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a2d

Bridges APRS messages to DAPNET pagers

What it does

Watches APRS for messages addressed to configured callsigns and forwards them into DAPNET, the amateur radio paging network, so they arrive on a POCSAG pager.

Why you would want it

A pager runs for weeks on one battery and receives where a phone has no signal, which is exactly the property emergency communications wants. This is the piece that lets APRS -- the network most amateurs already have -- reach one.

Before it will work

An APRS feed to watch, DAPNET credentials, and a pager on the network. DAPNET is largely European in coverage; there may be no transmitter within range of you, which is worth checking before setting any of this up.

How it installs

  • apt: a2d

Known problems

It is a bridge between two networks and inherits the failure modes of both: an APRS message that was never received cannot be forwarded, and DAPNET delivery depends on transmitter coverage that varies enormously by region. Neither failure produces an error at this end. Messages crossing between public networks are public at both.

Keeping it current

  • probe: apt policy
  • strategy: apt_upgrade

Where to get help with the software itself

GitHub issues at the URL above.

Source: catalog/packages/a2d.yaml