                          APRS DISPLAY SYMBOLS

Version 5.03a:  Now you can add symbols directly into MAPS!  Instead of a text
label, simply make the first three characters of the label be a $ followed by
the symbol character, followed by a hexidecimal number from 1 to F that
indicates the desired color for the symbol.  The remaining 8 characters can be
used for a conventional label at the same location.

New in version 5.02:  After using 4 mobiles in an MSBikethon, KD4SJJ asked for
unique symbols so that in close quarters, the callsigns do not wipe out the
whole map.  If the symbols were unique, then they could operate with CALLs OFF
and eliminate 95% of the clutter on the map.  I added 9 lettered circles and
10 numbered boxes.  Select the circles under VEHICLES and the BOXES under the
OBJECTS sub-menu.

     APRS supports a number of different display symbols for differentiating
objects on the map.  The symbol type is indicated by the 44th character in the
APRS standard position report.  Although these special characters are
automatically inserted into the APRS position reports, they are specified here
for manual TNC stations.  Remember that any TNC can still show up on APRS maps
and displays as long as a properly formatted APRS position report is placed in
the TNC BText.  By placing one of these special characters as the delimiter
after the LONGITUDE field, a station with only a dumb terminal can control his
appearance on other APRS displays.  For more information on manually formating
APRS reports using only a dumb terminal, see the README.DUM file.  The
following table describes the symbols available and the special characters
used to represent them.  Notice that there are several generic shapes without
designated descriptions, so that users can tailor their symbology to the
particular APRS net application.  If you have any suggestions for other
symbols, please send them in...

NOTE!  Any particular symbol only has the meaning defined by the APRS net that
is using it.  So DO NOT INFER that an EMERGENCY or QUAKE symbol is a bonafide
emergency!  I particularly like to use the QUAKE symbol to indicate a location
of speical interest to everyone.  The quake symbol is simply a bull's eye.
At Dayton, for example, we used the Bull's eye to mark the location of the
HARA arena!  Specific symbols like TORNADO and HURICANE which ARE specific
shapes should use the object name of TEST or similar if not real, to avoid
exciting people unnecessarily...

SYMBOLS WITH STAND-ALONE GPS TRACKERS:  Since the stand-alone GPS/PACCOMM TNC
trackers output the raw GPS data over the air, instead of an APRS formatted
position report, there are two methods that I have included for you to be able
to specify the symbol type.  The first, is to simply place the desired symbol
character surrounded by braces as the first 3 characters of the TNC BText.
Once the BText has been received, all stations will begin to use that symbol
for all position reports from that station.  Secondly, there is a default
SSID convention which will be used if no other position data is available
according to the following table:

       SSID     DISPLAY SYMBOL
       -4       Bike
       -5       Helo
       -6       Yacht (sailboat)
       -7       Aircraft
       -8       Ships (powerboats)
       -9       Cars
       -10      Space (orbiting objects)
       -11      Balloons


The actual symbol character used in the APRS position report formats are
shown in the following table.  The special character is the character that
represents the symbol and is what is transmitted as the 44th character in an
APRS formatted position report:

SYMBOL TYPE     SPECIAL CHARACTER  COMMENTS
------------    -----------------  -----------------------------------
BOXES               0-9            Useful for close in ops since each one is
CIRCLES             A-K            unique and therefore you don't need calls
AIRPLANES           '              Also for all -7 SSID's (heaven)
ADVISORY(smallcrft) <         
AMBULANCE           a
ANTENNA (radio)     r
BBS                 [
BALLOONS            O
BIKES               b
BUS                 U
CIRCLE              o              Default for NMEA reporting stations
CLOUDY              (              "
DIGIpeaters         #
EMERGENCY           !
FIRE                :              added for stations in Calif
FIRE DEPT           d
FLOODING            w              "
FOG                 f              "
GALE WARNING        g              "
GATEWAY             &
HUMP                )              Generic shape
HURRICANE           @         
HELO                h              This may not yet be implemented
HOSPITAL            h
TCPIP               }
Jay (J)             ,              Generic shape
JEEP                j
Kross               +              More like a RED CROSS
Location            .              generic
MAILBOX             ]              PBBS's etc
NODE's              x
OBJECT              /              Default symbol
PARTLY CLOUDY?SUNNY p              "
POLICE              P
PORTABLE            ;              Looks like a tent
QTH                 -
RAIN                "              "
RAIL                =              trains, etc
RecreationalVehicle R
SAIL                Y              like a yacht
SHIP                s              Also for all -8 SSID's
SCHOOL              K
SNOWFLAKE           *              "
SUNNY               $              "
SLEET               e              "
TRIANGLE            \              DF STATION: CSE and SPD will show BEARING
TORNADO             t
THUNDERSTORM        `              All of the following symbols are included
TRUCK               k
U                   u              Generic shape
VEHICLE             >              Also for all -9 SSID's (engn, engn, #9)
VAN                 v
WEATHER             _              (I used underline for ground conditions)
DX Cluster          %
YACHTS  (sailboats) Y              for SAILBOATS
Z                   z              Generic shape


4 Char grid SQ      Ü              No symbol for 4 digit Grid Square reports
6 Char grid SQ      ?              No symbol for 6 digit Grid Square reports
                                   (this preserves the ambiguity of GS rpts)
                                   (note that these symbols are  NOT  xmted)

Note that Weather stations will always show up as blue.  This overides all
other APRS colors.  Weather stations will also not be dead reckoned since
their course and speed indicates wind conditions and not station movement.
I also made the sun show up as yellow overriding all other color conventions.

