APRS Paranoia

[NotAMog]

I've been playing around with APRS on and off for the last few years. I bought a Kenwood TM-D700A for my rig to run APRS on my off road trips. I've been slow to install the radio because I started thinking about the possibility of some unscrupulous individual monitoring APRS and seeing the coordinates of my call sign and from QRZ determining that I'm 100 miles from nowhere far away from my home making it a good burglary target.

Has anyone heard of this happening. I know that the potential always exists.

BTW - I just had a monitored security system installed at my home to help protect against this possability.

[hmfigueroa]

This was brought up in tonight's net,

Here are my thoughts; most burglaries are a crime of opportunity. Not to say it is impossible for a person to check for your position in order to burglarize your home, but it is unlikely.

You are more likely to have your equipment stolen from your vehicle parked at the market or at work, then for your home to be burglarized. I have heard of this concern many times by people who have no problem getting on the repeater telling everyone they are going on vacation or a long trip out of town. It is a definite concern but not something of which be paranoid.

Just ensure you have a trusted family member or neighbor keep an eye on your house while away. Also most police agencies have a vacation check program wherin you can advise them of your intention of leaving for a period of time and they will let patrol personnel know to check on your propertiy ocasionally.

[SteveS]

I can’t really help with your question, but I do like to bring up old postings. Ha Ha

I have some thoughts on that question, but don’t know enough about APRS to add much, but always looking to learn more. I do think is if you’re using 144.390 (I think that is the legal Freq) and given the proper equipment you could be tracked BUT with all the traffic on the National Digipeater Frequency I don’t think your going to get found unless someone knows to look for ya, in which case there would be easier ways to rob ya.

Last weekend some friends and I went out for some camping and some alpha testing of a ARPS/Ozi set-up. The signal was bounced of the local digipeater. This was my very first exposure to APRS in the field (that’s why I never commented before) and I will keep this question in the back of my mind during future testing.

I know I keep my SPOT track close and only share it with friends & relatives that I want tracking me. And I never run SPOT near my house.

I’m sure looking forward to future trips and really playing with the limits of APRS, but I can see it as a neat toy.

I’d like to hear from anyone using APRS for mobile navigation. OR is there a APRS thread already?

I hope I helped someone a little.

[Chazz Layne]

...I don’t think your going to get found unless someone knows to look for ya, in which case there would be easier ways to rob ya.

I'd have to agree. That, and the kind of folks that could figure this sort of thing out generally aren't the type of people you'd have to be concerned about in the first place.



In any case, anonymity or at the very least a separation of your public persona from where you actually live are the key IMO. This is where PO Boxes and CMRAs (commercial mail receiving agency) come in handy. There are just too many wackos out there, and too many ways for them to find your "home" from public data (own a company, have a HAM license, got a website, drive a car? whatever address you used is public data ). Plus, with the latter they are usually inexpensive and can take in UPS/FedEx packages for you securely while you're at work. There is no reason for anyone to have your home address except the bank/landlord, the utilities, and people you have coming to visit.

[sdnative]

I think he is refering to his home being robbed while he is away.


If you are just using APRS in a group and dont need digipeating, just use any old simplex frequency, that way it cant make it back to an igate and on to the internet. If you need digipeaters, well then that is the risk you are taking.



A couple of pointers:

Use a PO box or business address for your FCC license application. Make sure you keep this up to date in case the FCC needs to send you any correspondence.

Do not send a position report from anywhere near your house. I do not turn on APRS until I am several miles from my home.

[Chazz Layne]

Do not send a position report from anywhere near your house. I do not turn on APRS until I am several miles from my home.

Indeed. Same goes for anything else that might be used publicly (GPX tracks of trips).

[cruiserlarry]

I've been playing around with APRS on and off for the last few years. I bought a Kenwood TM-D700A for my rig to run APRS on my off road trips. I've been slow to install the radio because I started thinking about the possibility of some unscrupulous individual monitoring APRS and seeing the coordinates of my call sign and from QRZ determining that I'm 100 miles from nowhere far away from my home making it a good burglary target.

Has anyone heard of this happening. I know that the potential always exists.

BTW - I just had a monitored security system installed at my home to help protect against this possibility.

Well, it's a possibility. But, we've gone back and forth with this same notion regarding many things.

The chance that someone who understands and uses APRS would use the information to accost your property is, IMHO, very very small. Many hams I know don't know APRS, let alone the general populace - so you really have a small group to be concerned about at best. Heck, most folks who use APRS still don't understand all the data it provides. APRS is not instantaneous, and is only accurate for a small time window. It would take a pretty well thought out plan by a someone with knowledge of your dwelling and possessions to even attempt this - I've never heard of any such occurrence.

All this aside, I think a monitored security system for your house is a very good idea. I've had monitored systems for 30 years, and it has stopped a few feeble attempts as well as alerted me to issues inside the house (smoke, water leaks) while I was away...so, while I don't think you have anything to be concerned with regarding APRS, I applaud your decision to protect your home...

[cruiserlarry]

Use a PO box or business address for your FCC license application.

I don't think you can do that - unless your primary operating location is inside that postal box. Unless the regulations have changed, the FCC required an address that could receive correspondence and was your primary operating station location...

[salad_man]

Use a PO box or business address for your FCC license application.

I don't think you can do that - unless your primary operating location is inside that postal box. Unless the regulations have changed, the FCC required an address that could receive correspondence and was your primary operating station location...

Maybe he operates in a PO box

[sdnative]

Use a PO box or business address for your FCC license application.

I don't think you can do that - unless your primary operating location is inside that postal box. Unless the regulations have changed, the FCC required an address that could receive correspondence and was your primary operating station location...

Can you qualify this statement or is this just your gut feeling? I am interested in knowing if this is a requirement.

Part 97 : Sec. 97.23 Mailing address.

Each license grant must show the grantee's correct name and mailing address. The mailing address must be in an area where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC and where the grantee can receive mail delivery by the United States Postal Service. Revocation of the station license or suspension of the operator license may result when correspondence from the FCC is returned as undeliverable because the grantee failed to provide the correct mailing address.

I have attached the entire part 97 as well, as I think it is a good resource.