PulseModem A
iOS Universel / Voyages
PulseModem A is the APRS client for licensed Amateur Radio operators on iPhone and iPad.
Connect to the global APRS-IS network and watch nearby stations appear on a live map in real time — each one drawn with its authentic APRS symbol icon and a country flag derived from its callsign prefix.
LIVE APRS-IS FEED
- Connects to rotate.aprs.net with a geographic filter centred on your GPS location
- Displays raw packets as they arrive, colour-coded by type
- Auto-connect on launch — PulseModem A is ready before you finish your coffee
- Decodes uncompressed, Base91 compressed, and Mic-E packets (common in Kenwood and Yaesu radios)
INTERACTIVE MAP
- Every station plotted with its real APRS symbol PNG — car, hiker, weather station, digipeater, and hundreds more
- Tap any pin to see a callout; tap the callout to open the full station detail
- Centres on your location at city level the moment a GPS fix is available
- Your own beacon appears on the map immediately after sending
STATION LIST
- Full searchable list of received stations
- Country flag next to every callsign, resolved from the standard cty.dat prefix database
- iPad split-view: select a station on the left, see full details on the right
- One tap to look up any callsign on QRZ.com — right inside the app, no browser switch
GPS BEACONING
- Send your position to the APRS network with a single tap
- Choose your station symbol from a searchable visual grid of all APRS symbols
- Add an optional comment to your beacon packet
- Encoded in Base91 compressed format for maximum compatibility
SETTINGS & COMPATIBILITY
- Callsign and passcode stored securely in the Keychain
- Upgrading from an earlier version? Your callsign, passcode, and preferences carry over automatically
- Adjustable filter radius, fallback coordinates for GPS-denied environments
- Supports receive-only mode (passcode -1) — no transmit license required to monitor
REQUIREMENTS
A valid amateur radio license is required to transmit on APRS. Anyone may receive and monitor.
RF Receive and RF Transmit (direct audio-port TNC operation) are under re-development and will return in an upcoming update.
APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga.
Quoi de neuf dans la dernière version ?
PulseModem A has been completely rewritten from the ground up in SwiftUI with new icon. This is the biggest update since the app launched.
CHATS
Direct contacts between your callsigns and others will show up as a messenger interface.
REBUILT FROM SCRATCH
The entire app is now native SwiftUI on iOS 17, replacing the original Objective-C codebase. It is faster, lighter, and requires no third-party networking or UI libraries.
Also beacon mode now updates your positions automatically for a set period of time.
NEW: MIC-E DECODING
PulseModem A now decodes Mic-E packets — the compact format used by most Kenwood and Yaesu hand-held radios. Stations that previously appeared in the feed but not on the map will now show up correctly.
NEW: COUNTRY FLAGS
Every station now displays the national flag for its country of origin, resolved automatically from its callsign prefix using the standard cty.dat database.
NEW: REAL APRS SYMBOL ICONS
Stations are now drawn with authentic high-resolution APRS symbol PNGs rather than generic placeholder icons. Over 160 symbols are included — cars, hikers, weather stations, digipeaters, ships, aircraft, and more.
NEW: GPS BEACONING
Send your location to the APRS network directly from the app. Your position appears on the map immediately after sending, without waiting for an echo from the server.
NEW: VISUAL SYMBOL PICKER
Choose your station symbol from a searchable grid showing every available APRS icon with its name and preview — no more typing two-character codes.
NEW: iPad SPLIT VIEW
On iPad, the Stations tab now shows a side-by-side master-detail layout. Select a station on the left and see full details, map, and QRZ lookup on the right.
NEW: QRZ LOOKUP
Tap the globe icon on any station detail page to look up the callsign on QRZ.com — displayed inside the app with no browser switch required.
NEW: BUILT-IN HELP
A new Help tab covers Getting Started, APRS basics, connecting to APRS-IS, and how to send a beacon — all in a clean, readable format.
SEAMLESS UPGRADE
Your callsign and passcode from the previous version are read automatically from the same Keychain entry — no need to re-enter credentials after updating.
AUTO-CONNECT FIX
Auto-connect on launch now correctly waits for a GPS fix before connecting, ensuring the APRS-IS location filter is always set before packets start flowing.
