SYMBOLS.txt 6.5            APRS DISPLAY SYMBOLS


    APRS displays dozens of different symbols based on the 44th character
in the APRS standard position report according to the following table.
Notice that there are several generic shapes without designated descriptions,
so that users can tailor their symbology to a particular APRS net application.

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!  For example, the QUAKE symbol makes a nice bull's eye, useful for
highlighting certain objects (such as the HARA arena at Dayton).  As an
exception, lets reserve symbols like TORNADO and HURICANE for the real thing
or clearly indicate it is a test.

SYMBOLS ON MAPS!  Not only can APRS symbols represent stations and objects
off-the-air, they can also be permanently embedded in maps.  To embed a label
in a map, 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.  An example are the
VORTAC nav-aids in Alaska.  The Anchorage VORTAC appears as ANC on all maps
below 128 miles. The label entry is $VFANC,LAT,LONG,128.

AREAS ON MAPS!  You can define BOX/CIRCLE/LINE or TRIANGLE areas in all
colors, either open or filled in.  They can be any size from 60
feet up to 100 miles.  Simply move the cursor to the location, press HOME,
move the cursor to te lower right corner of the AREA and hit INPUT-ADD-OBJECTS-
AREA.  You will be prompted for the type of area shape, and the color.  Please
note that AREA shapes can only be defined by selecting the upper left corner
first, then the lower right second.  The line is an exception.  It is still
top to bottom, but the lower point can be to the left of the beginning point.
These symbols are useful for defining areas on MAPS in real-time to everyone
in the net.  For example, defining the area for a search-and-rescue, or adding
a special ROAD or ROUTE for a special event.  Be cautious in using the color
fill option, since all other objects in that area that occur earlier in your
PLIST will be obscured.  AND you do NOT know the order of other stations P-
lists.  See the AREAS section below for details.

SYMBOLS WITH STAND-ALONE GPS TRACKERS:  Since the stand-alone GPS/PACCOMM TNC
trackers output the raw GPS data over the air, instead an APRS formatted
position report, there are two methods that I have included for you to be able
to specify the symbol type.   First, there is a default SSID convention which
will be used if no other vehicle data is available.  See the table below.

  SSID SYMBOL       SSID  SYMBOL
                
  -0   Dot          -8    Ships (power)
  -1   Ambulance    -9    Cars
  -2   Bus          -10   Space objects
  -3   Firetruck    -11   Balloons
  -4   Bike         -12   Jeep
  -5   Helo         -13   RV (recreational vehicle)
  -6   Yacht(sail)  -14   Truck
  -7   Aircraft     -15   Van

These defaults can be user definable on a net by net basis.  If your net must
have different defaults, contact me.

Secondly, you may indicate the desired symbol character surrounded by braces
as the first 3 characters of the TNC BText.  Once the BText has been received
by a station, the mobile will then be displayed using the specified symbol.
The advantage of this method is that more symbols are available than from the
SSID convention.  The disadvantage is that the symbol is not displayed until
AFTER at least one BText is received.


APRS SYMBOL TABLE

-   ---------------
! - 3 vert bars (EMERGENCY)
" - RAIN
# - DIGI
$ - SUN (always yellow)
% - DX CLUSTER
& - Diamond  (NODE)
' - AIRCRAFT (small)
( - CLOOUDY
) - Hump
* - SNOW
+ - Cross
, - reverse L shape
- - QTH
. - X
/ - Dot
0-9 Numerial Boxes
: - FIRE
; - Portable tent
< - Advisory flag
= - RAILROAD ENGINE
> - CAR (SSID-9)
? - GRID SQUARE (six digit.  Not shown below 8 miles)
@ - HURRICANE or tropical storm
A-J LETTERED CIRCLES
K - School
L - Lighthouse
M - MacAPRS
N - Navigation Buoy
O - BALLOON
P - Police
Q - QUAKE
R - RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
S - Space/Satellite
T - THUNDERSTORM
U - BUS
V - VORTAC Nav Aid
W - reserved
X - HELO  (SSID-5)
Y - YACHT (sail SSID-6)
Z - small box
[ - LARGE SQUARE (BBS)
\ - TRIANGLE (DF)
] - PBBS's
^ - LARGE AIRCRAFT
_ - WEATHER SURFACE CONDITIONS (always blue)
` - avail
a - AMBULANCE
b - BIKE
c - DX spot by callsign
d - Dual Garage (Fire dept)
e - SLEET
f - FIRE TRUCK
g - GALE FLAGS
h - HOSPITAL
i - IOTA (islands on the air)
j - JEEP (SSID-12)
k - TRUCK (SSID-14)
l - AREAS (box,circle,line,triangle) See below
m - MILEPOST (box displays 2 letters if in {35})
n - small triangle
o - small circle
p - PARTLY CLOUDY
q - GRID SQUARE (4 digit.  Not shown below 128 miles)
r - ANTENNA
s - SHIP (pwr boat SSID-8)
t - TORNADO
u - u shape
v - VAN (SSID-15)
w - FLOODING(water)
x - diamond
y - YAGI @ QTH
z - 3 horiz bars
{ - FOG
| - reserved
} - diamond with cross
~ - reserved


AREAS: The new format for specifying special areas uses the CSE/SPD field to
provide the additional information as follows:

    $CSE/SPD...   Normal Field description
    lTyy/Cxx...   Where:  l (lower case L) is the symbol for "LOCATION SHAPES"
                          T is the Type of shape:  0=circle, 1=line, 2=elipse
                                                   3=triangle 4=box
                                                   add 5 to these => color-in
                          C is the color from 0 to 15.  For colors geater than
                            9, the / is replaced with a 1.
                         yy is the sqroot of the latitude offset in 1/100ths
                         xx is the sqroot of the longitude offset
                           
These offsets are ALWAYS positive to the right and down, except for the
special case of a lower right quadrant line, these are given the Type of 6
and are drawn down and to the left.

EXTENSION ALPHABET:  There is potential for an alternate symbol alphabet.
This alternate alphabet is indicated by the @ character to replace the /
character between the CSE and SPD fields.  This adds the restriction that
new symbols that are NOT moving will still require a $000@000 course and
speed field where, before, it was optional.  So far, I have NOT defined any
new symbols to use this alternate alphabet.  But if you just GOTTA have that
special symbol, lemme know.  Now there is potential room to add it.

