Direwolf settings

[Keith Williamson]

I thought I'd share my direwolf.conf settings (see attached).

Note that I have taken the tack of having direwolf handle both digipeat and igate functions rather than using a client such as Xastir or APRSISCE32 to perform those functions. That way, I don't have to have anything but the RPi running for normal service but can still connect across my LAN to the RPi with either Xastir or APRSISCE32 to send messages, etc.

I think I have direwolf configured pretty well for fill-in digipeating (WIDE1-1 only) and have got the Igate filters set so that radio transmissions of APRS-IS packets is limited to the north county and the southern area of the Frasier valley. Still learning about both server-side and client-side filters.

As we get more fill-in digipeaters and Igates online, I'll further reduce the radius of service. It would be great to coordinate our service areas so that we are minimizing radio traffic yet providing good APRS coverage in the county.

Cheers,

Keith

KF7DRV

[Robert Sears]

Thank you for that, I too prefer DIrewolf to handle everything instead of having to also run Xaster for things like beaconing, I-gate and digipeating, specially in my truck.

Also thanks for figuring out fill-in digipeating.

Everyone should be a fill-in digi, specially those running a higher power rig. That will help those that are using a hand held our low powers "trackers" get to the main digipeaters. 

Robert/KF7VOP

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[Robert Sears]

If you are like me you probably want at Direwolf to auto start every
time you start your pi.

What I had done in the past was simply set the Pi to auto login the pi
user and put "direwolf" as the last line in the login script. Now this
works but it is not the right way and has a problem that if Direwolf
stops for any reason it will not restart it.

During my trouble shooting on Friday I compiled DIrewolf 1.3 from the
source. It's really not that hard to do and is the preferred way to
install both Direwolf and Xastir as the versions in the repositories
(where apt-get gets them) is often old versions, and in the case of
Xastr can be YEARS out of date.

But anyway when you compile Direwolf from the source is also places a
shell script in your home directory called dw-start.sh.

I attached that script for those that installed Direwolf using apt-get

I added this as a chron job to run at boot by adding it to the end of
chrontab

@reboot /home/pi/dw-start.sh
* * * * * /home/pi/dw-start.sh

This script runs at boot and every minute to relaunch Direwolf if it is
not running.

Or to make it even easier to add chron jobs first install gnome-schedule

sudo apt-get install gnome-schedule

And you will have a nice GUI to schedule tasks under 'System Tools'

Robert/KF7VOP

[Art]

so question, how do we set up xastir to use that modem port? I think thats where I'm hanging up.... also I don't think it's even trying to key the second port....

On 10/23/2016 2:13 PM, Keith Williamson wrote:

[Keith Williamson]

Xastir numbers the ports +1 from the channel numbers. We use UDRC Ch1 which is Transmit Radio Port 2 in Xastir (Interface->Interface Control) then select your Networked AGWPE Device and click Properties. There you'll find the Transmit Radio Port which you would set to 2. 

You also need to click "Allow Transmitting". 

Also, in Interface->Interface Control, make sure the Networked AGWPE Device is "UP". Otherwise, with it selected, click the Start button. 

-Keith

On Sun, Oct 23, 2016 at 6:14 PM, Art <nouse...@gmail.com> wrote:

so question, how do we set up xastir to use that modem port? I think thats where I'm hanging up.... also I don't think it's even trying to key the second port....

On 10/23/2016 2:13 PM, Keith Williamson wrote:

I thought I'd share my direwolf.conf settings (see attached).

Note that I have taken the tack of having direwolf handle both digipeat and igate functions rather than using a client such as Xastir or APRSISCE32 to perform those functions. That way, I don't have to have anything but the RPi running for normal service but can still connect across my LAN to the RPi with either Xastir or APRSISCE32 to send messages, etc.

I think I have direwolf configured pretty well for fill-in digipeating (WIDE1-1 only) and have got the Igate filters set so that radio transmissions of APRS-IS packets is limited to the north county and the southern area of the Frasier valley. Still learning about both server-side and client-side filters.

As we get more fill-in digipeaters and Igates online, I'll further reduce the radius of service. It would be great to coordinate our service areas so that we are minimizing radio traffic yet providing good APRS coverage in the county.

Cheers,

Keith

KF7DRV

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[Art]

i think i figured it out... i used the wrong wires... i can get it to key the transmitter now... i did switch a couple of the wires around apparently ... I used this as the pinout: http://www.wa8lmf.net/6-Pin-MiniDin-Data-Connector/MiniDin-6-Male.gif

however I don't know if i'm getting out or not =/ can anyone hear me?

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[Robert Sears]

I don't see you on my received or on aprs.is.

The radio port is defiantly tricky now because the 6 pin din and 15 pin are separated. They were the same on the UDRC one and the 15 pin is the first port so it is the default port.  Everything looks like it's working apparently programs can listen on both ports? but it's transmitting on the wrong port.

I have not figured out how to setup APRSIS32 to transmit on port 2

When you configure the "Interface" in Xastir for the UDRC2 there is a setting for "radio transmit port".

The 15 pin  is Transmit Radio Port 1
The 6 pin is Transmit Radio Port 2

Robert/KF7VOP

[Keith Williamson]

Hi Robert,

See my response re the Xastir setup (2 messages earlier in this thread).

Cheers,

Keith
KF7DRV

[Art]

Ok, so I think I got everything set up and wired right.... at least i think i did.... lolz

apparently the program is really picky about the audio level... apparently i had it set way too low over night and now its too high.... also it looks like nothing i transmitted made it out last night....

I'm going to double check my radio cable and make sure i have the right pins =/

Art

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[rts...@comcast.net]

I am going to order a 6-pin mini Din connector to make it easier to add a second radio and allows more compatibility with programs that can not be set to use a dual port TNC (that is what the UDRC2 acts like) as you will have a 6-pin mini din on radio port 1 and 2

I have decided on ordering this connector since it is pre-wired. https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/cui-inc/MD-60PL100/CP-2960-ND/500829

They are about $2.50 each, if anyone else is interested please reply, and if a few of you do I will go ahead and order at least 10 of them bringing the cost closer to $2 each.

I have not decided on the final placement, I might just remove the 15 pin connector and see if I can talk Bud into making a special side panel for the UDRC case that has a place for this connector instead of the 15-pin.

Robert/KF7VOP

[rts...@comcast.net]

What radio are you using?

Are you sure you are set to transmit on the right port?

Every APRS program out there tends to default to radio port 1, and that is the 15 pin connector on the UDRC2.

You have to think of the UDRC2 as if it were a dual port TNC, like my old AEA DSP-2232, and make sure you are setting your programs to use the right radio port..

Robert/ KF7VOP

---

From: "Art" <nouse...@gmail.com>
To: "nwwdigi" <nww...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2016 5:35:02 AM
Subject: Re: [DG] Direwolf settings

[rts...@comcast.net]

So I went ahead and ordered 10 of these connectors, figuring a couple of you guys will want one.

I also attached the datasheet so Budd can take a look at the mechanical drawings and modify the side panel on his UDRC case design so I can mount one of these in the area cut out for the 15 pin connector.  

I will gladly pay you for two new cases that have this modification.

Robert/KF7VOP

---

From: rts...@comcast.net
To: "nwwdigi" <nww...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2016 7:52:03 AM
Subject: [DG] UDRC2  radio port Mod

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[Robert Sears]

I finally figured this out and it was so simple I am embarrassed.

So by default

The 15 pin is Transmit Radio Port 1
The 6 pin is Transmit Radio Port 2

That means programs like APRSIS32 that don't know how to deal with a
dual port TNC default to transmitting on the 15 pin port, and the
confusion setting up xastir.

But all you have to do is swap the CHANNEL # in your direwolf.config

#HD-15
CHANNEL 1
MYCALL YOURCALLSIGN-SSID
MODEM 9600
PTT GPIO 12
#DIN-6
CHANNEL 0
MYCALL YOURCALLSIGN-SSID
MODEM 1200
PTT GPIO 23
AGWPORT 8000
KISSPORT 8001

Now the 9-pin is Radio port 1 and the "default" port for most programs.

Dang, I know it was a Direwolf configuration problem all along!

Robert/KF7VOP

[Robert Sears]

On 10/24/2016 7:32 PM, Robert Sears wrote:
> But all you have to do is swap the CHANNEL # in your direwolf.config
>
> #HD-15
> CHANNEL 1
> MYCALL YOURCALLSIGN-SSID
> MODEM 9600
> PTT GPIO 12
> #DIN-6
> CHANNEL 0
> MYCALL YOURCALLSIGN-SSID
> MODEM 1200
> PTT GPIO 23
> AGWPORT 8000
> KISSPORT 8001
>
> Now the 9-pin is Radio port 1 and the "default" port for most programs.
>
> Dang, I know it was a Direwolf configuration problem all along!
>
> Robert/KF7VOP

Opps I mean now

The 6 pin is Transmit Radio Port 1
The 15 pin is Transmit Radio Port 2

[Keith Williamson]

Nice solution! 

If you make this change so that APRSISC32 works, remember to go back into Xastir Interface->Interface Control, click on the TNC device (e.g. Networked AGWPE), click Properties, and change the Transmit Radio Port from 2 to back to 1.

Cheers,

Keith

KF7DRV

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[Robert Sears]

On further examination I do not believe this solution is working as I thought it was.

I believe swapping the channels only swapped the PTT but the audio is still going to the wrong port.

This is really annoying. I will have to dig deeper into the DIrewolf config, but I fear it's the way the UDRC2 hardware is designd and there will not be a software fix.

Robert/KF7VOP

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[Keith Williamson]

This really appears to be purely a limitation of APRSIS32 in that it doesn't give you an option to set the transmit port for AGWPE command packets (unlike Xastir). I'm not a windoze guy so even if source is available, I wouldn't be comfortable hacking on it. Perhaps the APRSIS32 folks would consider adding proper support for the UDRC. 

To work around the issue, I added a "force transmit channel" argument (-f) to direwolf. With the "-f" argument, direwolf will substitute channel 1 for the transmit channel instead of using the channel (always 0 with APRSIS32) specified in the incoming AGWPE command. This mod (well ugly hack actually) seems to work fine for me with both APRSIS32 and Xastir. I only do the channel substitution for client command packets that are asking direwolf to transmit a UI dataframe, a raw AX.25 frame, or UNPROTO information. 

I can see in the direwolf output that any messages I send from APRSIS32 go out on channel 1 ([1L). 

If anyone is interested in testing this and is already building direwolf from source, I can send the three source files that I modified to add the feature. You would just overlay those three files (direwolf.c, server.c, and server.h) in the direwolf build directory, type "make" and then "sudo make install". Then just restart direwolf adding "-f" to the args. 

Cheers,

Keith

KF7DRV

[Robert Sears]

It looks like their Yahoo group is still active. I just got "accepted" today and asked about setting radio ports, so we'll see.

On the UDRC group someone had a solution using AX.25 and kissattach tricks

Yes, I ran into this early when installing the UDRC-II on my RPi. It's not very difficult to work around this, though I'm sure there could be a more elegant solution:

 - Connect Direwolf to the Linux AX25 stack - use mkiss and kissattach:

mkiss -s 19200 -x 2 /tmp/kisstnc

make note of the TWO pts that are created at that stage. You can then use kissattach to bind both to ax0 and ax1 respectively. This gives you two separate AX.25 interfaces. Or you can use any software that requires a kiss interface to connect to either of those PTS.

I go one step further on my system since I want to be able to use AX.25 natively, AWGPE (through ldsped) and Kiss over TCP simultaneously, including for software that does not support mutiport TNCs: I use 

net2kiss -i ax1 /dev/ptmx -v

   To recreate a new single-port KISS interface (for instance bound to AX1) that I can then use with my software, such as the excellent Polaric APRDS server.

  Hoping this helps!

Ed

I will probably try this out.

Robert/KF7VOP

On 10/26/2016 2:12 PM, Keith Williamson wrote:

[Robert Sears]

I have received the 6-pin mint DIN jacks.

If anyone else wants to mod their UDRC2 to add 6pin mini DIN to port 0,
I will sell you a jack for $2.50 each.

You do not have to remove the 15pin connector there is a strip of solder
pads behind the connector that can be used.

I you have one of Budd's UDRC cases, you might want to wait until we
decide on the final placement and he designs a new side panel.

Robert/KF7VOP

[Gayland Gump]

Robert,  I'll take two assuming they can be made accessible on the configuration I have with the pi display case I am using.

Thanks.  Will see you next Wednesday I expect.

Gayland

KG7GCF

Robert/KF7VOP

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[rts...@comcast.net]

They have like 6 inches of wire attached so I am sure we can find a place to mount it on your case.

You may want to decide if any one placement is more convenient. In my first email about this I included the data sheet that has the mechanical drawings with all the dimensions. 

Robert/KF7VOP

---

From: "Gayland Gump" <kg7...@gmail.com>
To: "nwwdigi" <nww...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2016 7:09:04 AM
Subject: Re: [DG] UDRC2 radio port Mod

Robert,  I'll take two assuming they can be made accessible on the configuration I have with the pi display case I am using.

Thanks.  Will see you next Wednesday I expect.

Gayland

KG7GCF

On Wed, Oct 26, 2016 at 9:37 PM, Robert Sears <rts...@comcast.net> wrote:

I have received the 6-pin mint DIN jacks.

If anyone else wants to mod their UDRC2 to add 6pin mini DIN to port 0, I will sell you a jack for $2.50 each.

You do not have to remove the 15pin connector there is a strip of solder pads behind the connector that can be used.

I you have one of Budd's UDRC cases, you might want to wait until we decide on the final placement and he designs a new side panel.

Robert/KF7VOP

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[Budd Churchward]

Comments from Oct 27: [if you know the secret command]

I spent most of the day trying to make these instructions work with no
success. I did a lot of searching on Google and a lot of trial and error. I
walked away from it for a few hours and then got to thinking about something
I saw in a sample online. Many of us are not Linux people and sometimes
assumptions are made that everyone should just know that there are more
steps to the process than are shown in the directions.

AFTER YOU PUT ROBERT'S FILE IN THE PROPER DIRECTORY, YOU NEED TO EXECUTE
THIS COMMAND:
sudo chmod 755 dw-start.sh

Wow, why didn't I know that?

I typed the command and then went to see what I had to do next when suddenly
Direwolf started all by itself! I didn't think Boeing made a 755, it must be
a penguin thing.

I don't consider the hours I spent on this wasted, I learned a lot of
interesting things while I struggled with it. And, for me, the cool thing is
I didn't have to spend hours and hours trying to figure out 'How' to put
Robert's file in the directory! I used 'Filezilla' and did it from my Win7
machine! I spent a day learning that last week. I call this 'Progress.'

Now I want to see if I can get it to set my clock and launch Xastir, too.

Budd

[Robert Sears]

The UDRC2 radio port mod is live and fully functional and I have the packet to prove it. :p

2016-10-28 22:13:06 PDT: KF7VOP>APWW10,WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1,qAR,AF7DX:@051303h4845.95N/12227.82WZ APRS-IS for Win32 UDRC2 Port-0

See that "APRS-IS for Win32 UDRC2 Port-0" in the comment? That means it was sent from Port 0 on the UDRC2 using APRSIS32.

This is a simple addition of a 6-pin min DIN jack to the UDRC2.

If you plan on using APRSIS32, Winlink, or pretty much any other program besides Xastir on a networked UDRC2, adding a second 6-pin DIN will make your life a lot easier.

Bring your UDRC2 down to The Foundry next Wednesday or anytime with advanced arrangements, and I will solder one in for the cost of the jack ($2.50)

Robert/KF7VOP

Oh BTW: I am going to work with Budd on a new side panel for his UDRC case that will have a place to mount the extra 6pin DIN. My first idea was to remove the 15-pin and put a second 6-pin in its place. I have decided that is too much work for me and anyone else that might want this. So my new idea is to mount the second 6-pin to the right if the 15-pin, where the DC power jack is and move the DC power jack to the other side.  Now it's a simple solder in a few wires and go.