Tag: irlp

Show Notes #102

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Episode #102 Audio (Listen Now):

  • [audio:https://bsmarchive.info/lhs/mp3/lhs102.mp3]

Introduction:

  • Rob from the MintCast podcast is on the show tonight filling in for the nomadic and enigmatic Richard.

Announcements:

  • The 2013 Dayton Hamvention is coming up May 17-19 in Dayton, Ohio. We are still in need of donations. Please keep 'em coming.
  • The Wouff Hong Podcast, member of the Black Sparrow Media Network, have released their first episode. If you don't subscribe to the BSM aggregate feed, you can find them at the link above. Good episode, and they mention LHS.
  • Rob and Russ use BeyondPod on Android as a podcast manager.
  • Roy, KK4ATD, will be in Atlanta at RARSfest as an ambassador for LHS. If you're anywhere near Raleigh, NC on Saturday, March 30, 2013, stop by and say hello. [LHS will NOT be present at RARSfest this year. Sorry for any confusion. -Ed]
  • The sponsored ads in the right column of the LHS web site actually make us a not insignificant amount of money when you click on them. If you want to help us out without donating your own money, please click on an ad when you visit our site. We get money in our donation box, and you don't lighten your own pockets. Thank you!

Topics:

  • Visit KE8P's blog. One of the articles documents using a Raspberry Pi as a temperature monitor.
  • KK4ATD has developed Hamux, a 64-bit, CentOS-based Linux distribution with ham radio applications. This is a "live" CD image, so you can boot it from CD and try it before installing. At 698MB, it just barely fits on a CD.
  • Our hosts embark on a brief digression about Douglas Adams.
  • Slow Scan TV (SSTV)SSTV is a method of sending still images using radio frequencies on the HF bands. FSTV (fast-scan TV), which is typically done on VHF and UHF frequencies at distances up to a couple hundred miles, is similar to broadcast TV.In order to operate SSTV, you'll need a radio (and a license to transmit), a computer, a sound card interface to connect them to each other, and software. For Linux, we have QSSTV. The current version is 7.1.7, released on January 4, 2012. It is compatible with the Ham Radio Control Libraries (hamlib) for controlling the radio.Russ gives a brief overview of the various configuration options and interface of QSSTV.
  • Rob is not a ham, but has considered obtaining his license. Unfortunately, he lives in an area with deed restrictions that prohibit outside antennas. What are his options? There are several resources on the web for ham operation with antenna restrictions. Some of these are:

    Though in Rob's case, with aluminum foil-lined roof tiles, attic antennas are not likely to work very well.

    Other possibilities: using EchoLink, IRLP, operating mobile or portable. Perhaps tossing up a temporary wire antenna in the back yard, operate, then take it down.

    Rob and Russ discuss the various options, potential for TVI, and VEC testing opportunities.

Feedback:

  • David, KE0AZ, writes to say he's sorry to see Richard to go, but will continue to listen.
  • Frank, K4FMH, would like to see more technical content in future episodes.
  • W. Lynn writes to say that the Belton HamExpo will be April 20, 2013 in Belton, TX.
  • Gary, KE2YK, will miss Richard, too. He also appreciates the mention of Linux Mint 14 as it reminded him to give it a try.
  • Pete, VE2XPL and the host of the wAVEgUIDES podcast, sends his congratulations on 100 episodes and best wishes for Richard.
  • Gary, KE2YK, also sent comments about episode 101, including a link to his review of the Raspberry Pi.
  • Brian, WB4ES, sends his thanks for Richard's introduction to JT-75 screencast. (Available to subscribers.)
  • There are more comments on LHS Facebook Page.

Contact Info:

  • Contact Russ at k5tux@lhspodcast.info or info@lhspodcast.info.
  • Listen to the live stream every other Tuesday at 8:00pm Central time. Check the LHS web site for dates.
  • Leave us a voice mail at 1-909-LHS-SHOW (1-909-547-7469), or record an introduction to the podcast.
  • Sign up for the LHS mailing list.
  • LHS merchandise is available at the Merch link on Web site. Check out the Badgerwear or buy one of the other LHS-branded items at PrintFection.com/lhs or Cafe Press. Thanks!
  • Thanks to Dave from Gamma Leonis for the theme music.

Music:

  • "Insanity" by Mad Mav from the album Black Sheep, courtesy of Jamendo.
  • "Strike the End" by Convergence from the album Points of View, courtesy of Jamendo.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Show Notes #076

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Introduction:

Announcements:

  • The Black Sparrow Media application for iPad, iPhone and iPod has been submitted to the iTunes store. It is just awaiting validation from Apple, which may take up to two weeks. We'll let everyone know when it's available.
  • Special Event Station W0S (Whiskey Zero Sierra) will be operating from the Titanic Branson Museum from April 13-15, 2012, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster. Russ, K5TUX, will be operating the station at some point.

Feedback:

  • Scott, AD7MI, asks for help linking APRS and his his Davis Vantage Pro2 weather station with Xastir. Our hosts suggest trying one or both of these:
      • Meteo - Davis weather station platform software for Linux. You can subscribe to the Meteo mailing list by sending a subscription request to meteo-request@lists.othello.ch. It has been several years since Meteo was updated, and is still not at version 1.0. You must download the .tar file from the web site as it does not appear in the distribution repositories.
      • wview- Cross-platform weather station software. It does need an internet connection if you are going to contribute information to various weather sites, such as:

        This program is under active development. Even if it requires a work-around to perform as you wish, it may be worth the trouble. If you've ever configured a Linksys router, the web interface of wview looks a lot like that. wview has a support site via Google Groups at https://groups.google.com/group/wview.

    Let us know how you get on, Scott!

  • Paul, M0PGX, replied to our recent discussion of D-STAR and suggests trying the AllStar Link Network. Like EchoLink, it allows you to talk to other ham radio operators using just your computer and a microphone, including those operators running D-STAR.

    Russ signed up for the AllStarLink network; it's very similar to joining EchoLink. AllStar uses the Asterisk VOIP system, and Jim, WB6NIL, is the author of the repeater link software. Russ had success using a Mac computer, but not with a Linux machine.

    Richard sees the biggest problem with EchoLink is that it only allows one connection per IP address, so you can't have both a server and client at home. The EchoLink site only sees your IP address assigned by your ISP, which limits you to one connect from home. In this respect, AllStarLink appears to better in that it seems to allow multiple connections.

    AllStarLink is available in several combinations of Linux and Asterisk:

    • ACID - based on CentOS
    • Limey Linux - based on embedded Linux and bootable from a flash drive, and runs ONLY on several specific Mini-ITX motherboards.
    • Pickle - a specialized embedded Linux distro designed to operate on a BeagleBoard-xM (and DMK Engineering LOX board).

    Russ then provides an overview of setting up an AllStar Link client.

  • Back to Paul's email, he suggests we use the term "digital mode" when we should say "protocol", which brings us to...
  • Leif, KC8RWR, responded to Paul's comment that D-STAR specifies a protocol, modulation mode, voice codec, etc. The modulation mode used is GMSK.

    Richard defends the use of "mode" as appropriate as the definition allows it to mean "a method or means of doing something". For example, CW vs DFCW (dual-frequency CW), where DFCW uses frequency shifts to distinguish dots and dashes, rather than two different lengths of the same frequency, and spaces. Both are CW.

  • Leif, KC8RWR, also comments on the possibility that he's been nitpicking, as well as the use of Q-signals in voice conversations.
  • Bill, KE5WMA, suggests that hobos migrate to New Orleans from Dallas this time of year because Dallas doesn't have Mardi Gras!
  • We received a donation from Bill H. Thanks, Big Poppa! 🙂

Contact Info:

  • Contact Richard at kb5jbv@gmail.com, Russ at k5tux@lhspodcast.info, or both at the same time at info@lhspodcast.info.
  • Listen to the live stream every other Tuesday at 8:00pm Central time. Check the LHS web site for dates.
  • Leave us a voice mail at 1-909-LHS-SHOW (1-909-547-7469), or record an introduction to the podcast.
  • Sign up for the LHS mailing list.
  • Sign up for the MAGNetcon mailing list.
  • LHS merchandise is available at the Merch link on Web site. Check out the Badgerwear or buy one of the other LHS-branded items at PrintFection.com/lhs or Cafe Press. Thanks!
  • Thanks to Dave from Gamma Leonis for the theme music.

Music:

  • To be added.

LHS Episode #076: BIG PAPA

Posted on by Russ Woodman

After our quick renumbering, we come now to Episode #076. It didn't start out as an all-feedback episode, but that's how it wound up. The best part is, we had such good feedback from our listeners it made an entire show. As it also happens, most of our discussion revolves around digital mode communication for amateur radio using Linux. We touch on D-Star, Echolink, IRLP, Allstar Link and more. If you're interested in using computers to connect to your radios and talk around the world using a multitude of digital technologies, including VoIP, this is the episode for you.

Please keep those donations coming in for our Hamvention Fund, if you're able. We want to be a part of Hamvention and we hope you will be, too. Thank you for all you do.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

LHS Show Notes #053

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Announcements:

  • Thanks, again, to Gamma Leonis for the opening and closing music for the show.
  • LHS Merchandise is available at PrintFection and Cafe Press. LHS items make great Christmas gifts! Or, make a donation by clicking the Donate link on the website. Donations cover such things as the telephone lines, server fees, and more. Thank you!

Topics:

  • Articles seem to be popping up at www.amateurradio.com designed to get us talking about Linux and Amateur Radio. The latest one is by Anthony, K3NG, self-proclaimed radio artisan. Our hosts discuss his assertions that:
    • Ham Radio Deluxe, DXLab, and N1MM software all beat any Linux offerings. (Note: Russ has found that both Ham Radio Deluxe and N1MM logger will run under WINE in Linux. DXLab, on the other hand, will not.)
    • There is more amateur radio software available for Windows than Linux.
    • CQRLOG is an adequate Linux program for casual logging, but not great for contesters.
    • "Quite simply, if one intends on using Linux exclusively in the hamshack they have to lower their expectations and requirements for logging and are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to contesting."
    • He does praise fldigi, but still claims Windows software is better.
    • In summary, he thinks hard-core contesters may wish to stay with Windows. Our suggestion: run Linux and write a program that works better!
  • Russ talks about his success with WSPR and Echolink.
  • He found that instead of using "dpkg -i" to install the latest Debian WSPR package, use "dpkg -x". You'll extract the files to the current directory. You then run the program from a terminal session in your home directory using "./wspr". If you run it that way, instead of letting it install, it seems to work a lot better. The Gnome launcher doesn't seem to work with that sort of installation, but running it from a terminal works well.
  • Russ has Echolink running under WINE v1.13. This version of WINE was chosen for it's native support of PulseAudio, which made configuring EchoLink much easier. Russ' node is on 146.225MHz simplex, Echolink node 54711.
  • Russ then tells us why Echolink and IRLP are different and why IRLP might be "better." (Hint: Echolink may not have an amateur radio anywhere in the link, while IRLP definitely uses a radio somewhere in the link.)

Feedback:

  • Scott, HL2/AD7MI, sends his appreciation for the discussion in Episode 50 of his blog entry about his Ubuntu installation, and adds a note about problems with running CQRLOG under 64-bit Linux. He says you can install CQRLOG on a 64-bit machine, but it will only work with the 32-bit version of hamlib. Unfortunately, that breaks 64-bit fldigi, which expects the 64-bit version of hamlib. This issue has been reported on both the linuxham Yahoo group and the CQRLOG forum. Scott has also successfully installed Xastir, and is looking forward to receiving a MicroHAM III interface.
  • Matt, KC8BEW, asks "What is a good and easy Linux distribution for a web server?" Russ recommends a plain vanilla installation of Debian server, without the X-windows environment, and either Apache or nginx (a light-weight web server).
  • Dave, M0DCM, tells us of his success running fldigi and CQRLOG under Ubuntu 9.10 on an Acer Aspire A0751h netbook. Well done, Dave!

Donations:

  • A very generous donation was received from Gerrit R. Thanks, Gerrit!

Contact Info:

  • Contact Richard at kb5jbv@gmail.com, Russ at k5tux@lhspodcast.info, or both at the same time at info@lhspodcast.info.
  • Listen to the live stream every other Tuesday at 8:00pm Central time. Check the LHS web site for dates.
  • Leave us a voice mail at 417-200-4811, or record an introduction to the podcast.
  • Sign up for the LHS mailing list.
  • Sign up for the MAGNetcon mailing list.
  • Thanks to Dave from Gamma Leonis for the theme music.

Music:

  • "Steel Concrete" by Mad Mav from the album "Black Sheep II", courtesy of Jamendo.