🎙️ Part of the oeradio.at open source ham radio tool collection. Browse all tools → oeradio.at/werkzeuge

Move an APRS object along a defined route via APRS-IS to advertise ham radio events. The object travels between waypoints with configurable speed and beacon interval, carrying an event message in the APRS comment field.

• Python 3.8+
• Amateur radio callsign with APRS-IS passcode

pip install -r requirements.txt
cp config.yaml myevent.yaml
# Edit myevent.yaml with your callsign, passcode, route, etc.
python aprsrunner.py --config myevent.yaml --dry-run -v
python aprsrunner.py --config myevent.yaml

Press Ctrl+C to stop. A kill packet is sent automatically to remove the object from the map.

docker build -t aprsrunner .
docker run -d --name aprsrunner --restart unless-stopped \
  -e APRS_CALLSIGN=OE8YML-11 \
  -e APRS_PASSCODE=12345 \
  aprsrunner

Or with docker compose:

APRS_CALLSIGN=OE8YML-11 APRS_PASSCODE=12345 docker compose up -d

The default Dockerfile uses config-carinthia.yaml. Override with:

docker run --rm -e APRS_CALLSIGN=N0CALL -e APRS_PASSCODE=12345 \
  aprsrunner --config config.yaml

Environment variables override values from the config file, keeping secrets out of YAML:

Use one of the following:

Inline waypoints (list of [lat, lon] pairs):

route:
  waypoints:
    - [40.7128, -74.0060]
    - [40.7580, -73.9855]
    - [40.7484, -73.9857]

GPX file (routes, tracks, or waypoints):

route:
  gpx_file: "path/to/route.gpx"

GPX paths are resolved relative to the config file directory.

usage: aprsrunner.py [-h] [-c CONFIG] [-v] [--dry-run]

options:
  -c, --config CONFIG  Path to config YAML file (default: config.yaml)
  -v, --verbose        Enable verbose/debug logging
  --dry-run            Print packets to stdout instead of transmitting

Common symbols for events:

See the APRS symbol table for the full list.

MIT