Running into trouble configuring an DPRS-igate while APRS works fine :-(

[Chris Mailer]

Hello,

I installed Direwolf as a soundmodem which can now direct packages to either a ax25 interface or a /dev/pts/ port (or both).
I got aprx to decode aprs packages received on the ax25 interface, which works brilliant. However, I cannot get direwolf to decode any package (nor APRS neither DPRS) received on the virtual tnc (in my case (dev/pts/3) nor does decoding of DPRS-packages work through the ax25 interface.
However, when accessing the virtual tnc I frequently receive:
TTY /dev/pts/3 OPEN - fd=7 - OK
ERROR: TCSETATTR failed; errno=25

Does aprx work with virtual TNCs at all?
How do I configure aprx to decode DPRS data received through the Direwolf?
Thank you in advance!
73,

 Chris

[Chris Mailer]

Hello again,

I experimented a bit more and now I have /dev/pts/ running - at least for the APRS packages.

This entry works fine in aprx.conf and APRS-packages are decoded:
<interface>
   serial-device /dev/pts/3 19200 8n1    KISS
   callsign     $mycall  # callsign defaults to $mycall
   tx-ok        false    # transmitter enable defaults to false
   telem-to-is  false # set to 'false' to disable
</interface>

This entry does NOT work for DPRS packages:
<interface>
   serial-device /dev/pts/3    19200   8n1     DPRS
   callsign     XX0XXX-DG  # must define actual callsign
   tx-ok       false           # DPRS monitor can not do transmit
   telem-to-is false # set to 'false' to disable
</interface>
Whith the latter config, APRS-packets are still received by APRX even though it is  actually configured for DPRS, but what is written to /var/log/dprs.log is, unfortunately not really informative:
26119   À
26132   À
26144   À
26162   À
26170   À
Fair enough, I'm not interested in APRS-packages anyways.
However, when eventually sending DPRS packages, APRX does nothing. NOTHING. Nothing in the logs, even with debug flags, nothing in aprx-rf.log nor in dprs.log or aprx.log. I tried both the NMEA (DV-G) and the D-PRS (DV-A) setting in my handset (ID-51plus).
What am I doing wrong?
Thank you in advance.
73,

 Chris

[Chris Mailer]

To clarify further, I'm always using ONE interface entry in aprx.conf at a time, with the other interfaces commented out. Using more then one interface which access the same pts-port (e.g. /dev/pts/3) would not work, obviously.
However, DPRS-decoding does not work with a solely interface accessing /dev/pts/3 as well.
Thanks,

 Chris

Am Dienstag, 12. September 2017 11:24:41 UTC+2 schrieb Chris Mailer:

[Chris Mailer]

Hello,

I just wondered if nobody is using the D-PRS feature of APRX or if I'm doing something entirely wrong, e.g. like I would have to connect a D-Star radio with a data cable to obtain D-PRS packages at all.
I didn't find anything like that in the description, just a guess.

Thanks and 73,

Chris

[Kenneth Finnegan]

I have no experience using DPRS, and really very little understanding
of how it's used or how it works. Every time I mention wanting to rip
it out for lack of documentation or support, other users chime in that
they absolutely use it, so I'm rather disappointed no one has weighed
in here.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help here.
--
Kenneth Finnegan
http://blog.thelifeofkenneth.com/

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[Chris Mailer]

Thank you Kenneth for your personal reply.
It's a bit disappointing though. I guess D-PRS is probably broken in
APRX then and noone has recognized yet:-(
Who wrote the code for that part then?
Thanks,

Chris

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[Patrick Connor]

I am using the DPRS interface with great success.
First, create a DPRS interface as stated in the user manual. In this case, I am getting data from the D-RATS repeater application.
<interface>
  tcp-device 127.0.0.1 9500 DPRS
  callsign K3PDR-6
  tx ok false
  telem-to-is false
</interface>
You can also create a serial interface to use with D-STAR radios.
Then, create a KISS interface. This connects to Dire Wolf, which I am using as a TNC.
<interface>
  tcp-device 127.0.0.1 8001 KISS
  callsign K3PDR-5
  tx ok false
  telem-to-is false
</interface>
Finally, Digipeat.
<digipeater>
  transmitter K3PDR-5
  <source>
    source K3PDR-6
    ratelimit 60 120
    relay-type third party
  </source>
</digipeater>
I hope this works for you,
Patrick

[ve2se]

Hi Patrick
My DPRS interface work on aprs.fi , but digipeater  dprs to aprs  don't .What do you think i am doing wrong ?
join my aprx.conf .
May i have yours

[Patrick Connor]

Chris,

I made changes to your config file and included notes.

Bonne chance!
Patrick

On Thursday, December 28, 2017 at 2:08:33 PM UTC-5, ve2se wrote:

Hi Patrick
My DPRS interface work on aprs.fi , but digipeater  dprs to aprs  don't .What do you think i am doing wrong ?
join my aprx.conf .
May i have yours

Le lundi 25 décembre 2017 17:49:04 UTC-5, Patrick Connor a écrit :

I am using the DPRS interface with great success.
First, create a DPRS interface as stated in the user manual. In this case, I am getting data from the D-RATS repeater application.
<interface>
  tcp-device 127.0.0.1 9500 DPRS
  callsign K3PDR-6
  tx ok false
  telem-to-is false
</interface>
You can also create a serial interface to use with D-STAR radios.
Then, create a KISS interface. This connects to Dire Wolf, which I am using as a TNC.
<interface>
  tcp-device 127.0.0.1 8001 KISS
  callsign K3PDR-5

  tx ok true

[Chris Mailer]

Hello Patrick,

thank you for your input.
I'm eventually found the time to play around with direwolf again now.
My aprx.conf entry looks similar to yours:
<interface>
serial-device /dev/pts/3 4800 8n1 DPRS
callsign DC4RIS-DG # must define actual callsign

tx-ok false # DPRS monitor can not do transmit

telem-to-is false #false # set to 'false' to disable
</interface>
I'm currently invoking direwolf and rtl_fm through:

rtl_fm -f 438.2m -M fm -s 48000 -p 18000 | direwolf -c
/etc/direwolf.conf -n 1 -r 48000 -b16 -B4800 -t 0 -p -

The output is:
Dire Wolf version 1.2
Audio input device for receive: stdin (channel 0)
Audio out device for transmit: default (channel 0)
Found 1 device(s):
Channel 0: 4800 baud, K9NG/G3RUH, +, 48000 sample rate x 2.
Note: PTT not configured for channel 0. (Ignore this if using VOX.)
Virtual KISS TNC is available on /dev/pts/3
WARNING - Dire Wolf will hang eventually if nothing is reading from it.
Created symlink /tmp/kisstnc -> /dev/pts/3
Ready to accept KISS client application on port 8001 ...
Ready to accept AGW client application 0 on port 8000 ...
0: Generic, RTL2832U, SN: 77771111153705700

Using device 0: Generic RTL2832U OEM
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
Tuner gain set to automatic.
Tuner error set to 18000 ppm.
Tuned to 438452000 Hz.
Oversampling input by: 21x.
Oversampling output by: 1x.
Buffer size: 8.13ms
Exact sample rate is: 1008000.009613 Hz
Sampling at 1008000 S/s.
Output at 48000 Hz.


I tried different sample rates for rtl_fm and different baud rates for
direwolf but without any success.
The aprx.log contains only basic information:
2018-01-27 16:46:33.822 aprx start - 2.9.0
2018-01-27 16:46:33.822 TTY /dev/pts/3 opened
2018-01-27 16:46:33.822 TTY /dev/pts/3 opened
2018-01-27 16:46:44.029 CONNECT APRSIS rotate.aprs2.net:14580

Starting aprx with the -d debug flag returns:
interface_store() aif->callsign = 'APRSIS'
/etc/aprx.conf:33: MYCALL = 'DC4RIS-10' ''
/etc/aprx.conf:54: INFO: PASSCODE = 'xxxxx' ''
/etc/aprx.conf:63: INFO: SERVER = 'rotate.aprs2.net':'14580'
/etc/aprx.conf:99: INFO: PIDFILE = '/var/run/aprx.pid' ''
/etc/aprx.conf:106: INFO: RFLOG = '/var/log/aprx/aprx-rf.log' ''
/etc/aprx.conf:113: INFO: APRXLOG = '/var/log/aprx/aprx.log' ''
/etc/aprx.conf:120: INFO: DPRSLOG = '/var/log/aprx/dprs.log' ''
.. new style serial: '/dev/pts/3' '19200 8n1 KISS'.. tncid=0
.. param='19200' .. param='8n1' .. param='kiss'
callsign= 'DC4RIS-10'
.. store tty subinterfaces
.. store interface[0] callsign='DC4RIS-10'
interface_store() aif->callsign = 'DC4RIS-10'
.. new style serial: '/dev/pts/3' '4800 8n1 DPRS'.. tncid=0
.. param='4800' .. param='8n1' .. param='dprs'
callsign= 'DC4RIS-DG'
.. store tty subinterfaces
.. store interface[0] callsign='DC4RIS-DG'
interface_store() aif->callsign = 'DC4RIS-DG'
telemetry_start()
110071 TTY /dev/pts/3 OPEN - fd=5 - OK
110071 TTY /dev/pts/3 OPEN - fd=6 - OK
erlang_timer_init() to be called
erlang_timer_init() to be called
aprsis connection attempt IPv6 address: 2001:1868:2003::18

Telemetry LabelTx run; next one in 120.00 minutes


I cannot find anything unexpected in the logs. The dprs.log file
remains empty though.
GQRX shows digital traffic on my test frequency when transmitting, and
piping the rtl_fm out put to sox play does also work.
I really don't know what I'm doing wrong. Maybe wrong rtl_fm/direwolf settings?
Maybe you got further hints?
Thank you,

Chris

[Patrick Connor]

I can not help you with the SDR configuration.

I think you are misunderstanding how the DPRS interface works.

You must use a D-STAR radio connected to a serial port on the computer as a receiver.

Then make an interface in APRX like this:

<interface>

   serial-device   /dev/ttyS0  9600 8n1 DPRS #serial interface to a D-STAR radio

   callsign DC4RIS-1

   tx-ok false

   telem-to-is false

</interface>

If you are using a USB connection, it should look like this:

<interface>

   serial-device   /dev/ttyUSB0  9600 8n1 DPRS #serial interface to a D-STAR radio

   callsign DC4RIS-1

   tx-ok false

   telem-to-is false

</interface>

This is all you need to I-gate to APRSIS.

If you want to send to RF, use this interface as a source for a digipeater.

APRX allows more than one source for a digipeater.

[Chris Mailer]

Hello Patrick,

thank you very much.
I already guessed that a D-Star radio might be necessary to receive
DPRS-Data through APRX. However, this isn't mentioned anywhere in the
documentation and I think this should therefore be added. This was a
valueable hint and explains my issues. I only wonder if it might be
possible to decode the data through e.g. DSD but I hardly doubt
though.
Thank you again,

Chris