DigiPi 2.0 - How to Initiate APRS Beacon?

[Bret Jessee]

I've got my DigiPi 2.0 up and running on a RasPi Zero 2 W with AIOC on a Baofeng UV-5R, feeding a Fara-J J-pole antenna tuned to 144.390 MHz. The antenna is in a 2nd floor window with a iGate node 5mi distant and 1000ft elevated from me - I get good APRS RX/TX from a KWD TH-D75a in the window with the OEM duck antenna.

From that KWD 30ft away on EL Power, I can trigger APRS RX on the DigiPi and I can also send APRS Webchat to my TH-D75a from the DigiPi. But I don't see that the DigiPi is beaconing when just the APRS TNC/iGate is enabled. from the PktLog screen.

How do I make the DigiPi beacon every 10min?

Thanks! 

BRET / N4SRN

Bedford, NH

[Craig]

Hi Bret - great work - you've got that dialed in!

APRS TNC doesn't send anything on RF uncommanded, by default.   (APRS Digipeater does).

To change this you can edit direwolf.tnc.conf, and get rid of the "sendto=IG" in the PBEACON line
then it'll beacon to RF every 20 minutes (you can edit the interval there too).

Click Shell
password: raspberry
sudo remount
sudo nano direwolf.tnc.conf


PBEACON sendto=IG compress=1 delay=00:15 every=30:00 symbol="igate" overlay=R lat=38.000 long=-120.000 comment=" DigiPi http://digipi.org/"



.. and have fun!

-craig
KM6LYW

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[Bret Jessee]

Thanks Craig. But I'm still not seeing TX. Here what I've got in PktLog and  direwolf.tnc.conf below. Is there a clash between DigiPi and AIOC?

BRET

__________________________

Dire Wolf version 1.8 (Oct  4 2025) KM6LYW-1
Includes optional support for:  gpsd hamlib cm108-ptt libgpiod-2.2.1 dns-sd

Reading config file /run/direwolf.tnc.conf
Could not extract card number or name from default
Can't automatically find matching HID for PTT.
Audio device for both receive and transmit: default  (channel 0)
Channel 0: 1200 baud, AFSK 1200 & 2200 Hz, A+, 44100 sample rate / 3, Tx AX.25.
Initializing GPIO common structure
Opening GPIO line 16 on chip /dev/gpiochip0
Using /dev/hidraw0 GPIO 3 for channel 0 PTT control.
Ready to accept AGW client application 0 on port 8000 ...
Ready to accept KISS TCP client application 0 on port 8001 ...
DNS-SD: Avahi: Announcing KISS TCP on port 8001 as 'Dire Wolf on digipi'
Virtual KISS TNC is available on /dev/pts/0
Created symlink /tmp/kisstnc -> /dev/pts/0
DNS-SD: Avahi: Service 'Dire Wolf on digipi' successfully registered.

Now connected to IGate server noam.aprs2.net (2607:7c80:54:a::4410)
Check server status here http://[2607:7c80:54:a::4410]:14501

[ig] # aprsc 2.1.20-gdaa359f
[ig] # logresp N4SRN-2 verified, server T2SJC
[0L] N4SRN-2>APDW18:!R8g-k<GAQ&  ! DigiPi http://digipi.org/

W1WRA-9 audio level = 45(9/5)    ___||||__
[0.4] W1WRA-9>TRUX0X:`c<<opWk/`"5S}443.850MHz T100 +500 w1...@winlink.org_1<0x0d>

W1WRA-9 audio level = 49(10/6)    ___|||||_
[0.5] W1WRA-9>TRUX1R:`c:Om>sk/`"4`}443.850MHz T100 +500 w1...@winlink.org_1<0x0d>

W1WRA-9 audio level = 47(11/5)    ___|||||_
[0.5] W1WRA-9>TRUW6Q,WIDE1-1:`c:*l!Vk/`"4Z}443.850MHz T100 +500 w1...@winlink.org_1<0x0d>

W1WRA-9 audio level = 47(10/6)    ___|||||_
[0.5] W1WRA-9>TRUW6P:`c:*m+Uk/`"4Z}443.850MHz T100 +500 w1...@winlink.org_1<0x0d>
[0L] N4SRN-2>APDW18:!R8g-k<GAQ&  ! DigiPi http://digipi.org/
[0L] N4SRN-2>APDW18:!R8g-k<GAQ&  ! DigiPi http://digipi.org/
[0L] N4SRN-2>APDW18:!R8g-k<GAQ&  ! DigiPi http://digipi.org/
[0L] N4SRN-2>APDW18:!R8g-k<GAQ&  ! DigiPi http://digipi.org/

______________________________

# digipi TNC direwolf configuration file
# this file is used as a template by direwolf.tnc.sh

MYCALL N4SRN-2

# disable internet if crosstalk is an issue
# this is an issue with ISS/satellite stuff, we don't get credit for repeat
IGSERVER noam.aprs2.net
IGLOGIN N4SRN-2  8324

# put us on aprs.fi map via internet
# change sendto=IG to sendto=RF to send beacons over RF
PBEACON compress=1 delay=00:15 every=10:00 symbol="igate" overlay=R lat=42.9752 long=-71.5062 comment=" DigiPi http://digipi.org/"

# APRS Tracker
# Comment out above PBEACON line, uncomment both lines below
# You might need to edit /etc/default/gpsd to assign gps device file
#GPSD localhost
#TBEACON delay=00:15 every=10:00 symbol="igate" overlay=R via=WIDE1-1 power=5 height=5 gain=3 comment="DigiPi igate/tracker http://digipi.org/"

# data carrier detect, and push-to-talk pins
DCD GPIOD /dev/gpiochip0 16

# direwolf.tnc.sh will modify and uncomment one of these and copy to /run/direwolf*conf.
# Add PTT line BELOW these to override.  DO NOT edit the following PTT lines, or uncomment
# them.
#PTT GPIOD /dev/gpiochip0 12
#PTT RIG RIGNUMBER DEVICEFILE
#PTT /dev/DEVICEFILE RTS
#PTT /dev/DEVICEFILE DTR
#PTT CM108 DEVICEFILE

DWAIT 0
TXDELAY 30
TXTAIL 10

[Craig]

Hi Brett,

I see Beacons being attempted on RF. lines that start with [0L].

I see direwolf using the proper device file and gpio pin for PTT with AIOC.

I'm concerned the AIOC isn't functioning?  pins all the way in?
The baofeng "mini" doesn't allow the pins to insert all the way.

Does the AIOC flash during PTT events?

do me a favor and turn on APRS Digipeater, wait exactly 8 seconds, then
watch for the AIOC led to flash.


... and let me know please,
-craig
KM6LYW

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digipi/461d688b-63b2-4bd4-b144-da8fbf47e211n%40googlegroups.com.

[Bret Jessee]

Hey Craig,

Yes, 8 seconds after turning on APRS DIgipeater, the AIOC LED flashed Red during TX. And I'm able to send APRS Webchat too. SO those are triggering PTT OK, it seems.

The AIOC pins are pushed in flush to the radio (Baofeng UV5rM Plus), as far as I can see and feel.

Thanks for the help!

BRET

[Craig]

I was just reading the comment in the conf file, 

change "sendto=IG" to "sendto=RF" ?

That shouldn't be required.  The trick is to use the same PBEACON line used in direwolf.digipeater.conf
since I think that's what you want.


-craig
KM6LYW

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digipi/370df87c-6678-4f43-9382-bda08c6aed86n%40googlegroups.com.