[amsat-bb] APRStk Tracking program

[Bob Bruninga <bruninga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

With 4 new HAM satellites launched last night, and "potential" for mobile
satellite communications using the new Kenwood 1200/9600 baud DATA radio,
I added satllite tracking to APRS so you can not only see all your buddies
on the map, but the satellites as well..(they're everywhere).

APRStk has these new commands for satellite displays:

OPS-SATS        Draws a time line showing the next 2.5 hrs of passes
OPS-PREDICT     Goes faster than real time to see satllite movement
INPUT-KEPS      Allows you to update your KEPS from a text file (Y2K-OK)
INPUT-TIME      Moves forward in TIME for another 2.5 hour view
LIST-KEPS       Lets you see what satellite KEPS are loaded
LIST-FREQS      Shows a table of operating frequencies for all birds
F1-HELP         Gives a help file
alt-S-REDRAW    On faster machines, will update the OPS-SATS time line
                with every map re-draw

APRStk also uses the new APRS compressed format so that positions take
only 13 bytes for complete LAT/LONG/CSE/SPD to the nearest foot anywhere
on the globe.  Thus a complete 1200 baud POSITION/STATUS report takes
less than 0.3 seconds.

APRStk can also uplink the moving satellites as objects on the air so
others in your area can see the satelites on their APRS maps too.

Download APRStk from ftp://tapr.org/aprssig/dosstuff/APRSdos/aprstk.zip

This is a 200k EXE and satellite files only.  It must be loaded into an 
existing APRS directory with the other 1meg of map support, etc...
If you need a full install, then get the file aprs846.zip from the same
site.  In BOTH cases, install them with PKUNZIP -D into your APRS
directory (or use WinZIP) to get the proper directory structure...

Enjoy.

de WB4APR, Bob

To see the ASTARS concept http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/astars.html

P.S.  If you are new to  APRS, you must do the following as a minimum for
satellites to be in the right place:

1) Put yourself on the map with the INPUT-MY-POSIT command
2) Set the correct Time Zone during start up or using alt-S-OTHER-ZONE
3) Have correct PC time
4) Zoom the map to any scale using the PG-UP/DN keys


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