Since version 2.0, JS8CALL can be used to send a message to the APRS network. It’s important to know that these messages are one-way only, meaning that you can send a beacon, or a Raw packet to a device, but you will not receive the answer back in the JS8Call network.

Some requirements:

1. Your JS8 traffic must be heard by a station that is providing the gateway connectivity to the APRS-IS network.
2. Your message must be formatted correctly.

@APRSIS GRID ? will send your position to APRS-IS  
@APRSIS CMD ? will send a raw packet to APRS-IS  

Here’s an example of an #APRSThursday Check-in, taken from this guide

@APRSIS CMD :ANSRVR   :CQ HOTG 40M JS8CALL AT JO62RN

Please observe that:

1. There is one space between CMD and the colon (:).
2. The destination station must be 9 characters long in total, so there are 3 spaces between last R and the colon (:).

The same way, it can be used to spot yourself when you are doing some POTA Activation, the syntax is as follows

@APRSIS CMD :POTAGW   :CALL PARK FREQ MODE COMMENT

POTA Example

@APRSIS CMD :POTAGW   :DL7EDU DE-0232 7120 SSB NOW

This command utilizes an APRS packet to send an auto-spot while activating DE-0232 on 40m SSB.

References

• JS8CALL Downloads - Documentation
• APRSThursday on Facebook