WebChat and BOT Reply Issues - Need Help

[Ken Simpson]

Hi All,

Just upgraded to DigiPi 2.0-1 and initialized it. I'm having a few issues I hope you can help resolve. I'm not a Linux guy, so please keep it simple for me.

WebChat. I've never been able to have a bidirectional anything in WebChat, even in 1.9-4. I can SEND messages from WebChat to WIDE1-1. I confirmed the message was sent over RF. I observed my radio go into TX and I observed my HT receive the message. I even get notifications the message was sent via APRS.fi. 

In my portable HT, i reply to the message. The HT TX the message. I can see the message in the Pkt Log. I can even see the reply in APRS.fi. However, nothing comes up in WebChat.

PktLog:

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 (44.26.110.252)
Check server status here http://44.26.110.252:14501

[ig] # aprsc 2.1.19-g730c5c0
[ig] # logresp W5REO-2 verified, server T2LANE
[ig] W5REO-2>APDW18:!R?Qfr5Rum&  ! DigiPi http://digipi.org/

Attached to KISS TCP client application 0 on port 8001 ...

Ready to accept KISS TCP client application 1 on port 8001 ...
[0L] W5REO>APZ100,WIDE1-1::W5REO    :TEST{7846
[0L] W5REO>APZ100,WIDE1-1::W5REO    :TEST{7846
[0L] W5REO>APZ100,WIDE1-1::W5REO    :TEST{7846

W5REO-4 audio level = 33(8/5)    __|||||__
[0.4] W5REO-4>APY03D::W5REO    :TEST BACK{13<0x0d>
The APRS protocol specification says nothing about a possible carriage return after the
message id.  Adding CR might prevent proper interoperability with with other applications.

On a similar note, the same thing happens when i send a message via portable HT to a bot. I can see the message go out via the radio and PktLog. I can see the reply in the PktLog as well. But the message doesn't come back over RF.

 

PktLog:

W5REO-4 audio level = 34(8/5)    __|||||__
[0.4] W5REO-4>APY03D::WXBOT    :78023{15<0x0d>
The APRS protocol specification says nothing about a possible carriage return after the
message id.  Adding CR might prevent proper interoperability with with other applications.

[ig>tx] WXBOT>APRS,qAS,KI6WJP::W5REO-4  :ack15

[ig>tx] WXBOT>APRS,qAS,KI6WJP::W5REO-4  :4 Miles WNW Grey Forest TX. Wind Advisory, This Afternoon,Sunny Hig{PG

[ig>tx] WXBOT>APRS,qAS,KI6WJP::W5REO-4  :h 66{PH

I am about 15 feet from my DigiPi-connected radio antenna (outside on mast).

DigiPi 2.0-1 is running on Pi Zero 2W connected to AIOC and Baofeng UV5R.

DigiPi 1.9-4 was running on a Pi3B connected to AIOC and Baofeng UV5R.

I have used a Kenwood TH-G71A in place of the UV5R with no difference. 

I'm using a Yaesu FT3D and a Kenwood TH-D75 as the portable HTs

Thoughts anyone?

[Craig]

Hi Ken,

I suspect nobody near you is transmitting packets source from the Internet/aprsis.

The lines in the PktLog that star with [ig>tx] are ignored by WebChat, since that's
aprsis telling your direwolf to transmit the packet on RF.  That's all internet stuff.

Try enabling APRS Digipeater.  Then your DigiPi will, in fact, transmit packets
source from the internet, and webchat will hear them repeated from a local
digipeater?  Very round-about... possible.


cool,
-craig
KM6LYW

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DigiPi" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to digipi+un...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digipi/0f40d638-fdac-489e-ad0f-c0f0cdf593den%40googlegroups.com.

[Ken Simpson]

Thanks Craig. Turning on Digipeat worked when I sent a message from the HT to the bot. However, I still cannot receive with WebChat. 

I’m guessing WebChat only works with igate turned on. So it seems I can do one or the other but not both simultaneously. 

On another note, packet Winlink via a separate DigiPi works great so far! We have quite a few Vara stations locally but only 2 packet stations including mine. 

Great job on DigiPi. I actually have 3 set up: one for APRS, one for Winlink, one for portable with my 705. It’s compact, easy to setup and use, and fills my desire to have a Windows-less shack. 

[Craig]

great work!   just a comment or two,

"APRS Digipeater" is a superset of "APRS Igate",  it's just like an igate, only it repeats traffic heard on
RF, to RF.  WebChat needs one or the other  (tracker would work too).  WebChat will flip on APRSigate
if you don't select something first.

cool,
-craig
KM6LYW

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digipi/7ad284cb-3ee1-45da-bc13-452d41abec1en%40googlegroups.com.

[Benjamin Pauly]

OP, did you ever get your WebChat to receive? I'm having the same issue. I can send messages, the recipient gets them, and I get Ack packets. However, when they reply to me, I see their packets received in the PktLog but they never display in WebChat.

One thing to note, in WebChat, beside the "Update" button, it says Unknown Location. If I click the Update button, it never resolves a Location. If I "Send Position", it transmits the correct coordinates.

[Craig]

Hi guys,

In PktLog, lines starting with ig>tx are internet, ignored by webchat.

If you get an ack packet, that's really no different than getting a message, so you're full duplex.

The Update button sends a request (over RF) to get the distance and bearing of the
station you're chatting with.

if it helps,
-craig
KM6LYW

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digipi/1f522c90-8d43-49c5-a71d-623d4d942b36n%40googlegroups.com.

[Benjamin Pauly]

Craig:

Thanks for the quick reply! But I'm trying to troubleshoot why my received messages do not appear in the WebChat window. I was testing with another ham and he was seeing my messages populate there, conversation-style (see screenshot).

Any ideas why I am receiving WebChat reply messages via APRS but they are not appearing in WebChat?

[Craig]

I suspect they're not coming back on RF - how do you know you received them?  I see you
got an ack, that was technically from the remote station.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digipi/57326827-26db-4c20-87ba-a536f8341bcdn%40googlegroups.com.

[Benjamin Pauly]

Yes, the messages are coming through IG>TX (second line below) even though we are within RF range. I suppose that means he is receiving me via RF and not Internet? Same situation for me for WXBOT.

Main question: How are other people getting around this? I am in direct line of sight of three other iGates in the area but messages TO me seem to  be defaulting to IG.

Aside, if a message is directed to me, why would WebChat ignore it?

[Craig]

Hi Benjamin,  just some related info,

ig>tx is telling igates (including yours) to transmit the packet on RF because the target station is in your area.

Not all igates transmit ig>tx requests on RF (including DigiPi unless in Digipeater mode).  Some gates are receive-only.

You received a thumbs-up, so you received a packet on RF at one point.

WebChat ignores all ig>tx packets.  You can make WebChat internet-only by editing ~/config/aprsd/aprs.conf, 
but it's not really ham radio at that point.  good for testing however.

You must beacon your location so ig>tx requests from the internet hit local igates causing them to transmit.

You are only interested in packets with "audio level" in them in PktLog, that's RF.

I'm just guessing you have edgy reception with your setup.  Exterior antenna?  thicker coax?

if it helps,
-craig
KM6LYW

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digipi/95d457fe-a7d6-4d5b-9116-c299b16e4e55n%40googlegroups.com.

[Benjamin Pauly]

> WebChat ignores all ig>tx packets.  You can make WebChat internet-only by editing ~/config/aprsd/aprs.conf, 

> but it's not really ham radio at that point.  good for testing however.

If WebChat ignores TCP IG-TX packets, then can I make WebChat RF-only and not Internet?

If I swap the values in the aprsd.conf file per below, would that work?

For example, if I enable the [kiss_serial] section and comment out the [kiss_tcp] section:

Current:

Proposed:

[Craig]

WebChat is already RF-only by default.  Do not use KISS_serial.


to use APRS WebChat via internet, (no RF),  edit config/aprsd/aprsd.conf  (and reboot),

[aprs_network]

#
# From aprsd.conf
#

# Set enabled to False if there is no internet connectivity.This is
# useful for a direwolf KISS aprs connection only. (boolean value)
enabled = true


.....


[kiss_tcp]

#
# From aprsd.conf
#

# Enable Serial KISS interface connection. (boolean value)
enabled = false

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digipi/681d99e7-86ff-4259-b70a-7eee12fc3449n%40googlegroups.com.