Getting APRS messages via Internet in BASH

Lets use a BASH script to read APRS messages through the Internet. No need to have a ham radio :)

The script uses expect to connect using netcat in APRS internet servers. The cool thing, is that, the main script creates sub-scripts that use expect to make the connection. I have made it a long time ago, but still works.

You can get the code from the create_script() function and use it in a stand alone script, which then you can use to extract data from the messages, as the main body of the script is just a TUI thing.

#!/bin/bash

#title : APRS packet reader
#description :
#author : xqtr
#date : 10/02/2015
#version : 1.0
#usage : ./aprs.sh
#notes :

#Variables ${2:-1}
server=$1
port=${2:-14580}
lat=${3:-39}
lon=${4:-24}
range=${5:-300}
user=${6:-"TSTUSR"}
pass=${7:-"-1"}

# Text color variables
txtred='\e[0;31m' # red
txtgrn='\e[0;32m' # green
txtylw='\e[0;33m' # yellow
txtblu='\e[0;34m' # blue
txtpur='\e[0;35m' # purple
txtcyn='\e[0;36m' # cyan
txtwht='\e[0;37m' # white
bldred='\e[1;31m' # red - Bold
bldgrn='\e[1;32m' # green
bldylw='\e[1;33m' # yellow
bldblu='\e[1;34m' # blue
bldpur='\e[1;35m' # purple
bldcyn='\e[1;36m' # cyan
bldwht='\e[1;37m' # white
txtund=$(tput sgr 0 1) # Underline
txtbld=$(tput bold) # Bold
txtrst='\e[0m' # Text reset

# Feedback indicators
#info=${bldwht}*${txtrst}
#pass=${bldblu}*${txtrst}
#warn=${bldred}!${txtrst}

# Indicator usage
#echo -e "${info} "
#echo -e "${pass} "
#echo -e "${warn} "

function choose_server () {
clear
echo -e "${bldylw} Choose Server to connect...${txtrst}"
echo
echo -e "${bldgrn}For more servers check: http://aprs2.net/APRServe2.txt${txtrst}"
echo
echo -e "${bldred}_,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,_${txtrst}"
echo
echo -e "${bldwht}1. ${txtwht} sv2hrt.dyndns.org:14578 - Greece${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}2. ${txtwht} sv2hrt.dyndns.org:2323 - >> Weather${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}3. ${txtwht} sv2hrt.dyndns.org:1314 - >> Messages${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}4. ${txtwht} greece.aprs2.net:14580 - Greece${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}5. ${txtwht} euro.aprs2.net:14580 ${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}6. ${txtwht} rotate.aprs.net :14580${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}7. ${txtwht} first.aprs.net:10152${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}8. ${txtwht} second.aprs.net:10152${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}9. ${txtwht} third.aprs.net:10152${txtrst}"
echo
echo -e "${bldred}_,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,_${txtrst}"
echo
echo -e "${bldwht}Enter your selection (ex. 9): ${txtrst}"
echo
read nos

case $nos in
1) server="sv2hrt.dyndns.org"
port="14578"
;;
2) server="sv2hrt.dyndns.org"
port="2323"
;;
3) server="sv2hrt.dyndns.org"
port="1314"
;;
4) server="greece.aprs2.net"
port="14580"
;;
5) server="euro.aprs2.net"
port="14580"
;;
6) server="rotate.aprs.net"
port="14580"
;;
7) server="first.aprs.net"
port="10152"
;;
8) server="second.aprs.net"
port="10152"
;;
9) server="third.aprs.net"
port="10152"
;;
*) echo "Invalid selection. Try again."
exit;;
esac

}

function create_script () {
echo "#!/usr/bin/expect" > ./aprsconnect.sh
echo "spawn nc $server $port" >> ./aprsconnect.sh
echo "expect {" >> ./aprsconnect.sh
echo " -re \".*APRS.*\" { send \"user $user pass $pass vers testsoftware 1.0_05 filter r/$lat/$lon/$range\r\" }" >> ./aprsconnect.sh
echo " -re \".*aprs.*\" { send \"user $user pass $pass vers testsoftware 1.0_05 filter r/$lat/$lon/$range\r\" }" >> ./aprsconnect.sh
echo "}" >> ./aprsconnect.sh
echo "interact" >> ./aprsconnect.sh
chmod +x ./aprsconnect.sh
}

# Display usage if no parameters given
if [[ -z "$@" ]]; then
choose_server
fi
if [[ $1 == "--help" ]]; then
clear
echo -e "${bldylw}BASH APRS Reader${txtrst}"
echo
echo -e "${bldgrn}Usage:${txtrst}"
echo
echo -e "${bldwht}./aprs.sh --help : ${txtwht}Shows this screen${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}./aprs.sh : ${txtwht}Connects to giver server, with default params${txtrst}"
echo -e "${bldwht}./aprs.sh : ${txtwht}Connects to server, with given filter/params${txtrst}"
echo
exit 0
fi

create_script
./aprsconnect.sh
rm -f ./aprsconnect.sh
exit 0