What is xNOSaprs and some of the features
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xNOSaprs is an APRS Server and Internet Gateway (IGATE) that is integrated into
the NOS itself. Those that are already running JNOS or TNOS internet/packet gateways
can easily start to support their local APRS community by simply adding another radio
port for 144.390 if they want and getting a NOS binary that contains the NOSaprs. It
is as simple as that (of course, there are a few more autoexec.nos entries, but it
is well documented). You don't even have to setup a new port on 144.390 if you don't
want to. Use an existing port, use a 9600 baud port, use AXIP or AXUDP to get APRS
data from other internet gateways around the world, etc. I believe that integrating
APRS services into NOS opens up a wide variety of options to the APRS world.

* Listed below are some of the things it can do :

a) Intercepts APRS data heard on all TNOS ax25 interfaces, and forwards the data to
   the APRS internet system, which in turn allows the data to appear on the maps of
   APRS client software throughout the world, as well on internet APRS databases
   like www.findu.com or www.canaprs.net.

b) Allows APRS users on any TNOS ax25 interface, to exchange messages with other
   APRS users on remote APRS networks only reachable through the APRS internet
   system, using the 3rd party messaging system.

c) Tracks APRS users heard on all TNOS ax25 interfaces. Information tracked is
   callsign, DTI, which ax25 interface the frame was heard on, and the unproto
   (digi) path of the frame if any digis were used.

d) When forwarding APRS data to the APRS internet system, a Point of Entry (POE)
   callsign is inserted into the source path header, allowing systems to track
   the particular IGATE that picked up the packet for injection into the APRS
   internet system. This can be disabled if it causes any problems.

e) Intercepts MIC-E packets, decodes them, and forwards the information to the
   APRS internet system.

f) Supports routing by message recipient, allowing APRS users on conventional
   packet networks to participate in the APRS scheme of things. Users several
   nodes away can now join in on the APRS fun without the need for WIDE, or
   RELAY, or APRS digipeaters.

g) APRS Email Server. Email can be handled locally by TNOS itself, instead of
   being sent out to the APRS internet system for processing. Any APRS user
   can send internet email, simply by sending an APRS message to the recipient
   callsign, ‘EMAIL’. You don't even need the APRS internet system to be online
   to do this if TNOS itself does the SMTP.

h) APRS users can opt out of the IGATE by specifying RFONLY or NOGATE in the
   unproto path, that way their packets are not forwarded to the APRS internet
   system.

i) Message Center, allowing the TNOS sysop, and the general PBBS user, to do
   message passing with any other APRS user, either on a remote APRS network
   only reachable through the APRS internet system, or through one of the
   TNOS ax25 interfaces for local message passing.

j) An HTML based status page, similar in concept to what APRSD provides, using
   TCP port 14501. A sample screen shot of this HTML based page, is shown on
   the opening page of this documentation. A text based version is also available
   using the tcp/ip ‘finger’ utility.

k) Flexible broadcast options. TNOSaprs has separate broadcast parameters for
   the internet side and the RF side. Each side has it’s own set of parameters,
   in which you can configure the broadcast interval, status text, and position
   information. If you don’t want broadcasts at all, they can be shutoff if desired.

l) Accept's connections from other programs like UI-View, WINaprs, and other NOSaprs
   stations so that they can SEND data to us, but not get the firehose of data sent back
   to them. This is idea for those stations that simply want to forward data to the
   APRS internet system and not get the firehose of data back. This is also ideal
   for those people that have very low speed (or low bandwidth) connections.

   * this last feature is VERY experimental, and is actually disabled (by default) in
     the lastest version 1.12 - I'm redesigning it. You can enable the compile if you
     want to play, but I can't guarantee your NOS will work properly if you do that.

More stuff is added as time permits.

If you have any ideas or suggestions or want to see a particular feature implemented,
then please do let me know about it. I'm very open to ideas - hope to hear from you.

73 Maiko Langelaar / VE4KLM

March 28, 2002