This week, a Web site with maps of all the APRS digipeaters in the world is our destination.

APRS Digipeaters WorldWide Web page is WA8LMF's attempt to capture all the digipeaters on Earth and put them on the map.

I like maps. Always did, probably always will. Whenever I drive to the Dayton Hamvention, I pick up a new state road map at each rest area I visit. Same thing when I go to the Big E -- I grab a new state road map at each state building I visit.

If someone is giving away a map, I will take one away. As a result, I have a lot of maps, as well as many map-related Web sites bookmarked in my Web browser.

When APRS came along, I found a new niche because it combined maps and Amateur Radio. Some APRS maps are crude and some are spectacular, but a map by any other name is still a map and I appreciate them all.

So I was pleased to find a new set of APRS maps of the spectacular variety published by Stephen Smith, WA8LMF. His maps are available on his APRS Digipeaters WorldWide Web page. Stephen created the maps by monitoring the worldwide APRS Internet system data stream for all APRS position reports using digipeater star symbols, then plotting their positions on UIview32 using Precision Mapping.

There is a world map as well as regional maps of those areas where there is a thicker concentration of digipeaters. For example, my digipeater (WA1LOU) appears in theory on four of WA8LMF's maps, but is only clearly visible on his US Northeast amd Atlantic Coast map.

Until next time, keep on surfin'.

Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, has lots of maps, but still gets lost in Akron on his annual trek to Dayton. To discuss cool stuff with Stan, especially if it's related to radio, send Stan e-mail or add comments to his blog. By the way, every installment of Surfin' is indexed here, so go look it up (whatever it may be).

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