[CRAPRS] KML overlay feature on aprs.fi

[David Peterson]

CVARC has been integrating APRS into more public service event plans in
some fashion or another over the past few years.  If we do use APRS for an
event, we have been providing a link to the event coordinators using aprs.fi so
they can track specific units on their smartphones during the events (sag
wagons, lead participants, trail vehicles, etc) that we either have APRS
trackers on/in or artificially creating objects of interest.  In
preparation for the Pigman this year, I found a blog post from 2010 where
Heikki (who runs aprs.fi) outlines how you can add KML overlays to
aprs.fiif stored on a server that the website can access.  By using
this feature,
we can add the course routes to the maps as well.


Here's a rundown of what I did, in case anyone else might find it useful in
the future:

   - Create the KML file in Google Earth - I did 4 tracks, one for each run
   and bike course for the 'long' and 'olympic' routes.  Choose different
   colors and widths for clarity.
   - Upload the file to a server - I used my Dropbox account and made the
   file publicly viewable
   - append the KML link to the aprs.fi web address field (&kml=<link goes
   here>)
   - Once we finalize callsigns that we want tracked, I'll add those using
   the &call=<callsigns> address field and make a shortened url from
   tinyurl.com to share with the event staff.

Notes:

   - aprs.fi apparently doesn't like secure http links (https URLs) for the
   KML file so make sure it's a plain http link
   - replace the / characters with %2F and the : characters with %3A from
   the http link


Link to Pigman course overlays on aprs.fi:
http://aprs.fi/#!lat=42.0949&lng=-91.8836&z=12&kml=http%3A%2F%2Fdb.tt%2Fqtfm3lZD

Original blog post: http://blog.aprs.fi/2010/10/kml-overlay-support.html


-dcp

--
*David Peterson*
KC0ALC
EN41ew
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