APRS bots and Thursday net
APRS is not only position beacons. Message bots answer short queries over RF (and often APRS-IS). This page is a practical cheat sheet for the bots I actually use around EM11 — not a full directory of every internet bot.
Community reference: aprs.wiki
Thursday net
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Net style | APRSPH Thursday net (check-in / activity via APRS messaging) |
| Purpose | Lightweight on-air presence without tying up a voice repeater |
| Station context | See APRS stations for which SSID is active |
Exact net control callsigns and schedule can change; treat this as a how I use bots, not a formal net bulletin.
Bots I keep on the note card
| Bot / keyword | What I use it for | Example / notes |
|---|---|---|
| FIND | Locate a call or object via the bot’s lookup behavior | Short query messages as documented by the bot |
| ISS | ISS / space-related APRS helpers | Handy when chasing satellite passes with an APRS-capable radio |
| REPEAT | Nearest repeaters | nearest 3 · nearest 3 70cm style queries |
| SATBOT | Satellite pass / sat helper | Example used here: em11 so-50 (grid + sat name) |
| WHO-IS | Callsign / station info style lookup | Confirm formatting against the live bot help |
Spellings and argument order depend on the live bot. If a query fails, send a short help / ? style message to that bot (where supported) rather than hammering the channel.
Operating etiquette
- Prefer direct or short paths for bot queries when you are under a strong digi — bots do not need a three-hop tour of Texas.
- Space retries; digipeated duplicates waste airtime.
- Do not automate high-rate queries on 144.390 from a fixed station without watching the channel.
Live views
| Item | Link |
|---|---|
| RF-oriented map | aprs.w5aww.net |
| APRS-IS map | aprs.fi |
| Station list | APRS stations |