Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Jeff Laughlin]

Hello,

I've written a Perl module, Ham::APRS::Parser, for parsing APRS
packets, and I've released it under the GPL. You can find it here:
http://aprs.n1ywb.com/Ham-APRS-Parser-0.01/

It takes the packet string, parses it, and returns a hash with the
data in a consistent and easy to process format. Currently it reliably
returns position, from and to calls, digi-path, symbols, and Mic-E
status reports from normal position reports, compressed position
reports, and Mic-E position reports. More work is needed to fully
implement the APRS protocol.

Once the data is in a friendlier format in the hash structure, it can
be used to generate Google Earth KML, or combined with the Google Maps
API to create a FOSS findu.com replacement.

OK this is actually from my IARU 2005 contest log but these could just
as easily be APRS stations :)
http://www.n1ywb.com/pics/iaru05.jpg

Also I would like to start working on a complementary module to
construct APRS packets from the hash structure returned by the parser
module. Applications could include a highly intelligent digipeater.

Comments and suggestions are appreciated.

73 de n1ywb

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[charlesb]

wow... cool....

i was considering writing one myself, but well done... i'm going to have a
propper play when i get back home from a tournament i'm in...

keep up the good work

regards & 73
Charles - 2E0GOM

Kirklees RAYNET - http://www.kirkleesraynet.org.uk

> Hello,
>
> I've written a Perl module, Ham::APRS::Parser, for parsing APRS
> packets, and I've released it under the GPL. You can find it here:
> http://aprs.n1ywb.com/Ham-APRS-Parser-0.01/
>
> It takes the packet string, parses it, and returns a hash with the
> data in a consistent and easy to process format. Currently it reliably
> returns position, from and to calls, digi-path, symbols, and Mic-E
> status reports from normal position reports, compressed position
> reports, and Mic-E position reports. More work is needed to fully
> implement the APRS protocol.

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Nate Bargmann]

> > Hello,
> >
> > I've written a Perl module, Ham::APRS::Parser, for parsing APRS
> > packets, and I've released it under the GPL. You can find it here:
> > http://aprs.n1ywb.com/Ham-APRS-Parser-0.01/
> >
> > It takes the packet string, parses it, and returns a hash with the
> > data in a consistent and easy to process format. Currently it reliably
> > returns position, from and to calls, digi-path, symbols, and Mic-E
> > status reports from normal position reports, compressed position
> > reports, and Mic-E position reports. More work is needed to fully
> > implement the APRS protocol.

Perhaps it can be included in CPAN?

73, de Nate >>

-- 
 Wireless | Amateur Radio Station N0NB          |  Successfully Microsoft
  Amateur radio exams; ham radio; Linux info @  | free since January 1998.
             http://www.qsl.net/n0nb/           |  "Debian, the choice of
             My Kawasaki KZ-650 SR @            |     a GNU generation!"
        http://www.networksplus.net/n0nb/       |   http://www.debian.org

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[charlesb]

<CUT>
> Perhaps it can be included in CPAN?

never even thought of that one lol

regards/73
Charles - 2E0GOM

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Curt, WE7U]

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005, Jeff Laughlin wrote:

> I've written a Perl module, Ham::APRS::Parser, for parsing APRS
> packets, and I've released it under the GPL. You can find it here:
> http://aprs.n1ywb.com/Ham-APRS-Parser-0.01/
>
> It takes the packet string, parses it, and returns a hash with the
> data in a consistent and easy to process format. Currently it reliably
> returns position, from and to calls, digi-path, symbols, and Mic-E
> status reports from normal position reports, compressed position
> reports, and Mic-E position reports. More work is needed to fully
> implement the APRS protocol.

Have you considered tracking down the Perl code that Ian (the APRS
spec editor) created which decodes packets?  That was quite
complete and fully decoded everything similar to the "listen"
command.

--
Curt, WE7U.   APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
"Lotto:    A tax on people who are bad at math." -- unknown
"Windows:  Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates." -- WE7U
"The world DOES revolve around me:  I picked the coordinate system!"

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Chuck Hast]

On 8/10/05, Curt, WE7U <archer@eskimo.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 5 Aug 2005, Jeff Laughlin wrote:
> 
> > I've written a Perl module, Ham::APRS::Parser, for parsing APRS
> > packets, and I've released it under the GPL. You can find it here:
> > http://aprs.n1ywb.com/Ham-APRS-Parser-0.01/
> >
> > It takes the packet string, parses it, and returns a hash with the
> > data in a consistent and easy to process format. Currently it reliably
> > returns position, from and to calls, digi-path, symbols, and Mic-E
> > status reports from normal position reports, compressed position
> > reports, and Mic-E position reports. More work is needed to fully
> > implement the APRS protocol.
> 
> Have you considered tracking down the Perl code that Ian (the APRS
> spec editor) created which decodes packets?  That was quite
> complete and fully decoded everything similar to the "listen"
> command.

Could this be used to dump APRS data into a db like MySQL? I am interested
in doing something like that, but have to learn about db. I work with them up
to a certain point, time to learn the rest and getting APRS data into a db would
be a neat exersize.


-- 
Chuck Hast 
To paraphrase my flight instructor;
"the only dumb question is the one you DID NOT ask resulting in my going
out and having to identify your bits and pieces in the midst of torn
and twisted metal."

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Jeff Laughlin]

Hi Curt,

Thanks for the suggestion. I wasn't aware that it existed.

After thwarting a few broken links I did manage to find a copy. It
targets perl 4, it's not a module, and it outputs formatted text
instead of a data structure, so it doesn't exactly acheive the same
goals that I have. However it is GPL'ed which is good, so I may be
able to re-use some of it's parsing code without tainting my code. I
still have quite a bit left to implement to have a complete
implementation. And it will certainly be nice to have another GPL code
base to reference other than XASTIR.

On 8/10/05, Curt, WE7U <archer@eskimo.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 5 Aug 2005, Jeff Laughlin wrote:
> 
> > I've written a Perl module, Ham::APRS::Parser, for parsing APRS
> > packets, and I've released it under the GPL. You can find it here:
> > http://aprs.n1ywb.com/Ham-APRS-Parser-0.01/
> >
> > It takes the packet string, parses it, and returns a hash with the
> > data in a consistent and easy to process format. Currently it reliably
> > returns position, from and to calls, digi-path, symbols, and Mic-E
> > status reports from normal position reports, compressed position
> > reports, and Mic-E position reports. More work is needed to fully
> > implement the APRS protocol.
> 
> Have you considered tracking down the Perl code that Ian (the APRS
> spec editor) created which decodes packets?  That was quite
> complete and fully decoded everything similar to the "listen"
> command.
> 
> --
> Curt, WE7U.   APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
> "Lotto:    A tax on people who are bad at math." -- unknown
> "Windows:  Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates." -- WE7U
> "The world DOES revolve around me:  I picked the coordinate system!"
>

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Curt, WE7U]

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005, Chuck Hast wrote:

> > Have you considered tracking down the Perl code that Ian (the APRS
> > spec editor) created which decodes packets?  That was quite
> > complete and fully decoded everything similar to the "listen"
> > command.
>
> Could this be used to dump APRS data into a db like MySQL?

Perl?  Or Ian's program?

Yes to the first.  Combine Either Ian's or this new program with a
bit of Perl database code and you can inject this into a database.
I've done a bunch of sybperl and Perl5 talking to Sybase and it
works quite well.


> I am interested
> in doing something like that, but have to learn about db. I work with them up
> to a certain point, time to learn the rest and getting APRS data into a db would
> be a neat exersize.

Yep!

MySQL has some spatial extensions which would be useful (so you can
query on lat/long).  PostgreSQL with the PostGIS extensions also
gives you this.  I've been hoping to play with these at some point
myself.

--
Curt, WE7U.   APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
"Lotto:    A tax on people who are bad at math." -- unknown
"Windows:  Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates." -- WE7U
"The world DOES revolve around me:  I picked the coordinate system!"

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Jeff Laughlin]

On 8/10/05, Chuck Hast <wchast@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8/10/05, Curt, WE7U <archer@eskimo.com> wrote:
> > On Fri, 5 Aug 2005, Jeff Laughlin wrote:
> >
> > > I've written a Perl module, Ham::APRS::Parser, for parsing APRS
> > > packets, and I've released it under the GPL. You can find it here:
> > > http://aprs.n1ywb.com/Ham-APRS-Parser-0.01/
> > >
> > > It takes the packet string, parses it, and returns a hash with the
> > > data in a consistent and easy to process format. Currently it reliably
> > > returns position, from and to calls, digi-path, symbols, and Mic-E
> > > status reports from normal position reports, compressed position
> > > reports, and Mic-E position reports. More work is needed to fully
> > > implement the APRS protocol.
> >
> > Have you considered tracking down the Perl code that Ian (the APRS
> > spec editor) created which decodes packets?  That was quite
> > complete and fully decoded everything similar to the "listen"
> > command.
> 
> Could this be used to dump APRS data into a db like MySQL? I am interested
> in doing something like that, but have to learn about db. I work with them up
> to a certain point, time to learn the rest and getting APRS data into a db would
> be a neat exersize.

Yes that is certainly a possibility... In fact I am working on that
right now! My next code release will be a complete FOSS findu.com
replacement, with a postgresql backend.

http://www.trackulator.com/

Expect to see it sometime in the next few weeks.

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Curt, WE7U]

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005, Jeff Laughlin wrote:

> Thanks for the suggestion. I wasn't aware that it existed.

I had an _extremely_ minor part in it I think:  I remember pointing
Ian towards Perl with a bit of example code to snag/parse packets
and he went crazy with it from that point!


> After thwarting a few broken links I did manage to find a copy. It
> targets perl 4, it's not a module, and it outputs formatted text
> instead of a data structure, so it doesn't exactly acheive the same
> goals that I have. However it is GPL'ed which is good, so I may be
> able to re-use some of it's parsing code without tainting my code. I
> still have quite a bit left to implement to have a complete
> implementation. And it will certainly be nice to have another GPL code
> base to reference other than XASTIR.

That was the idea.  I didn't think it'd be directly usable, but
examples are always good.

Also look at the OpenTrac parsing code in Scott's "listen" patches
or in Xastir (Xastir code is directly derived from Scott's code).
Might as well do that too!  It's much easier to parse than APRS
anyway, something about being designed for parsing from the get-go I
suppose...

--
Curt, WE7U.   APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
"Lotto:    A tax on people who are bad at math." -- unknown
"Windows:  Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates." -- WE7U
"The world DOES revolve around me:  I picked the coordinate system!"

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Curt, WE7U]

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005, Jeff Laughlin wrote:

> Yes that is certainly a possibility... In fact I am working on that
> right now! My next code release will be a complete FOSS findu.com
> replacement, with a postgresql backend.
>
> http://www.trackulator.com/
>
> Expect to see it sometime in the next few weeks.

With PostGIS extensions I hope?

Hey, how about working in 'C' and doing the same thing for
Xastir-2????  That's the direction we're wanting to go.

--
Curt, WE7U.   APRS Client Comparisons: http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
"Lotto:    A tax on people who are bad at math." -- unknown
"Windows:  Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates." -- WE7U
"The world DOES revolve around me:  I picked the coordinate system!"

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Chuck Hast]

On 8/10/05, Curt, WE7U <archer@eskimo.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 10 Aug 2005, Jeff Laughlin wrote:
> 
> > Yes that is certainly a possibility... In fact I am working on that
> > right now! My next code release will be a complete FOSS findu.com
> > replacement, with a postgresql backend.
> >
> > http://www.trackulator.com/
> >
> > Expect to see it sometime in the next few weeks.
> 
> With PostGIS extensions I hope?
> 
> Hey, how about working in 'C' and doing the same thing for
> Xastir-2????  That's the direction we're wanting to go.

Yes, that is where I want to go, I would like to be able to dump the APRS
data to a db, probably will try to set things up to where only certain calls
are dumped to the db because I want to gather this for disaster activities,
actually my mapper would be linked to the db and so all data goes into
the db and the mapping is done out of the db. That is the way we do RF
coverage study data where I work. We dump all of the data captures into
a db and then I link the mapper to the db and look at the selected data.


-- 
Chuck Hast 
To paraphrase my flight instructor;
"the only dumb question is the one you DID NOT ask resulting in my going
out and having to identify your bits and pieces in the midst of torn
and twisted metal."

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Wilbert Knol]

On Thursday 11 August 2005 04:14, Chuck Hast wrote:

> Could this be used to dump APRS data into a db like MySQL? I am
> interested in doing something like that, but have to learn about
> db. I work with them up to a certain point, time to learn the rest
> and getting APRS data into a db would be a neat exersize.

Consider SQLite as a light-weight self-contained DB for this sort of 
thing. It leaves MySQL/Postgres in the dust, and never misses a beat. 
My Perl/Tk realtime logger uses it.

Have a look at the sources for example code (not necessarily state of 
the art ;-)

  http://zl2arn.ath.cx/zl2bsj/qle-0.0.3.tar.gz

HTH...

Wilbert, ZL2BSJ

Re: Announcing Perl module for parsing APRS packets

[Bill Vodall]

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005, Curt, WE7U wrote:

> Hey, how about working in 'C' and doing the same thing for
> Xastir-2????  That's the direction we're wanting to go.

I have a PERL APRS library that's about medium complete.  See 'libaxu'
on Sourceforge.  I've not put much more effort in to it since I believe
the real need these days is a "golden parser" for APRS in a standard
language like C/C++. Then it can be leveraged by all platforms - including
PERL.

73,
Bill - WA7NWP