Part of our Getting On The Air guide.
LoRa APRS blends two technologies that most hams already know separately, traditional APRS and LoRa radio hardware, into something that behaves a bit differently from either one on its own.
How It Differs From Traditional APRS
Standard APRS runs on 144.390 MHz in the US using AFSK-modulated packet over VHF, relying on a network of digipeaters and internet gateways built up over decades. LoRa APRS instead uses LoRa’s long-range, low-power modulation, typically on ham bands set aside for the purpose, trading the AFSK legacy protocol for LoRa’s more modern, more power-efficient chirp spread spectrum technique. The position data and general APRS concepts carry over, but the underlying radio layer is completely different.
How It Differs From Meshtastic
Meshtastic uses LoRa hardware too, but runs its own independent mesh protocol, unlicensed on ISM band frequencies, and is not part of the APRS ecosystem at all. LoRa APRS specifically integrates with existing APRS infrastructure, meaning your position can show up on standard APRS tracking websites and interoperate with traditional APRS trackers, which Meshtastic traffic generally cannot do without a specific bridge or gateway.
Why This Combination Is Interesting
You get LoRa’s excellent range-per-milliwatt efficiency, genuinely impressive for a low-power signal, combined with APRS’s mature, decades-old tracking infrastructure and the tools built around it. For hams who want long battery life on a tracker without giving up compatibility with the broader APRS network, this is a compelling middle ground.
Getting Started
For the unlicensed mesh alternative, see the Mesh Networking guide to Meshtastic, MeshCore, and AREDN.
LoRa APRS typically runs on dedicated hardware similar to what Meshtastic uses, but flashed with different firmware built specifically for LoRa APRS operation and configured for the appropriate ham band frequency rather than an unlicensed ISM frequency. It requires your amateur license to operate legally, unlike Meshtastic’s typical unlicensed configuration, which is worth keeping straight if you are coming from a Meshtastic background.