RPi4 & Ham-Related packages
These are some of the existing Ham-related packages I intend to exploit on the RPi4 in due time. Most will require a successful hardware interface be accomplished before they can be fully operational. Once they are, (fully operational), the plan is to come back and dedicate a page to each describing what was done to get it going.
[X] means current package successfully installed installed on RPi4
[x] Hamradiomenus (no configuration required) “Hamradiomenus” is a package available from the Raspbian servers. This package will create a sub-menu for Ham Radio programs that have been installed. It will only appear when at least one application program has been installed with a “Desktop Entry file” containing the category entry “HamRadio”.
[x] CQRLOG (not yet fully configured – this is going to take time) “CQRLOG is an advanced ham radio logger based on MySQL database. Provides radio control based on hamlib libraries (currently support of 140+ radio types and models), DX cluster connection, online callbook, a grayliner, internal QSL manager database support and a most accurate country resolution algorithm based on country tables created by OK1RR. CQRLOG is intended for daily general logging of HF, CW & SSB contacts and strongly focused to easy operation and maintenance.”
Note: This will install the Ham Radio Control Libraries (HamLib) for rig control that are available on the raspbian servers – which may or may not be the latest version available – invariably, I will be manually compiling our own versions.
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational
[x] CHIRP (not yet configured but it will be easy) “CHIRP is a free, open-source tool for programming your amateur radio. It supports a large number of manufacturers and models, as well as provides a way to interface with multiple data sources and formats.”
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational
[x] WSJT-X 2.0 (not yet configured) “WSJT-X is a computer program designed to facilitate basic amateur radio communication using very weak signals. The first four letters in the program name stand for “Weak Signal communication by K1JT,” while the suffix “-X” indicates that WSJT-X started as an extended and experimental branch of the program WSJT. WSJT-X Version 2.0 offers nine different protocols or modes: FT8, JT4, JT9, JT65, QRA64, ISCAT, MSK144, WSPR, and Echo”
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational
[x] JS8Call (not yet configured) “The idea with JS8Call is to take the robustness of FT8 mode and layer on a messaging and network protocol for weak signal communication on HF with a keyboard-to-keyboard interface. JS8Call is heavily inspired by WSJT-X, Fldigi, and FSQCall and would not exist without the hard work and dedication of the many developers in the amateur radio community.”
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational
[x] FLdigi (installed but not configured) “Fldigi is a computer program intended for Amateur Radio Digital Modes operation using a PC (Personal Computer). Fldigi operates (as does most similar software) in conjunction with a conventional HF SSB radio transceiver, and uses the PC sound card as the main means of input from the radio, and output to the radio. These are audio-frequency signals. The software also controls the radio by means of another connection, typically a serial port. Fldigi is multi-mode, which means that it is able to operate many popular digital modes without switching programs, so you only have one program to learn. Fldigi includes all the popular modes, such as DominoEX, MFSK16, PSK31, and RTTY.”
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational
[x] FLrig <–installed using package on server “sudo apt-get install -y flrig”
[ ] Configured – initial config started for FT-817 but lots more to do.
[ ] Operational
[x] Gpredict – “Gpredict is a free, real-time satellite tracking and orbit prediction application. It can track a large number of satellites and display their position and other data in lists, tables, maps, and polar plots (radar view). Gpredict can also predict the time of future passes for a satellite, and provide you with detailed information about each pass.”
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational
[x] pilinbpq by John Wiseman (not yet fully configured – bpq32.cfg needs more work) “BPQ32 is a versatile suite of programs for radio networking. It runs under Microsoft Windows or there is also now a version known as LinBPQ that runs under Linux. … It also supports data-over-radio protocols other than AX.25 packet, including a driver for the WINMOR Virtual TNC, Pactor, V4, Telnet and others. Pilinbpq has been release by John Wiseman to run on the Raspberry Pi single board computers.”
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational
[x] Pat Winlink (installed currently running telnet only and I have disabled the server) “Pat is a cross platform Winlink client written in Go. Run it on any modern operating system, including Linux, macOS and Windows. PAT winlink is the only winlink client for the Raspberry Pi. It’s far from being as simple and easy to use as winlink express, but it’s better than not having a winlink client at all.”
[ ] piardopc partial install needs hardware
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational
[x] SDRplay for the RPi4 is currently offered as a complete image file containing the latest version of Raspian and *all* of the software necessary to get it to run with my Radio Spectrum Processor, a SDRplay RSPDuo purchased from Ham Radio Outlet. I plan to install/run/test that image on a separate, large, Micro SD card.
Note: I have successfully installed the SDRplay “image” on a second RP4b 4gb unit that will remain in our ham shack when completed. Eventually I will be setting it up for test/evaluation with the hardware, but for now have only progressed with getting it and the Raspian Buster operating system working and configured to our needs. That second RPi4 will remain in the shack, (with the SDR/RSP stuff). The other will be set up to go portable.
[x] Conky
[x] Configured – need to hack to display Temp Fahrenheit but…
[x] Operational
[ ] Raspberry Pi – Auto WiFi Hotspot Switch Internet – not yet installed, currently reading up on it and mulling the idea but did note it has now been tested with Raspbian Buster and the RPi4 – once again a video by KM4ACK gave me the inspiration to look into this one – A Better Access Point on the Raspberry Pi 3.
[ ] Configured
[ ] Operational