A few updates have been released for the aprs.fi app recently, and I haven't been posting about them. It's about time!
Version 2.7.0 in July 2025 added:
- Manual configuration of TCP KISS TNCs (you know, like we used to do in the 1990's, by typing IP addresses and port numbers, or maybe DNS hostnames if we were being fancy)
- GPU accelerated, faster and smoother oscilloscope view in the DSP AFSK TNC for level adjustment. The refresh time and decay time are adjustable.
- Waterfall view, because why not - it runs cool on the GPU!
- A little less CPU usage, and no sample format conversions, in the DSP TNC.
Version 2.6.2 in July 2025:
- Fresh versions of the APRS device identification database are automatically downloaded from the upstream source - but only when modified.
- The DSP TNC can send back-to-back frames when necessary, reducing airtime and congestion
- A new TNC developer view for people implementing KISS modems: Support sending 1-3 small and 1-2 large packets, back-to-back. Useful for buffering tests and back-to-back packet support. Packets are sent with a "NOGATE" path, which should prevent them from traversing the APRS-IS. Tested with the AFSK modem and the Mobilinkd TNC3 (both seem to support back-to-back transmit and receive correctly).
- Fixed a few crashes in the APRS text message queue & database handling.
- It’s now possible to change the account callsign/nickname from within the app (More -> My account).
- A few improvements in the station profile rename feature, to improve the chances of having an AX.25 compliant callsign-SSID by default.
Version 2.6.0 in October 2024:
- New button in the map view to change the size of station symbol graphics and callsign labels. I'm getting older and my age vision is making progress, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. It's also great when using APRS in a car, or perhaps on an iPad, and looking the device when a bit further away.
- Made the map buttons a little bit larger, overall.
- A brand new symbol for RVs (Recreational Vehicles) to replace the rather boring "RV" text! This new symbol can also point to the direction the vehicle is moving. The new symbol is available in the open source APRS symbol set, too.
- More @3x high-resolution graphics to make things look really sharp on the latest devices.
Version 2.5.4 in October 2024:
- 1-year Extra Features subscriptions now support Family Sharing! Only one subscription needed for the whole family.
- Implemented device identifier detection for Mic-E position packets received from a TNC, with the help of the aprs-deviceid database.
- Messaging: The app used to crash when deleting threads without actually selecting any threads for deletion first. This might seem like an odd thing to do, but as a paying customer you have the right to delete all of 0 threads, and the app should certainly not crash. It no longer does.
- Messaging: The app used to crash when the "Select all" button was pressed, but no threads existed for selection. Fixed the silly little bug so that all of 0 threads can now selected without a crash.
- Messaging: Only show relevant actions in the message context menu (when pressing a message for a longer time). It no longer suggests you to "retransmit" a received message.
- Messaging: Links are now clickable in messages, and shall open up your preferred web browser.
- TNC: When stopping the DSP modem using the Disconnect button, the modem now actually closes the audio input device, and the recording indicator goes away.
Additionally, many of the versions included updates to translations / localisations contributed by users of the application. Thank you!
Bugs were fixed, frameworks were updated, and translations updated in most of these versions, too.
