Seattle, WA – June 22, 2010 – Amateur radio operators can now achieve two-way, real-time visual communications from within a dynamic simulation scenario using the new APRS Live add-on for Depiction mapping and simulation software. Produced by Smucker Data Solutions, the APRS Live software takes data received by a radio using the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) and visualizes it within any Depiction scenario the radio operator has created. Scenarios such as search and rescue, emergency response, marathons and others can be depicted quickly and easily on an ordinary laptop.

“Depiction is a powerful tool for the integration of multiple types of data, including images, spreadsheets and GIS files,” noted the add-on’s creator, Brian Smucker. “The ability to receive APRS data in real time via radio, and to visualize it using the advanced tools that Depiction provides is a powerful new capability. Now hams can do things that used to only be available to big corporations and large government agencies.”

APRS Live is the first Depiction add-on built by a third party. “We are very excited about APRS Live, both because it provides our customers with exciting new capabilities, and because it is the beginning of what we expect to be a wide range of third-party products that work with Depiction,” said Depiction, Inc. President and founder Mike Geertsen.

APRS is a digital communications protocol for exchanging data between multiple radio stations across a region, including position information, telemetry, weather data, short text messages and more. APRS is used by amateur radio users for position tracking, gaining situational awareness during emergencies, coordinating large-scale public service events such as bike races and marathons and more.

The add-on allows APRS packet information received by a radio and transmitted to a computer using a terminal node controller (TNC) connected to a serial port to be displayed within Depiction as simulation elements. For example, search and rescue workers can be tracked alongside a simulation of an eight-foot storm surge, or bike race volunteers can be tracked along race maps. APRS Live also enables the sending of short APRS messages from within Depiction.

Depiction and APRS Live both function without Internet access, but if the Internet is available, the add-on can bring in APRS data from any of the many public APRS-IS servers across the world

APRS Live can be purchased at http://www.depiction.com/aprs-live for $39.95 and requires the Depiction desktop software platform to run.

Brian Smucker and Smucker Data Solutions provide custom software development specializing in data acquisition and embedded systems.   

Depiction is desktop software that puts powerful mapping, simulation and collaboration tools in the hands of everyday people, in a package that is both easy to use and affordable. Depiction is used by community volunteers, emergency managers, corporations and government agencies to quickly and easily build interactive geospatial scenarios in order to gain new insights into their communities. It can be purchased risk-free and downloaded for just $199 at www.depiction.com, and requires no subscription or maintenance agreement.