Setting up a JNOS Packet Server

Once again I'm working on a JNOS packet server.   Yes - it's a BBS but it's so much more.   I'll keep notes in this living blog page to save all those little things that I have to learn and relearn when doing this.

Keep an eye on this - it's a work in progress.   Much can be done to make this easier to set up.  Hmmm - is it time for a jnosconfig.py script?   I'm using .py scripts like that for everything else.

* make sure the linux box has the required software development tools
  * sudo apt-get install devel-tools  ncurses5
 * go to maik/JNOS2 site and use git to fetch the current source
 * edit the config file as needed.  I changed:   xxxxx
  * recompile

* Create the files JNOS needs.  I'm still working on the scheme of putting all the configuration files in $JNOS/etc
* Create etc/Domain.txt
* etc/hosts

* AX1 is the only current TNC port

Hook up the TNC and Radio.   New, to me, IC229 from the Country Store at SeaPac 2012.  Today I interfaced it to the KAM TNC via the MFJ Mic/Packet switch box.
* JNOS: param 255 - takes the KAM out of KISS mode
* KAM:  interface kiss : reset - puts the KAM back into KISS mode
* JNOS:  tip ax1 - gives a simple terminal interface to the TNC.  Great for debugging and putting it into kiss mode.
* Simple beacon commands:
  * ax25 bctext "It's good to be back on the air with JNOS"
  * ax25 bcinterval 1800   # one beacon every 30 minutes
  * ax25 route add ID ax1 K7IK  # for the ID packets from the beacon to use the K7IK digipeater

To Do.
Make JNOS put the TNC into Kiss mode itself...
Make JNOS beacon with APRS style beacons.
Verify that the BBS allow logins and guest logins
Set the IP address on the AX1 port to a valid number in the 145.63 LAN
Get AXIP working to the BPQ32 BBS - that will allow BPQ to use the 145.63 port while JNOS can then access all the other ports on the PBQ32 switch.

VOAProp - updated solar data

The source for the solor data has changed.    See the full story at:

  http://blog.g4ilo.com/2011/12/voaprop-and-wwv.html

The summary and magic URL is:

What you need to do is: 

• In VOAProp, click the Solar Data button to open the window that displays the WWV file.
• In the Data URL field, enter the address of the replacement file which is:  http://ok1dub.cz/wwv/wwv.txt .

Digital Operations on Field Day

APRS -


Every FD site will usually have APRS on line.  Remember, you can contact any other FD site in the world on your APRS channel. (144.39 in North America).

Just send them an APRS text message.

Of course, this assumes you know their callsign.  To facilitate learning who else is on the air, send a CQ FD message to the APRS CQSERVER and your CQ will go to every other CQ FD site on the planet.  This has nothing to do with FD rules and points.  It is just a way to have fun and be able to contact any FD site without knowing apriori their calling freq.

Just send an APRS message to CQSRVR and make the first two words of the message be CQ FD .... for example, "CQ FD from Bob in Annapolis, MD".  These do not count for points, but are a great way to have ham radio fun with other sites.

This will log you onto the CQ FD message group and from then on, you will get ALL OTHER such messages from all other such stations.  When you DO see an incoming CQ FD message, now then you know their callsign and can MESSAGE THEM DIRECTLY from then on.

To keep the load down, you can only send one CQ FD message once every 30 minutes, but you will remain logged on for up to 12 hours.  After no activity, you will be dropped.

Oh, for more info about APRS and Field Day, see http://aprs.org/cqsrvr.html

Bob, WB4APR


JT65-HF -


While this will require manually entering callsigns, it should work -- really same format as a RTTY contest qso. All free-text except the initial search/pounce call.  Note that don't need 2-way grid exchange, or RRR or 73's ...  the FD info is the non-callsign info being exchanged ... and going to next step implicitly R's the previous.

CQ FD KJ4IZW
  KJ4IZW KB3EAW EM00  (structured)
KB3EAW 3A WNY
  KJ4IZW 1H EPA
TU KJ4IZW FD
  KJ4IZW W1LIC FM00   # flows to next caller
...

Also, doesn't require any custom initial reply to the CQ ... and hopefully they mimic the FD report format ...

I'll be operating as K4NAB club call, running the digital station .. PSK31 & RTTY, but would like to proof-of-concept JT65 too.

--david
KJ4IZW

On The Air with HF Soundcard Digital

Update 6/12/12 - After running WSPR for a couple days I'm moving on to packet and APRS-Messenger.  The UZ7HO soundcard modem is receiving well and it looks like transmitting is working.   I have to tweak the configuration of the BPQ32 switch to use a realistic delay between connect attempts.   Then I can try a VIA connection to see if the nodes I'm hearing are hearing me.   Updating BPQ32 to the latest version will give me APRS and Unconnected Packets.   That will come after getting APRS-Messenger running and testing it out for a few days on the 30 meter APRS frequency.

Note to self - I still have to figure out why my WSPR display is showing from 0 to 200 Hz instead of 100 Hz to 300 Hz.  It appears I'm missing all the stations in that upper half of the band segment.

Cool discovery - the 2.0 WSPR User Guide document has some screen shots of the program being used.  Timing was good and I was on the air at the right time to show up on Joe's screen for the Additional Details section.

-----

It's so cool to FINALLY have a a solid HF to Computer Soundcard interface working...

Last weekend, at SeaPac, I picked up a West Mountain Rigblaster Advantage from their booth manned by Sholto.    Soundcard, PTT, Computer Rig control and more - all running in one little box with one USB cable to the computer..   Nifty...

After a bit of cable juggling and installing drivers (after all this is LinuxXXXXVista...)  I put it on the WSPR channel on 20 meters and gave it a "Transmit Now" kick.   2 minutes and some seconds later I went to the WSPRnet database and did a query on who have heard me.   I thought there might be one or two...


     Timestamp         Call                 MHz              SNR Drift Grid         Pwr Reporter RGrid km az
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097033 -12 0 CN87wq 10 K7UEB/20 DN06tb 337 121
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097052 -19 0 CN87wq 10 KK7KZ DN30xm 1131 131
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097027 -25 0 CN87wq 10 W7QL DN40bo 1134 130
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097043 -19 1 CN87wq 10 W7YLQ CN85mq 231 196
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097027 -8 0 CN87wq 10 KL1X BP51ip 2306 322
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097027 -20 0 CN87wq 10 K4COD EM73sc 3532 103


I'll have a bit more cable juggling - mostly extracting - and then it's down to just seeing what can be done and using the incredible software that's available.

73
Bill

SDR really?

Ok - after the SeaPac/TAPR SDR seminar at Seaside last weekend, and now that I have a borrowed SDR receiver - it's time to pay a bit more attention to SDR (Software Defined Radio).   I've brought the HPSDR maillist up from the backlog and will be cleaning up the history...

My current hardware is the Funcube Dongle Pro.   Once it's running I'll have more incentive to get the SoftRock transceiver built and running.

I'll start with the FDP on the home station PC.   Next step is to plug it in and let it do the driver install magic.

Then I have to find software:

• studio1 - http://www.woodboxradio.com/studio1.html   replaces  WRplus
• cuSDR -  https://plus.google.com/107168125384405552048/posts

Once there's some sort of software running, what to I use it for?  I have 80 KHz of reception between 60 MHz and 1.7 GHz.  I'll know more once I get 

• Broadcast FM
• All the legacy packet channels - 145.01 to 145.09
• Will it stretch down to 6 meters at 50 MHz?   I've seen one note that says it will.
• APRS at 1200 (144.39) and 9600 (144.35) at the same time...

I'll update this post as I make some progress and learn more.

PACKET!

Slowly the packet station revives...

Yesterday the D7 was hooked to the JNOS system and many packets are being received.   Even better - the frequency and baud rate are potentially under computer control.

I've been monitoring NET105 on 20 meters for the past month with the UZ7HO soundcard modem.  It's working well and is exciting to see the substatial traffic from around the country.

Much more to come...

JNOS with a Kenwood D7

Here's notes on work in progress to get a D7 (1200/9600 - VHF/UHF) remotely controlled radio working with the JNOS system.

Yes - I know the buffer is too small, there can be data overruns and the D7, like the D700, has the absurd feature of responding to Control Commands in the middle of a KISS data packet.   These are known issues to be dealt with.

Soon I hope to replace the D7 with an D700 - same functionality but more power and more receive range.

Current Status:

• Monitoring 9600 baud traffic on 440.800 MHz.
• Need to figure out why it's not transmitting - try the other D7?

Step 1 - get the MiniItx Linux box (500 MHz, Ubunty 6.06 on a 1 GB CF) talking to the D7 TNC.

I found the available serial ports by checking in /etc/setserial where I'd hardcoded them years ago.   The PC has one built in port, currently used on a powered off KAM, and a dual serial card in the sole external PCI slot.

Picocom is a good little application.   Smaller and less cranky than minicom.   With a little experimentation I discovered that "C-a" is short for Control-a which is the command attention character.   A C-a C-q is the exit sequence.

Since I don't want any modem initialization - I launch picocom as "picocom --noinit --noreset /dev/ttyS5"
The ttyS5 was just a lucky guess....   (C-a C-u for baud up and C-a C-d for baud rate down.   Not needed as I'm using 9k6 but it's handy to know.)

On to JNOS -

To attach the serial port:  (I'm using 'ax1' as the port name...)

  attach asy ax25 ax1 256 256 9600

Jnos has a great built in simple terminal command:   tip ax1  - to give access to the TNC.  

To Enter KISS mode

  kiss on
  restart

To totally reset the D7 TNC:

  reset

To exit kiss mode:

  * set Num Loc on
  alt 1 9 2  alt 2 5 5  alt 1 9 2

Once the TNC is in kiss mode and semi-mangled packets are showing in the display it's time to terminal the TIP session.   F10 to go back to JNOS command session.  Assuming this is the only session running;  kill 1, to kill the session.   Then 'se 1' to go to the session and simple CR to clear it out.

To monitor traffic on the ax1 port:

  trace ax1 311

F9 to the monitor screen to watch the traffic flow.

Step 3 - Testing remote control of the frequency and mode.


Using notes from my D7 at 9600 on UHF blog posting, I manually moved the TNC from 1200 baud on 144.390 to 9600 baud on 440.800 using keyboard commands.

Connected to the TNC 'tip ax1' and cycled power to reset the TNC out of KISS mode.  (The alt192-255-192- should do that and needs to be tested.)

Once in command mode I entered the following commands - less the comments:

;Control mode on.
TC 1!
;Select packet mode.
TNC 0
;sELECT band B for 9k6
BC 1
;Set the frequency to 440.800.
FQ 00440800000,0
;No shift.
SFT 0
;Select data band as 'B.
DTB 1
;Open the TNC in packet mode. 

TC 0
;Send some TNC commands.
ECHO OFF
HBAUD 9600
AWLEN 8

;;;  BV - I don't know which, if any of these commands are needed
BEACON EVERY 0
MON ON
MCOM ON
CONOK OFF
LTMON 10
LOC E 0

;;;; back to kiss

KISS ON

RESTART

I don't believe it's necessary to exit kiss mode to send these command - more experimentation is needed.

JNOS needs to have the modified Kenwood kiss to prevent accidental Kenwood control codes being picked up from the KISS packets.