statement on this.  A friend of 
mine just went to Hong Kong with a basic WiFi-only iPad Mini.   The EXIF 
metadata in the photos she emailed me from H.K. included GPS coordinates that 
were dead-on when plotted on Google Maps, even when she was miles from any WiFi 
hotspot.   Could be that some of the later iterations of the WiFi-only iPads DO 
have an actual GPS in them?

_______________________________________________________________


--

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Skype:        WA8LMF
EchoLink:   14400  [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.net


  Long-Range APRS on 30 Meters HF
     http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/HF_APRS_Notes.htm

High Performance Sound Systems for Soundcard Apps
    http://wa8lmf.net/ham/imic.htm
    http://wa8lmf.net/ham/uca202.htm

"APRS 101"  Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
   http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths