INSTALL.txt ver 7.4e

APRS is distributed on a single 3.5 inch HD disk with these files:

  INSTALL.txt  - This file
  PKUNZIP.exe  - For unzipping APRS (omitted from some disks to make room)
  APRSxxx.zip  - ALL major files.  Builds 5 subdirectories:
                                   MAPS - Holds all MAPS
                                   HSTS - History files
                                   BAKS - BACKUP files
                                   LOGS - LOG directory
                                   SYSTEM - APRS system files
                                   README - all README files
  Xmapsvv.zip  - Regional maps     Emapsxx.zip  - East maps (north east)
                                   Mmapsxx.zip  - Midwest maps
                                   Cmapsxx.zip  - Central Maps
                                   Wmapsxx.zip  - West Maps
                                   SEmapsxx.zip - S.East maps
                                 
*YOU MUST USE A RECENT VERSION (1993) OF PKUNZIP.
*YOU MUST USE THE -d OPTION TO GET THE APRS SUBDIRECTORIES!

Despite the 3 Mbyte size of the whole APRS system, a minimum system can be
built in under 500K with only the .EXE, MAPLIST.xxx, at least one .MAP file,
and the SYSTEM directory and all SYSTEM files.

APRS will run on any 8088 through 486 PC with CGA,EGA, or VGA.  BUT NEEDS 
ALMOST 530 K of free memory.  You may have to remove TSR's or reduce 
the requirements of your CONFIG.sys.  APRS will NOT work with non standard 
video cards, for example, the Hercules Video card.  You may make this work 
marginally by running the readily available SIMCGA P program first to
make it simulate a real CGA device.

TO INSTALL APRS on your SYSTEM:               DOS COMMAND
--------------------------------------------  --------------------------------
1.  Create APRS directory on your Harddrive-  MD APRS
2.  Change Directory into that directory   -  CD APRS
3.  Put APRS disk into A and change to A   -  A:
    Do Pkunzip with directories:           -  PKUNZIP -d  APRSvvv.ZIP  C:
    (don't leave off the C: at the end!)
4.  Get the maps for your area             -  PKUNZIP -d  Xmapsvvv.ZIP C:
    (where X is your region, E,C, or W)
5.  Execute APRSxxx                        -  APRSxxx
    a. Give your call and other info as prompted.
    a+ Use FILES-CHANGE to select your EAS,CEN,WES or SE MAPLIST.xxx
    b. Move cursor to your exact QTH using arrow keys and PgDn (shft-PgDN)
    c. Hit INPUT-MYpos command and answer QTH questions
    d. Use UNPROTO command to set your VIA Digipeater path (needs TNC)
    e. Move and center map to your area of interest and preferred range scale
    f. Save a config file using alt-S-SAVE  (repeat steps e - g at anytime)
    g. Provide your Validation number when requested during the SAVE command.
    h. Use the OPS-COMM-TNC command to communicate with your TNC.
    i. If some AEA or KANTRONICS TNC's, you may need to set EXPert ON in
       order for the TNC to repsond to all APRS commands
    k. For convenience, you may RENAME the .EXE file to APRS.EXE.  You can
       always find the Version # on the TITLE or HELP screen
    l. You may customize the TNC commands INITIALIZED and RESTORED by APRS
       in the files named InitTAPR.TNC, InitAEA.TNC and RESTORE.TNC.
       Add commands or use the * to REM out any unused lines. BE CAREFUL,
       APRS will NOT work unless all the parameters are correct.

My distro disk contains most regional APRS maps, but many states are now
developing their own map distributions.  Look for files in the format
of XXmapsVV.zip where XX is the state abbreviation, and VV is the Version
number.  See MAPS.txt for info on additional maps, and MAPMAKIN.txt on how 
to make maps or to customize your MAPLIST.xxx file to your area.

THE LATEST APRS is posted on the 410-280-2503 BBS and FTP.TAPR.ORG/tapr/SIG
/aprssig/upload along with a file similar to 74to74e.zip which will contain 
only the files that changed since the earlier release.  Note that the phone
BBS is NOT MINE, and I AM NOT THE SYSOP.  I rarely check in, so DO NOT SEND 
ME MAIL VIA THAT ROUTE.   Come join the aprssig@tapr.org on the INTERNET! 
and get up to the minute news... ! 

************    REMEMBER TO USE PKUNZIP -d    ***********

UPGRADES:  If you are unzipping an upgraded copy of APRS, or any of the XMAPS.ZIP
files, you can use the command PKUNZIP -dn and only NEW files will be unzipped
into your APRS directories...  Also READ NEWNOTES.txt to see what has changed!

FOR A LIST OF INTERNET and other phone line BBS's known to carry APRS, and
more state maps, see the last paragraph of the README\README.1st file.  It
also announces the APRSsig on the Internet for exchange of ideas on APRS!

READ: README.1st, APRS.doc, HELP.txt, etc

If you want to zoom into other areas of the country, not included on your
distro disk, simply download one of the other map ZIP files, and use the
MAPS-CHANGE command to temporarily load the MAPLIST appropriate
to the new maps.

DISTRO ON TWO 720K FLOPPIES:  I do NOT do this, but it is easy for YOU to
split the APRS distro disk for sharing with others on TWO-720K disks as
follows:
  1) MD TEMP                           (make a temporary directory)
  2) PKunzip APRSxxx.zip MAPS\*.* TEMP (Unzip just the MAPS there)
  3) COPY APRSxxx.ZIP APRShalf.zip
  4) PKZIP -d APRShalf.zip  MAPS\*.*   (DELETE all USA maps from this ZIP)
  5) PKZIP USAMAPS.zip TEMP\*.*        (Zip up all the maps into USAMAPS.zip)
  6) Now copy APRShalf.zip, about 650K onto one disk
         Copy USAMAPS.zip and your regional XmapsYY.ZIP onto the other....
  7) The 720K user then uses PKUNZIP -d on the APRS and Xmaps files
     then he changes into his MAPS directory and does a regular PKUNZIP
     of the USAMAPS.zip file.

RE-LOADING APRS.  Each time you RUN APRS, you may invoke it with APRSxx/B
and it will automatically re-load the BACKUP file from your last session.

