If you’ve ever wanted to run your own APRS-IS server, especially on an Arch-based system, I’ve packaged a convenient way to do that: aprsc-9m2pju-git, an unofficial Arch Linux AUR package for aprsc, the high-performance APRS-IS core server daemon.

This project is aimed at amateur radio operators, APRS tinkerers, and sysadmins interested in experimenting with their own APRS infrastructure. I created this package to simplify the process of building and deploying the latest development version of aprsc on Arch Linux.

🛰️ What is aprsc?

aprsc is a lightweight, multithreaded server daemon written in C that forms the backbone of the APRS-IS network. It relays packets between APRS clients, Internet Gateways (IGates), and RF repeaters. aprsc is widely used on the global APRS backbone due to its performance, reliability, and robust protocol support.

Highlights:

• Fully multithreaded and scalable
• Supports thousands of concurrent client connections
• Built-in APRS-IS filter support
• Web status interface
• TLS/SSL and SCTP support

📦 About aprsc-9m2pju-git

This AUR package builds the latest git version of aprsc from upstream:
👉 https://github.com/hessu/aprsc

It installs everything into /opt/aprsc, provides a working systemd service, sets up user permissions, and handles runtime directory creation. It’s tailored for custom or experimental setups without interfering with core system paths.

🔧 Installation

To install via your favorite AUR helper:

yay -S aprsc-9m2pju-git

Or manually:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/aprsc-9m2pju-git.git
cd aprsc-9m2pju-git
makepkg -si

🛠️ What Gets Installed?

Here’s a quick breakdown of installed files and locations:

• Binary & Config: /opt/aprsc/
• Systemd Service: /usr/lib/systemd/system/aprsc.service

Log files live under /opt/aprsc/logs, and the default config file is at /opt/aprsc/etc/aprsc.conf.

🚀 Running aprsc

After installation, start the service with:

sudo systemctl --user enable --now aprsc.service

Check logs:

journalctl -u aprsc.service -f

Then open your browser and visit the web interface to verify it’s running!

⚠️ Things to Know

• APRS-IS Authentication: You’ll need a valid callsign and APRS-IS passcode to allow client connections or gating.
• Customize Your Config: The default aprsc.conf is a minimal example. You should update it before exposing the server to the public.
• Development Version: This package tracks the latest commit from the main branch upstream. It’s great for testing, not necessarily for production unless you know what you’re doing.

🙏 Thanks & Credits

Big shout-out to:

• Heikki Hannikainen (hessu) – author and maintainer of aprsc
• Arch Linux & AUR community – for empowering users to package and share tools easily

📫 Maintainer

• Callsign: 9M2PJU
• Email: 9m2pju@hamradio.my
• GitHub: @9M2PJU

📚 Resources

• 🔗 Upstream Project (hessu/aprsc)
• 🔗 AUR Package: aprsc-9m2pju-git
• 🔗 APRS-IS Technical Wiki

If you’re curious about APRS internals, want to run your own APRS-IS node, or just like experimenting with ham radio and Arch Linux, I hope this package makes it easier for you to get started.

73 de 9M2PJU 📡