Local APRS-IS server?

[Eric VA2EC]

Hi, I installed APRX on a spare WRT54GS v1.1, work well, great piece
of software.

Now the question (suggestion...)
Any plan to add a "Local" APRS-IS server on this? It would be
interesting to monitor
the traffic this way. I am not a programmer, so I don't know the work
needed to get this
to work on a little router...

Thanks! 73
Eric VA2EC

[David - KC0ALC]

I second this feature request! The only reason I'm using APRS4R
instead of APRX is the lack of a interface so I can access APRS stream
throughout my network.

If it would output and accept text through a TCP port like APRS4R this
would be the perfect program!

-David, KC0ALC

On Jan 12, 8:45 pm, Eric VA2EC <eric.coulo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi, I installed APRX on a spare WRT54GS v1.1, work well, great piece
> of software.
>
> Now the question (suggestion...)

> Any plan to add a "Local" APRS-ISserveron this? It would be

[Justin Pontius]

I would like to see this too!

Sent from my android.

--
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/aprx-software

[Eric Coulombe]

Glad to know that I am not alone in having thought of this feature ..
I can now stop thinking that i was crazy!

Thanks!

Eric - VA2EC

[Svend Stave]

I am wondering what you are thinking of....
To get aprsis traffic from aprx ? or to monitor the traffic rf and aprsis
flowing to/from APRX?
If it is the second option it's kinda already there: take a look at
http://stave.dk/aprx
The first option is that not the same as connecting directly to aprsis?
As you see I'm lost - but you probably have a great idea, that I haven't
understood right.

73 OZ1EKD

[David - KC0ALC]

What I am thinking of is similar to AGWPE or ldsped where an APRS
client can connect to via a TCP port and use it as a TNC interface.

For instance, with APRS4R I have a digipeater running and logging all
RF APRS traffic but I can also connect to it with APRSIS32 to
simultaneously use a full graphical APRS client with it, all with just
one radio/TNC. APRS4R calls it a "Local APRS Server" but all it does
is output the text of received RF packets over a TCP port and also
transmits packets that are received from that TCP port.

I hope that helps,
-David

On Feb 16, 10:02 am, "Svend Stave" <svend.st...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am wondering what you are thinking of....
> To get aprsis traffic from aprx ? or to monitor the traffic rf and aprsis
> flowing to/from APRX?

> If it is the second option it's kinda already there: take a look athttp://stave.dk/aprx

> The first option is that not the same as connecting directly to aprsis?
> As you see I'm lost - but you probably have a great idea, that I haven't
> understood right.
>
> 73 OZ1EKD
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: aprx-s...@googlegroups.com [mailto:aprx-s...@googlegroups.com]
>
> On Behalf Of Eric Coulombe
> Sent: 16. februar 2012 03:35
> To: aprx-s...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Aprx] Re: Local APRS-IS server?
>
> Glad to know that I am not alone in having thought of this feature ..
> I can now stop thinking that i was crazy!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Eric - VA2EC
>

> On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 5:12 PM, Justin Pontius <justin.pont...@gmail.com>

> wrote:
> > I would like to see this too!
>
> > Sent from my android.
>

> > On Feb 15, 2012 5:00 PM, "David - KC0ALC" <peterson.dav...@gmail.com>

[Justin]

On a side note, I would like to know how you got the log file to
update an html page in real time... That's pretty cool!!

Justin
KD8IAY

On Feb 16, 11:02 am, "Svend Stave" <svend.st...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am wondering what you are thinking of....
> To get aprsis traffic from aprx ? or to monitor the traffic rf and aprsis
> flowing to/from APRX?

> If it is the second option it's kinda already there: take a look athttp://stave.dk/aprx

> The first option is that not the same as connecting directly to aprsis?
> As you see I'm lost - but you probably have a great idea, that I haven't
> understood right.
>
> 73 OZ1EKD
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: aprx-s...@googlegroups.com [mailto:aprx-s...@googlegroups.com]
>
> On Behalf Of Eric Coulombe
> Sent: 16. februar 2012 03:35
> To: aprx-s...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Aprx] Re: Local APRS-IS server?
>
> Glad to know that I am not alone in having thought of this feature ..
> I can now stop thinking that i was crazy!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Eric - VA2EC
>

> On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 5:12 PM, Justin Pontius <justin.pont...@gmail.com>

> wrote:
> > I would like to see this too!
>
> > Sent from my android.
>

> > On Feb 15, 2012 5:00 PM, "David - KC0ALC" <peterson.dav...@gmail.com>

[Svend Stave]

Thank you ;) that makes sense in a way....

I can see the use, but really only when you are without internet, or when
you run a second application that should only catch the rf stream, for
statistics :)

73 de OZ1EKD

[Svend Stave]

Well :)

It may not be perfect, but I've made a short instruction here:
http://kissoz.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52:aprx-logser
ver&catid=40:how-to-list-of-topics-with-instructions&Itemid=58

enjoy
73 de OZ1EKD

[Clemens Hopfer]

Hi,

On Thursday 16 February 2012 21:35:17 Svend Stave wrote:
> It may not be perfect, but I've made a short instruction here:
> http://kissoz.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52:aprx-logse
> r ver&catid=40:how-to-list-of-topics-with-instructions&Itemid=58

If you are running this on a router make sure you are using a ramdisk to store
the files you are constantly writing or your flash will be worn out very soon.

I'm using a small CGI script to generate this:
http://alix.hr.wien.funkfeuer.at/
The page keeps loading as new packets arrive.
(sorry for slow connection, it's only a few kb/s)

sourcecode:
http://alix.hr.wien.funkfeuer.at/index.sh.txt

I'm using lighttpd (on an alix3d2, debian) but the OpenWRT httpd should also
work.

73s de OE1RFC,
Clemens

[Andrew Pepper]

Svend ... you used to have a nice article on how to open up the firewall in openWRT to serve the pages without serving the lucid pages ... the link has gone... any chance you can put it back online ?

Clemens .. How are you calling this script ? I can run it from the command line and it tails the log ... but I must be missing something (long day at work) on how to build a webpage from the script..

Andrew - K1YMI

[Clemens Hopfer]

Hi Andrew,

On Friday 17 February 2012 00:59:13 Andrew Pepper wrote:
> Clemens .. How are you calling this script ? I can run it from the command
> line and it tails the log ... but I must be missing something (long day at
> work) on how to build a webpage from the script..

It's a CGI script, it gets called by the webserver when a client connects.

I'm using lighttpd since I'm running debian:
in /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf add
> "index.sh" to "index-file.names"
and
> server.modules += ( "mod_cgi" )
> cgi.assign = (
> ".sh" => "/bin/sh"
> )
to /etc/lighttpd/conf-enabled/10-cgi.conf

for the OpenWRT httpd I'm not sure but this should work:
save the file in WEBROOT/cgi-bin/
create a WEBROOT/index.html with something like
> <html><head>
> <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; URL=/cgi-bin/index.sh" />
> </head><body></body></html

73s de OE1RFC,
Clemens

[Daniel Nelson]

Note that that setup is very susceptible to denial-of-service attacks, since every unclosed connection will keep a tail process around for an indefinite amount of time.

That's not necessarily a problem, especially if the page is on a friendly lan, but it _is_ something to keep in mind.

-- 

Daniel Nelson

KJ6LVS

[Clemens Hopfer]

Hi,

On Saturday 18 February 2012 02:32:47 Daniel Nelson wrote:
> Note that that setup is very susceptible to denial-of-service attacks,
> since every unclosed connection will keep a tail process around for an
> indefinite amount of time.

At least not with lighttpd, the tail --pid=$$ option makes sure that it dies
with it's parent, which gets killed by lighttpd ~2-3 sec after the connection
closes.

I don't know about httpd but I guess it will do the same, since every
unfinished connection which still has data to write would do the same.
But again, I haven't tested it.

73s de OE1RFC,
Clemens

> > Hi Andrew,
> >
> > On Friday 17 February 2012 00:59:13 Andrew Pepper wrote:
> > > Clemens .. How are you calling this script ? I can run it from the
> > > command line and it tails the log ... but I must be missing something
> > > (long day at work) on how to build a webpage from the script..
> >
> > It's a CGI script, it gets called by the webserver when a client
> > connects.
> >
> > I'm using lighttpd since I'm running debian:
> > in /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf add
> >

> > > "index.sh (http://index.sh)" to "index-file.names"

> >
> > and
> >
> > > server.modules += ( "mod_cgi" )
> > > cgi.assign = (
> > > ".sh" => "/bin/sh"
> > > )
> >
> > to /etc/lighttpd/conf-enabled/10-cgi.conf
> >
> > for the OpenWRT httpd I'm not sure but this should work:
> > save the file in WEBROOT/cgi-bin/
> > create a WEBROOT/index.html with something like
> >
> > > <html><head>
> > > <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; URL=/cgi-bin/index.sh

> > > (http://index.sh)" /> </head><body></body></html

> >
> > 73s de OE1RFC,
> > Clemens
> >
> > > On Thu, Feb 16, 2012 at 5:20 PM, Clemens Hopfer <dat...@wireloss.net

(mailto:dat...@wireloss.net)>wrote:

> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > On Thursday 16 February 2012 21:35:17 Svend Stave wrote:
> > > > > It may not be perfect, but I've made a short instruction here:
> > > > http://kissoz.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52:aprx

> > > > -log se

(http://gmail.com)> wrote:
> > > > > > I am wondering what you are thinking of....
> > > > > > To get aprsis traffic from aprx ? or to monitor the traffic rf
> > > > > > and aprsis flowing to/from APRX?
> > > > > > If it is the second option it's kinda already there: take a look
> > > > > > athttp://stave.dk/aprx The first option is that not the same as
> > > > > > connecting
> > > > >
> > > > > directly to aprsis?
> > > > >
> > > > > > As you see I'm lost - but you probably have a great idea, that I
> > > > > > haven't understood right.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 73 OZ1EKD
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > From: aprx-s...@googlegroups.com
> > > > > > (mailto:aprx-s...@googlegroups.com)
> > > > > > [mailto:aprx-s...@googlegroups.com]
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Behalf Of Eric Coulombe
> > > > > > Sent: 16. februar 2012 03:35
> > > > > > To: aprx-s...@googlegroups.com

> > > > > > (mailto:aprx-s...@googlegroups.com) Subject: Re: [Aprx] Re:

> > > > > > Local APRS-IS server?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Glad to know that I am not alone in having thought of this
> > > > > > feature .. I can now stop thinking that i was crazy!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Eric - VA2EC
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 5:12 PM, Justin Pontius

> > > > > > <justin.pont...@gmail.com (http://gmail.com)>

> > > > > >
> > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > I would like to see this too!
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Sent from my android.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > On Feb 15, 2012 5:00 PM, "David - KC0ALC"

> > > > > > > <peterson.dav...@gmail.com (http://gmail.com)>

> > > > > >
> > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > > I second this feature request! The only reason I'm using
> > > > > > > > APRS4R instead of APRX is the lack of a interface so I can
> > > > > > > > access APRS stream throughout my network.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > If it would output and accept text through a TCP port like
> > > > > > > > APRS4R this would be the perfect program!
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > -David, KC0ALC
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > On Jan 12, 8:45 pm, Eric VA2EC <eric.coulo...@gmail.com

(http://gmail.com)> wrote:
> > > > > > > > > Hi, I installed APRX on a spare WRT54GS v1.1, work well,
> > > > > > > > > great piece of software.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Now the question (suggestion...)
> > > > > > > > > Any plan to add a "Local" APRS-ISserveron this? It would be
> > > > > > > > > interesting to monitor the traffic this way. I am not a
> > > > > > > > > programmer, so I don't know the work needed to get this to
> > > > > > > > > work on a little router...
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Thanks! 73
> > > > > > > > > Eric VA2EC
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> > > > > > > > aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com

> > > > > > > > (mailto:aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com) For more

> > > > > > > > options, visit this group at
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > http://groups.google.com/group/aprx-software
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> > > > > > > aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com

> > > > > > > (mailto:aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com) For more

> > > > > > > options, visit this group at
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > http://groups.google.com/group/aprx-software
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> > > > > > aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com

> > > > > > (mailto:aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com) For more

> > > > > > options, visit this group
> > > > > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/aprx-software
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> > > > > aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com

> > > > > (mailto:aprx-softwar...@googlegroups.com) For more

[Svend Stave]

In case you are using an apache server

Edit:
/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Add:
Use the path to where you put index.sh
<Directory /www/servers/foo.bar/public/subdir>
Options +ExecCGI
AddHandler cgi-script .sh
</Directory>

And add index.sh like this:
DirectoryIndex index.html index.php index.sh

73 de OZ1EKD
http://stave.dk/oz4diq

[LeeDB]

One possibility is ldsped, which you mention below. I'm currently
running ldsped and aprx on the same Debian based system, and ldsped
provides the AGWPE-like interface so that I can access the same radio/
TNC combo from other computers on the home network. I have this
working with APRSIS32 and Xastir. The possible challenge in a router
might be getting ax25 networking up and running, but I know there are
others out there that already have ldsped working in routers running
openWRT. Also I understand aprx doesn't require a separate
installation of ax25, so perhaps ldsped won't either if aprx is
installed.

Lee - K5DAT

[David - KC0ALC]

I have worked with ldsped before, which would be my preferred method
to solve my problem, however Lieven (ldsped's developer) doesn't have
a build done for a WRT54 series router and unfortunately he doesn't
currently have the time to work on it right now. The only
implementation that I have found of ldsped running on a WRT54 router,
is by VE1FIS -- who doesn't have that project or binary any more.

I already have a WRT54G router running 24/7 as a HSMM-MESH node in my
shack so that's what I'd like to use and APRS4R is just a bit clunky
(and it has memory leaks). Plus one of my ultimate goals is to
implement a IS to RF gate to transmit weather alerts in the area which
it looks like I can setup the necessary filters do with APRX.

I may have to bite the bullet and do more research into something
similar to this: http://digined.pe1mew.nl/?How_to:I-gate_usage with
pseudo TTYs for several programs to meet all my needs (APR4R for the
text interface, APRX for TX I-Gating and choose one or the other for
digi duties). Although, I am not sure APRS4R will play nice with
kernel AX.25 interfaces.

<Sigh> APRX is just one feature away from being the perfect program
for me it seems...

-David

[Adi Linden]

So I take it that it is not possible to have aprx listen on a TCP or UDP port to accept raw formatted packets to be sent to APRS-IS and/or RF? I am currently running an ancient assortment of digi_ned, aprsd and Linux AX.25 to perform the simple task of digipeater and igate. But being an IRLP node I also send IRLP connect and disconnect messages to RF. The system has a UDP listening port that I can use to inject raw formatted messages. I would need to equivalent (UDP or TCP listener) to be able to use aprx.

Thanks,

Adi

VA3ADI

[John Gorkos]

I have found that the AX25-tools (or AX25-utils) program "beacon" does precisely that.  We use aprx here in Georgia for several "intelligent" digis based on embedded Linux boxes.  Each one has a simple crontab that calls the beacon command every so often (usually every 10-15 minutes) and sends a variety of local objects (we have an object for the EOC, one for the local hospital, etc).  I don't have the precise command in front of me, but I can get it for you if you'd like.  I'm not an IRLP administrator, but I'm guessing you have the ability to call external programs whenever a connect/disconnect even occurs.

John Gorkos

AB0OO

--
 
 

[Robert]

Adi,

You can store the raw packets in a file and aprx can beacon those if you wish.  I don't believe you can trigger it on demand though.

Robert

K5DTE

--
 
 

[David - KC0ALC]

On Friday, December 28, 2012 2:39:15 AM UTC-6, Adi Linden wrote:

So I take it that it is not possible to have aprx listen on a TCP or UDP port to accept raw formatted packets to be sent to APRS-IS and/or RF? 

I believe you are correct.

Right now I am using APRS4R running on a WRT54GS router, which has the capability to send and receive the APRS packets in text format over a TCP port, so that I don't have to be physically at my APRS radio to access my APRS station.   This works out well when I need to share one APRS station over a HSMM-MESH link or similar for communications activities in the field, or want to watch what is happening on the local RF network.

If APRX would include this functionality, I'd be an instant convert :-)

-dcp

[Svend Stave]

You could use ser2net which provide you with a tcp port on your end and forwards the traffic via tcp and terminates it as a serial port on your host…..

 

The ser2net package for openWRT is available…

 

Not to difficult hope this help you.

http://ser2net.sourceforge.net/

 

73 de OZ1EKD

--
 
 

[David - KC0ALC]

I have seen that before, however if I read the man page correctly ser2net only supports one tcp/ip connection at a time.  I would require a solution that could incorporate multiple connections simultaneously (one for a digipeater, at least one other for a computer client)

KC0ALC

[Matti Aarnio]

On Sun, Dec 30, 2012 at 01:02:52PM -0800, David - KC0ALC wrote:
>
> I have seen that before, however if I read the man page correctly ser2net
> only supports one tcp/ip connection at a time. I would require a solution
> that could incorporate multiple connections simultaneously (one for a
> digipeater, at least one other for a computer client)

From very early the UNIX way was to run a server process per terminal, network card, whatnot.
So one connection per server is no problem - you start multiple servers..

Certain security issues even prefer that model - you have a security parameters associated
with the process. Much easier to handle that way than multiplexing multiple credentials
within single process context.

> KC0ALC

73 de Matti, OH2MQK

[Adi Linden]

• I solved the issue by gluing things together with socat. In aprx.conf I defined:

<interface>

   tcp-device localhost 10000 TNC2

   #callsign     $mycall  # callsign defaults to $mycall

   #tx-ok        true    # TNC2 monitor can not have transmitter

</interface>

I then started socaat with these parameters;

socat -d -d -d pty,link=/tmp/aprspipe,raw,echo=0 tcp-l:10000,reuseaddr,fork

And finally I can send messages on demand to the aprx process.

echo 'VA3ADI-1>U0PU9V:`wSVmUTv/`"7{}_"' > /tmp/aprspipe

It looks like that aprx attempts to reconnect to the socat TCP server after 30 seconds when socat is restarted for any reason. So this does appear to be a simple and workable solution.

Adi

VA3ADI 

On Friday, December 28, 2012 2:39:15 AM UTC-6, Adi Linden wrote:

[Daniel Nelson]

That's a clever solution. Socat saves the day again!

-- 

Daniel Nelson

--
 
 

[Adi Linden]

After spending my day trying to get it to work it turns out its a bust. I guess I didn't read the fine print. When I tested it I used a VM that doesn't have a TNC attached to it. The method i described works well for sending packets to the APRS-IS. But what didn't work is getting packets from the TNC2 tcp port to the KISS rf port. Fine print in the manual states that not only can one not transmit on a TNC2 port, but packets received via TNC2 port can only be sent to APRS-IS.

An external beacon text file doesn't work. At least not if I understand the manual right. It would send the contents of the file at a regular periodic interval. The information I wish to send is very random and sometimes very frequent. It could work if aprx was to monitor an external file for change and beacon the file immediately upon change, and only if the file is changed. I.e. scan file every 60 seconds and only beacon if file has changed. But I don't think that is present.

Adi

[Daniel Nelson]

You might be able to get around that limitation by using an AX.25 connection to communicate with aprx. I think the standard Linux AX.25 software would be totally happy listening to a named pipe, but I don't actually know for sure. 

-Daniel

Sent from my iPhone. 

--