Update 16th Feb 2020: First switch-on, Thursday 18th February
5th January 2022: NoV for MB7UCG has been renewed for another 12 months
APRS, short for Automatic Packet Reporting System, was developed by Bob Bruninga WB4APR, it is often mistaken solely for vehicle tracking, which it is not for, it is in fact a two-way real-time tactical information system, and is very useful indeed beyond vehicle tracking
APRS has the ability to send and receive short text messages between radios/devices or with the use of SMSGTE (in certain countries including at the time of writing the UK) SMS messages to a mobile telephone or any other mobile device capable of SMS reception, very short and brief emails can also be sent, objects of relavence to the Amateur radio community can be placed on a map (ie local clubs, repeaters, weather stations, digital voice gateways) and of course there is the mobile station tracking which is the aspect that many are familiar with
APRS, like all amateur radio transmissions can be listened to and decoded freely by anyone, if APRS is something you'd like to do after passing a foundation exam and getting licenced you can listen to and decode the output of this igate, and any other igate or digipeater or even transmissions by other hams