2 ENJOYING APRS (by BOB BRUNINGA, WB4APR)
11
2.6 APRS Handheld and Mobile Radios
To counteract this trend, we stopped using “Position” for the "P" in APRS and went back to
the original “Packet” nomenclature for the "P" in APRS. Then in 1998, KENWOOD gave a
landmark boost to APRS in the field and to this two-way digital communications capability by
introducing the fully integrated TH-D7A/E. This TH-D7A/E put APRS in the palm of the
hand of ham radio operators worldwide. Not only did it take GPS inputs, but it fully
implemented the APRS messaging, bulletins and texting capabilities at both 1200 and 9600
baud.
Over the next 11 years, this first KENWOOD APRS radio was the most popular KENWOOD
HT ever as APRS brought new life to packet radio.
In parallel, KENWOOD also introduced the fully integrated TM-D700A/E mobile APRS radio
in 2000. These APRS front-panel-display radios now brought the full APRS local
situational awareness to the mobile operator as shown below. With these displays, the
APRS information content delivery system was in place without any need for mobile PC’s or
laptops. Further, the attached GPS provided the map display and the radio display
provided all the other information content.
