SYMBOLS.txt 6.4c            APRS DISPLAY SYMBOLS


    APRS supports a number of different display symbols for differentiating
objects on the map.  The symbol type is indicated by the 44th character in the
APRS standard position report.  The following table describes the symbols
available and the special characters used to represent them.  Notice that
there are several generic shapes without designated descriptions, so that
users can tailor their symbology to the 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 section below SHAPES, BORDERS, etc 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 of 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     DISPLAY SYMBOL      SSID      DISPLAY SYMBOL

       -0       Dot                  -8       Ships (power boat)
       -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 (sailboat)     -14      Truck
       -7       Aircraft             -15      Van

As of version 6.3c, these defaults are user definable on a net by net basis.
If your net must have different defaults, contact me.  Unless your net is
operating on a DIFFERENT frequency than normal APRS activity, then other
defaults should NOT be used.

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,
all stations will begin to use that symbol for all position reports from that
station.  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.


The actual symbol character used in the APRS position report formats are
shown in the following table.  The special character is the character that
represents the symbol and is what is transmitted as the 44th character in an
APRS formatted position report:

SYMBOL TYPE     CHARACTER  COMMENTS
------------    ---------  -----------------------------------
BOXES               0-9    Useful for close in ops since each one is
CIRCLES             A-K    unique and therefore you don't need calls
AIRPLANES (small)   '      also -7 SSID
AIRCRAFT  (Large)   ^
ADVISORY(smallcrft) <  
AMBULANCE           a      also -1 SSID
ANTENNA (radio)     r
AREAS               l      Can be Circle,Line,Box etc
BBS                 [
BALLOONS            O      also SSID-11
BIKES               b      also SSID-4
BUS                 U      also SSID-2
CALLSIGNS           c      Results from Callsign database in DX mode
CIRCLE              o      Default for NMEA reporting stations
CLOUDY              (
DIGIpeaters         #
EMERGENCY           !
FIRE                :      added for stations in Calif
FIRE DEPT           d
Fire Truck          f
FLOODING            w
FOG               
GALE WARNING        g
GATEWAY             &
GRID SQUARE         q      four digit
GRID SQUARE         ?      six digit
HUMP (small shape)  )
HURRICANE           @  
HELO                X      also SSID-5
HOSPITAL            h
IOTA                i      Islands-On-The-Air
TCPIP               }
Jay (J shape)       ,
JEEP                j      also SSID-12
Kross               +      More like a RED CROSS
Location            .
MAILBOX             ]      PBBS's etc
MILEPOST            m      Also displays 2 digits enclosed in {35}
NODE's              x
OBJECT              /      Default symbol
PARTLY CLOUDY?SUNNY p
POLICE              P
PORTABLE (tent)     ;
QTH                 -
RAIN                "
RAIL  (trains)      =
RecreationalVehicle R
SAIL  (Yacht)       Y      also SSID-6
SHIP                s      Also SSID-8
SCHOOL              K
SNOWFLAKE           *
SQUARE  (small)     Z
SUNNY               $
SLEET               e
TRIANGLE  (DF)      \      DF STATION: CSE and SPD will show BEARING
Triangle  (small)   c
TORNADO             t
THUNDERSTORM        `
TRUCK               k      also SSID-14
U   (generic shape) u
VEHICLE             >      also SSID-9  CARS
VAN                 v      also SSID-15
VORTAC              V      Aircraft naviagtional aid
WEATHER             _      (I used underline for ground conditions)
DX Cluster          %
YACHTS  (sailboats) Y      also SSID-6
Z   (generic shape) z


4 Char grid SQ      q              No symbol for 4 digit Grid Square reports
6 Char grid SQ      ?              No symbol for 6 digit Grid Square reports
                                   (this preserves the ambiguity of GS rpts)
                                   (note that these symbols are  NOT  xmted)

Note that Weather stations will always show up as blue and the sun will
always be yellow, overriding all other color conventions.


SHAPES BOUNDARIES AND BORDERS: 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.

