How many SOTA activators actually use APRS from their phone?

Equipment Radios & Power
41

Some info here: APRS2SOTA User Guide

LoRa-APRS as used in SOTA - Isle of Avalon Amateur Radio Club

There is also an ongoing thread on here, but it might take a while to read through from the 1st posting :grin: LoRa APRS Tracker (Part 8) - Off Topic - SOTA Reflector

I have been using the CA2RXU firmware and a Heltec device myself (from Richard G3CWI here, so not one I bought randomly from an online tat shop :rofl:). If you can find any way of making it connect to a Samsung via Bluetooth so spots can be sent, please could you let me know? I’ve tried with various phones (from a very old S4, to the latest S25+ and none will connect).

Thanks & 73, Simon

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42

Not sure if the firmware has a KISS TNC Interface?

Then this should work

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43

When I sat down on the summit today I was below the cell signal skimming over me.

I fired up the aprs.fi app and connected the TNC modem via Bluetooth to my BTech UV Pro and sent APRS spots all morning.

I have also tested out the APRS to SMS feature and texted back and forth with my spousal unit.

Having an app that handles all the keyboard work is infinitely better than trying to thumb in messages on the face of the HT.

There are also a few bots out there that will feed you weather and such info.

I play with it occasionally to stay familiar with the process.

Jim - N0IPA

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44

I use my Anytone handy for that purpose since it has APRS. But coverage is lapsing on many locations.

73, Martin - PE1EEC

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45

Could you specify which Heltec board you are using and which version of the CA2RXU firmware?

Because the LoRa-APRS-Tracker version does indeed have a KISS TNC component that works seamlessly with BLE on the Lilygo T-DECK Plus , and the Digipeater/IGate version works via Wi-Fi on the Lilygo T3 V1.6.1

73 Fabrice F4MLV

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46

I’m not sure your filtering is working. Most of those stations are LoRa (all the stations in green with U or V are LoRa on your picture).

Considering that:

  • I don’t have an APRS 2m radio, and I still doubt that I could reach any digipeaters except from a summit (the valleys are on a narrow north-south axis, so propagation east-west would be very mediocre in the valleys).
  • I’ve also wanted to try LoRa things (MeshCore / Tastic / APRS, etc.) for a long time.

I finally ordered a LilyGo T-Echo 433 MHz. That frequency is not good for meshtastic but good for APRS I guess.

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47

Hi Fabrice, I will get you the details tomorrow, as I’m down in London today for a cyber conference. Apparently AI going rogue isn’t good for cyber security… :roll_eyes:

73, Simon

48

Are you sure they are LoRa and not vhf?

49

No you are right they are VHF. Surely V stands for VHF, U for UHF and L for Lora.

I got confused because most VHF repeaters also have a Lora repeater, and on the live map, they show up as L in priority, it seems.

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50

I have two HTs that have APRS, Anytone 878 UV I and FT2DR. I have used both for tracking beacon and for SOTA spotting.

Neither are easy to use. I’ve never succeeded in sending an APRS to SMS despite setting it up. With the Anytone there is a timeout which makes it very hard to transfer information to the screen for me, with a clunky multi-click keyboard.

So I would theoretically use it more than I do, but haven’t bought an HT with a KISS, and in fact have not even turned on my HT in the past few activations.

51

I think the issue with some of the Heltec boards was that they only supported BLE, not Bluetooth classic and APRSDroid does not support connections using BLE (unless that’s changed recently).

Other Android apps are available which work with BLE but I haven’t tested it. Bluetooth Serial Terminal is one and it works with Bluetooth Classic but it’s not as polished as APRSDroid for APRS tasks.

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52

Yes please Martyn. PS thanks for S2S with you and Caroline today!

53

APRSDroid offers excellent BLE support in version 1.7.0-123-g1c74b63 (2025-07-24).

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