LoRa APRS Logging

There are a few options for viewing LoRa APRS stations on the web in a map-based display. Of course, one could just go to https://aprs.fi/ and set some filters by station type, destination callsign, etc. The most comprehensive “ready to go” LoRa APRS map viewer appears to be https://lora.ham-radio-op.net/ which is run by EA2RCF. I assume that this feed comes from filtering APRS-IS data as mentioned, but the filter settings are unclear to me.

Map display of LoRa APRS stations on 03/16/25 as seen on https://lora.ham-radio-op.net/
Denver metro area LoRa APRS acitivity on 03/16/25 as seen on the https://lora.ham-radio-op.net/ site

Recently I was made aware of https://lora-aprs.live/ which is a new(?) logging server for LoRa APRS traffic. My friend Gary WB5PJB let me know about this service, and suggested that I add it to the syslog of my LoRa APRS i-gates. I’ve added it to my home and portable i-gates (W0RMT-40, W0RMT-42) but still need to update the i-gate in my Denver office (W0RMT-41). The site offers some very cool analysis features and I would encourage anyone experimenting with LoRa APRS to feed their data to this system.

Configuration of your i-gate is very straightforward. Here are the settings for the igate_conf.json file. Note that this information can also be entered in the web configuration form if you use that method.

screenshot of settings for igate_conf.json file for feeding igate data to lora-aprs.live. "active" is set to true, server is set to lora.link9.net, and the port is 1514.
syslog settings for feeding i-gate data to lora-aprs.live

The lora-aprs.live site has some very cool features, and it is worth poking around in there even if you are not feeding it data. There are analysis tools for both i-gates and trackers.

screenshot of lora-aprs.live main page showing various functions and features realted to logs, views, stats, tools, and help
lora-aprs.live main page

One very cool features is the i-gate coverage map. Note that not all of our Denver metro area i-gates are feeding this system yet, so coverage is better than indicated in this view. Compare this map view to that above from https://lora.ham-radio-op.net/ and you will see that not all stations are feeding lora-aprs.live.

Map view of the Denver area shoing i-gates feeding data to lora-aprs.live and relative coverage quality. Area cells are shaded green, yellow, orange, or red by coverage quality.
LoRa APRS i-gate coverage in the Denver area as of 3/15/2025 for those i-gates feeding data to lora-aprs.live

It is also very nice to be able to see, in a quick overview, what LoRa APRS activity in the USA and throughout the world is feeding logs to LoRa APRS live. In the USA, the hotspots of activity seem to be the Denver/Front Range metro area, Chicago, Las Cruces, and Phoenix. There is much more LoRa APRS activity in Europe that is feeding this system.

Map of the USA showing hotspots of LoRa APRS activity feeding lora-aprs.live in Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, and Las Cruces with a few other scattered stations.
USA LoRa APRS activity feeding lora-aprs.live
Map of Europe showing a very high density of LoRa APRS activity feeding lora-aprs.live
Europe LoRa APRS activity feeding lora-aprs.live

Another very nice feature of lora-aprs.live is the “Multi View.” On this page, you can see data for any LoRa APRS tracker that is hitting i-gates which feed the system, which i-gates it is hitting, i-date distance from tracker, i-gate elevation, SNR, tracker speed and lcoation, and a Google street view of tracker location. The tiles are moveable, and you can even view this page in dark mode! Very nice.

LoRa APRS live tracker multi view page. This page shows many things arranged as tiles which are moveable: map, tracker SNR at receiving i-gate, i-gate elevation, i-gate distance, tracker speed, and street view image of tracker location.
Multi View of my mobile tracker showing various data as it relates to tracker location and i-gates that hear the tracker.

I’ve still got a lot more to explore and learn about LoRa APRS Live logging, but it is becoming a great tool as we continue to build out and use our LoRa APRS network in Colorado. I hope more LoRa APRS users start feeding into this system.


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