Hey everyone,

Since launching PocketDigi, it’s been incredible watching you turn your Android phones and Bluetooth TNCs into portable APRS powerhouses in the field. We’ve seen setups at parks on the air (POTA), public service events, and field days.

But we also heard a consistent piece of feedback from the community: "I want to run an iGate from my basement shack, but I can't get a GPS signal down here!"

Up until yesterday, PocketDigi had a hard requirement for a GPS lock. It needed your precise location to send out beacons and, more importantly, to authenticate with the APRS-IS servers for iGating. If your phone couldn't see the satellites, the app wouldn't fully function.

We realized that for a tool designed to be flexible, relying 100% on GPS was actually pretty limiting.

Today, we are thrilled to roll out a major update that solves this problem entirely.

Introducing Manual Location Mode

We have updated PocketDigi to allow operators to manually specify their location using the system hams already know best: Maidenhead Grid Squares.

Whether you are operating from inside a concrete convention center, a dense urban canyon, or just your home shack where GPS reception is spotty, you can now get full functionality from the app.

How It Works

We’ve kept the interface clean and simple. When you open the updated app, look at the Operation card. You will now see a new toggle switch:

  1. GPS Mode (Default): This works exactly the same as before. The app actively listens to your phone's GPS sensors to provide real-time, precise location data for mobile operations.
  2. Manual Mode: When you switch to this mode, PocketDigi stops listening to the GPS (which is a nice battery saver if you are stationary!).

A new text field will appear below the toggle. Simply type in your Maidenhead locator—for example, EM79 for a general location, or a 6-character grid like FN31pr for higher precision.

PocketDigi instantly calculates the lat/long coordinates for the center of that grid square and uses that "spoofed" location for all your beaconing and iGate traffic.

Why This Matters

This update significantly expands where and how you can use PocketDigi:

  • Indoor iGating: Set up a bi-directional iGate from your desk to help get local RF traffic onto the internet, even if you are indoors.
  • Pre-Event Setup: Configure your station settings while inside the staging area before deploying to the field.
  • Stationary Operation: If you are set up at a fixed location for the day, switch to manual mode to save your phone battery by turning off constant GPS polling.

This update is available immediately. We hope this makes PocketDigi an even more valuable tool in your ham radio toolkit, regardless of where you are operating.

73, Sarah Rose AD8NT/K8SDR