AmateurRadio.com

Introduction:

• Welcome to another episode of Linux in the Ham Shack.
• Richard has moved to another QTH, and that’s provided some challenges.

Announcements:

• The LHS Ambassador Program needs your help. Russ explains what the LHS Ambassador program is all about and how you can get involved. If you’re interested, please contact us at [email protected]
• Richard gives an update on the archiving of Resonant Frequency, The Amateur Radio Podcast.
• Richard complains about the Internet service at his new location, and Russ offers a tip about using wget -c for downloading large files.

Topics:

• Richard updates us on his AX25 project and moving to a new location.
• The Linux kernel goes 3.0: So what? Russ talks about the new Linux kernel, v. 3.0, recently released, and what you can expect.
• Your first license: What should you expect? Richard describes the process for getting your first amateur radio license. At one time, proficiency with Morse code was a requirement, but no longer. Richard used the Gordon West training materials to prepare. Having a local radio club or another ham can be a great help. There are two volunteer examiner groups: ARRL and W5YI. Both offer training materials for their examinations. When you go to a testing session, be sure to bring the required materials. After you pass the test, check the FCC website for your callsign. It often shows up just a few days after taking the test. Most importantly, after you get your callsign, get on the air!
• Revisiting OpenHatch (see episode 059). Russ discusses the OpenHatch project and how you can contribute to the open source community. There is a simple sign-up process to join OpenHatch. You can use OpenID or several other authentication services. OpenID can be used with several web applications. Once you join, you can specify the various skills you have, and the type of assistance you’d like to provide, such as development, bug fixing, documentation, etc. You can also start a new project or link your own project to OpenHatch. You’ll find development, testing and documentation opportunities.
• Russ gives an update on getting SvxLink to work. He had the build of version 11.05 blow up with an error about missing include files. He Googled the error message and found the answer. So he now has a working EchoLink server using SvxLink on 146.225 MHz. So, while it may be a bit challenging to build, it can work and provides a native Linux EchoLink program. (Thanks to Rick, K9AO, who sent an email that gave Russ the push to finish his SvxLink project.)

Feedback:

• We received a donation from Oscar, N6PAZ. Thank you! If you’d like to donate to the podcast, please click the Donate button on the website. Oscar also visited the LHS booth at Dayton, and left a comment on website expressing his appreciation for the LHS website.
• F8ARR conducted a poll on his website asking what operating system his visitors used in their ham shacks. He found 23% were using Linux! He also linked back to the LHS site. Thanks!
• David, N1EA, tells us that the new website for Vinux is vinuxproject.org. Vinux is a remastered version of Ubuntu, optimized for visually impaired users. It includes several ham radio applications, including TLF (The Left Foot), a console-mode logging and contest program.
• AmiZed (KB2MOB) wrote a very nice review of LHS. Thank you for the kind words!

Contact Info:

• Contact Richard at [email protected], Russ at [email protected], or both at the same time at [email protected].
• 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

• “Complicated Man” by Lejo Harmeson & Essence from the album “Complicated Man,” courtesy of Jamendo.
• “Don’t Be Harshin’ My Mellow” by Lejo Harmeson & Essence from the album “Complicated Man,” courtesy of Jamendo.

Over the last few days I have been running my EchoLink node #3098 connected into the IRELAND conference server. As I’ve been feeling a bit tired and lethargic recently it has been a way to pass the time listening to QSOs and making the occasional contact.

Apart from IRELAND there seems to be nowhere else on the EchoLink network where there is enough activity that you can guarantee something to listen to or that someone will reply if you call CQ. I know this is like talking of selling your soul to the Devil but would D-Star, which I have never experienced but which I gather has something called “reflectors”, be any better from the point of view of making contacts with hams around the globe using a handheld?

George visits the Twit.tv studios and interviews Randy Hall, K7AGE. Tommy visits the Huntsville Hamfest. Jim builds an Audio Isolation Interface. Peter shows us the DATV QSO Party.

Introduction:

• Indiana LinuxFest promo, March 25-27, 2011.

Announcements:

• Jerry Taylor, KD0BIK, has announced that he will be recording new episodes of The Practical Amateur Radio Podcast. Welcome back, Jerry!
• The Mid-America GNU/Linux Networkers Conference (MAGNet Con) has been postponed until Spring of 2012.
• Check out the Resonant Frequency podcast.
• Linux in the Ham Shack will be at the Indiana LinuxFest, March 25-27, 2011 in Indianapolis. Stop by and say hello. LHS will also be at the SouthEast LinuxFest and the Ohio LinuxFest.

Feedback:

• Ilan Rabinovitch writes to tell us about the Southern California Linux Expo (SCALE 9X), February 25-27, 2011.
  Thanks, Ilan. Sorry we couldn’t include this earlier.
• Kevin, KB9RLW, writes in response to Episode 51 that he agrees that Linux is a good fit for the amateur radio community for several reasons: added flexibility, security, and more choices. Even Windows 7 is still vulnerable and he points to a recent Sophos test. He keeps a WindowsXP virtual machine, in VirtualBox for those Windows applications he must run, though WINE usually works fine. He’s also a fan of The GIMP, OpenOffice, Inkscape, and Scribus. Good points, Kevin, thanks.
• Dave, KA6YQ, points us to instructions for running the DX Lab suite in Linux, which, unfortunately, just says that you can run their software in a Windows XP virtual machine, which isn’t the same as running it on Linux.
• Rick, K9AO, tells us of a native Linux EchoLink client SvxLink. Russ uses the Windows EchoLink program under WINE, but checked out the program. He tried building it from source, because he’s running Debian instead of Fedora, using the posted instructions, without success, but he’ll keep trying.
• Joseph C. sent a donation to the LHS Dayton Hamvention fund. Thank you very much, Joseph!
• Jonathan Nadeau of Frostbite Systems says that if you want to install the extra codecs in Debian, you must first add the multimedia repository to your sources list file (/etc/apt/sources.list). Add the repo, then install the codecs you want. Linux Mint Debian does much of this by default.
  Richard spent most of a day trying to uninstall Gnash and install Flash… without success. And it’s true that IceWeasel and IceDove are the same as Firefox and Thunderbird, but they are one release back. Richard prefers running the current versions.
• Russ tells us that by adding the following line to your /etc/app/sources.list file

  deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing main non-free

  and then doing an apt-get update, you’ll be able to install the non-free codecs.

• Russ and Richard then talk about removing Gnash:

  dpkg --remove --force-all gnash

• Russ recommends GhostBSD if you’d like to play with BSD.
• John, EI7IG, writes that Episode 53 was a “cracker” and that he’s a fan of fldigi, too. He also tells us of APRSISCE32, an APRS client for Windows written by Lynn, KJ4ERJ. John has been running IPV6 in the shack and points us to this article by Geoff Huston. Thanks, John.
• Larry Bushey and Tom Chaudoir of the Going Linux podcast send their regards.
• Russ gives an impromptu review of the Linux Reality podcast by Chess Griffin.
• LHS is a sponsor of the upcoming Indiana LinuxFest, and Lord D. sent his appreciation.
• Mogens, OZ1AKN, asks for help on a couple of topics.Question: Is it possible to automatically start a program under WINE?
  Russ responds with:To make a program under WINE start at boot, look at /etc/rc.d/skeleton for a sample. Copy the skeleton file to the name of the WINE app you want to start, then edit it to start whatever you want to start, such as /usr/bin/wine/echolink.If you want a program to start when the X session starts, click:
  menu -> system -> preferences -> statup applications -> Add a startup app
  In the dialog, give it a name and add the command: /usr/bin/wine <application path>

  Question: How do you reinstall Windows in a dual-boot setup?

  Russ responds with:

  It’s easier to install Windows first, then Linux, as the Linux boot loader will automatically detect Windows and include it in the boot menu. If you install Linux first, then Windows, Windows will overwrite the Linux boot loader.

  Otherwise, if you’re trying to repair a dual-boot system, try booting with a system rescue CD to repair GRUB.

  Google “linux boot ntldr ” to find instructions to tell the Windows NTLDR to also boot Linux.

• Tom H. sent a donation to the Dayton Hamvention fund. Thanks, Tom!
• Frazer writes that the LHS Facebook fanpage seems to be geoblocked in Canada. (Russ has fixed the problem. Thanks, Frazer.)
• Jim, KG9EQ, discovered the podcast while searching for QSSTV and wrote to share his appreciation for the website. Thanks, Jim.
• B.B. in the chat room asked if Jerry Taylor has resumed the Practical Amateur Radio podcast. (Richard’s comments were recorded before Jerry resumed recording episodes.)
• Paul, KC9QYB, has resumed his Teen Radio Journey podcast.
• Brady and Rich recently released another episode of the Low SWR podcast.
• Finally, a note to the ICQ Podcast: We encourage Colin to talk more!

Contact Info:

• Contact Richard at [email protected], Russ at [email protected], or both at the same time at [email protected].
• 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.
• LHS merchandise is available at the SHOP! 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.

I have to say this was probably the hardest episode to put together so far. I managed to not record the first 20 minutes of my side of the episode. Then there were bits from Episode #057 that needed to be put in. I recorded secondary items that didn’t match up with the original first take. And somehow I think I managed to get it all put together and make it make sense.

Hopefully we will see everyone at Indiana Linux Fest this weekend in Indianapolis. If you can’t make it, be with us in spirit. Thank you to our listeners for all your support. Please continue to help us get to Dayton if you can, and remember to tell a few of your friends about us.

73 de The LHS Guys

One of the things at the back of my mind when I was writing that the magic of ham radio wasn’t in high technology was the feeling that anyone who got into the hobby out of a mania for high-tech toys was soon likely to be disappointed. I’ve seen it happen when people who are new to the hobby and don’t yet know much about it get an enthusiasm for APRS or Echolink. They get disappointed that the network coverage is patchy or nonexistent compared to cellphone coverage because they don’t realize that it depends on hams to provide the infrastructure and where there are few hams – or none interested in these particular aspects of the hobby – there are no repeaters and no gateways.

I’ve seen the same people criticize the latest VX-8, TH-D72 and Icom D-Star radios as being overpriced and unimpressive. They don’t like the geeky “walkie talkie” look or the plain 1990s LCD display. They can’t believe that APRS radios don’t support predictive text entry like the cheapest mobile has for more than a decade. And why can’t they have a colour screen and a scrolling map display?

It’s easy to dismiss these criticisms as coming from people who don’t understand that ham radio is a specialized niche market and that amateur HTs don’t benefit from the economies of scale which allow vastly more R&D to be spent on a smartphone costing a similar amount of money. But then I realized that perhaps the critics had a valid case. Manufacturers of smartphones don’t completely reinvent the wheel whenever they release a new model. They just design the hardware. But the hardware is a platform. On it runs a standard OS and various apps, a few of which may be customized to the manufacturer or phone but most of which are generic. Given that software development is one of the most time consuming and expensive parts of any new technology product development, wouldn’t that be a huge saving?

Why can’t top of the range hand-held radios use a similar hardware architecture to cellphones? Instead of a custom design the radio would be a computer running embedded Linux. The RF side could be SDR or it could use conventional technology – it wouldn’t matter, that would simply depend on what is most cost effective and delivers the best battery endurance. But all the control functions, together with transmit and receive audio, would be accessible through an API to software. The user interface would be an app.

Since the radio is a computer the interface would be endlessly customizable and all kinds of things not possible with existing radios could be feasible. Instead of entering local repeater frequencies into memories you could install an app that gets your position from the built-in GPS and shows you the nearest repeaters. One click and you’re listening on it.

Instead of a plain LCD display showing distance and bearing your APRS capable radio could show a full map display just like APRSISCE currently provides on Windows smartphones. You wouldn’t need packet modem hardware in the radio because packet generation and decoding could be done in software. In fact there would be no such thing as an APRS capable radio. The platform would be the same – if you wanted APRS you would just install the APRS application. If you wanted Echolink you could add the Echolink application. If you wanted D-Star you could buy the D-Star app from Icom. If you wanted to work satellites then I’m sure someone would write an app that would keep track of where the satellites are and even control the radio frequencies taking account of doppler.

You could power this hypothetical next generation radio using cellphone battery packs, which are a lot cheaper than the custom battery packs for traditional ham radios. You could even use standard cellphone accessories.

So why won’t this happen? I guess the reason for that is that Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood and the rest don’t make cellphones. Their business is making radios that are intended to be as dumb as most of their users. Ham radio is just an offshoot. The market just isn’t big enough to justify developing what for them would be a completely different and unique hardware platform. So I guess for the foreseeable future we’ll be stuck with our geeky walkie talkies and the cool stuff will all be on cellphones.

A week or so ago my application to operate a part time attended EchoLink node on the 2m band was granted. I didn’t receive any notification of this, I just happened to check the relevant page of the RSGB Data Communications Committee website and noticed that my entry had turned black and an expiry date had been added.

G4ILO-L is EchoLink node number 3098 and operates on 145.2125MHz with a CTCSS Tone of 77.0Hz. As stated the authorization only allows the node to operate when I am on the premises. It uses the non-APRS side of my Kenwood TM-D710 so in practise it will also only operate when I don’t want to operate on 2 metres myself. Therefore it is more likely to be on during the evening UK time than during the day.

The license only allows me to use 5W ERP. Due to my location in the RF black hole of Cockermouth the range will only be a few miles so the number of stations able to access it can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand. Most of the time I will be monitoring the node myself on one of my handhelds so if you call me after connecting there is a good chance I will reply.

I do intend to post a page on my website explaining to other stations in the area how to use it if they want to, but at the moment the number of things to do exceed the available time.

I have developed a script to post the status of the node to the APRS network so an easy way to see whether my node is running or not would be to look up EL-3098 at aprs.fi.