Configuring UI-View for the VK2 Network

UI-View is one of the most popular APRS client applications available.
It can be downloaded from the UI-View web page.

Unfortunately Roger Barker (G4IDE), the author of UI-View, died in late 2004. At his request, the source code for the program was destroyed, making impossible changes or updates to the final release (Ver. 2.03) of the program. The program, as distributed, is now living in "suspended animation" with an increasing number of defaults and settings becoming outdated. Fortunately, many of these can be changed after the initial install.

The steps below detail how to best configure UI-View to work in the VK2 APRS network effectively.

Update APRS Symbol Set

There have been numerous changes and updates to the APRS symbol set since UIview became "frozen". Fortunately, the APRS symbols used by UIview are contained in a pair of Windows BMP graphics files that can be easily replaced (overwritten) after the program is installed. Replacement current symbol sets for UIview are located here: Revised APRS Symbol Set .

Communications

First select Setup / Comms setup and select the type of TNC, Comm Port etc. Or select a host mode such as KISS or AGWPE. It is important to Read the UI-View Help for this section.

If you plan to only use the Internet for UI-View communications you do not need to set up any communications items.

Station Details

To set up your station details select Setup / Station Setup and fill in the dialog box based on the information below.

If you are unsure of what to insert for 'XXXX' you can use the APRS Packet Path Guide to determine the correct setting.

For those who want to use the internet connection (APRS-IS) to send & receive APRS data instead of RF change the Beacon interval / Fixed setting from 45 to 0 and the Beacon interval / Internet setting from 0 to 45.

Quirky Way of Delimiting Degrees and Minutes in Latitude/Longitude Entries:
Like most APRS applications, UIview requires that latitude/longitude entries for positions be expressed in Degrees, Minutes and hundredths of Minutes. You cannot use Degrees-Minutes-Seconds or Degrees and decimal Degrees.
[ DD MM.mm is the default format of NMEA GPS data, and is also the default format for APRS. ]

However, unlike NMEA, UIview uses two periods to delimit the string instead of one. For example, latitude data output from a standard NMEA GPS receiver, for 33 degrees 45.14 minutes north, would look like: 3345.14S
UIview requires that this be formatted as: 33.45.14S

APRS-IS Settings

Correct configuration for VK connections to APRS-IS (the internet) for UI-View is as follows.

In order to add the Australian APRS-IS servers to the server list, the following steps can be followed:

1. Select Setup / APRS Server Setup.
2. Click on the first entry in the Select One Or More Servers list. (a dotted line will appear around the entry)
3. Hit the [Insert] key
4. Type first.aprs.net.au:14580 then hit the [Enter] key
5. Click on the small box on the left of the entry you added. A small tick will appear in the box.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 but this time type second.aprs.net.au:14580

To remove a server entry click on the entry and hit the [Delete] key.
You may wish to delete all the un-ticked server entries.

Since the APRS-IS contains the entire global APRS traffic, we must use a FILTER to restrict what you actually recieve. This filter is set in the "Extra log on text" box, and is structured by using the word filter followed by one or more filter definitions.

For example, to see only VK* callsigns, the filter text would be filter p/vk. To see all stations in VK regardless of their callsign, the filter would be filter r/-34/146/4500

If you connect to port 14580 of a server but do not set a filter, the server will not send you any data until you set a valid filter.

Miscellaneous Settings

Miscellaneous Settings are required for APRS network cycle timing, Station Queries and other client behaviour.

Select Setup / Miscellaneous and enter the settings as show below.

APRS Compatibility

UI-View uses some special message formats that are not complient with the APRS protocol specifications. Turning these extensions off makes UI-View more compatible with other APRS applications.

Select Setup / APRS Compatibility and enter all settings as show below.

Messaging Setup

Messaging Settings need to be adjusted from the defaults to ensure that APRS Messaging can be sent and recieved effectively.

To access the Message Retries dialog box select Messages / Setup / Message Retries

Set the values for all fields as shown below.

Automatic Connection to APRS-IS

After you have configured the main parameters in UI-View you may wish to connect APRS-IS. To do this select Action / Connect to APRS Server.

UI-View can be enabled to connect to APRS-IS automatically using the Schedule Editor which can be run from the Files menu.

In the Schedule Editor, click 'New', select APRSERVE_CONNECT from the pull down menu in the Command box, type '+3' in the Time box then click 'Yes'.

This will connect UI-View Client to APRS-IS 3 minutes after it has started.