The remaining to-do item is BZ#1045, get proper Internet at the site. Although a pricing change at Karma has made this a little more urgent, there is a good possibility that the repeater will be moved to a new site somewhere in the relatively near future.
Because of this, it makes no sense to do something now, so BZ#1045 has been changed to "RESOLVED WONTFIX" for the time being.
The repeater does lock up once in a while. It seems to be far less frequent when it is set to digital only. The relatively long outage was the result of a corrupted SD card. It was a quick fix once we gained access to the site, but that took some time due mainly to missed signals.
Stations connecting via D-STAR are logged by the repeater. For the most part, stations coming in over RF have been WB8RCR, WB8WNF, WD8BPT and W8QN. Dozens, maybe hundreds of stations have appeared through links to reflectors and other repeaters.
Showing posts with label Repeaters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Repeaters. Show all posts
Monday, May 22, 2017
Friday, February 3, 2017
February Radio Club Presentation
Last night, February 2, WB8RCR gave a presentation on the new D-STAR
repeater to the Midland Amateur Radio Club. The slides are presented
below.
Although a discussion of the repeater was promised, most of this
presentation will be about D-STAR, how does it work, how do you use it.
Knowing that, the repeater makes more sense.
You all know D-STAR is a digital voice technology. What that means
is that when you speak into the microphone, your voice is digitized,
data is added to the packet, and the data is then transmitted over the
air.When the packet is received, the data is sent to the screen on the radio, and the voice to the speaker.
D-STAR repeaters are almost always linked. One thing that differentiates D-STAR from other technologies like DMR is that with D-STAR, the user determines the linking, rather than the repeater owner. If you want to link the Midland repeater to the Battle Creek repeater, or the Glasgow repeater, or the Brisbane repeater, fine.
To understand why D-STAR works the way it does, it helps to understand the stack of modules that make up a D-STAR repeater. To be useful, a D-STAR repeater has to have at least a radio module and a gateway module. Many D-STAR repeaters have multiple radio modules. The slide shows the naming convention for the modules. A 'B' module will be a 440 repeater, 'C' will be 2 meters, and 'G' will be a gateway.
Most of the Michigan D-STAR repeaters have both 2 meter and 440 modules. There are a few that also have 23 cm voice and 23 cm high speed data. D-STAR voice modules can also carry data, but they are much slower than the 23 cm 'D' module.
To give you control over the repeater, each D-STAR data packet includes 4
'call signs', each with a specific purpose. MYCALL is obvious, it
should be the call sign of the person holding the microphone.RPT1 is the call of the repeater module you are connecting with. You can think of this one as like PL on an analog repeater. If you transmit on the Midland repeater's frequency with RPT1 set to the call of Battle Creek, the Midland repeater will ignore you, since it knows you aren't talking to it, but to some other repeater.
RPT2 is perhaps the most confusing. This is almost always the gateway module for the repeater in RPT1. If you leave RPT2 blank, you can still be heard on the local repeater, but you will not be heard on any linked repeater. You will, however, still hear calls made through the linked repeater.
URCALL almost always contains CQCQCQ, meaning you will be heard by anyone. As we will see later, this field can also issue commands to the repeater.
The first 6 characters of a call sign field are the call sign, as you would expect. The seventh character is the module letter. In the URCALL field, the eighth character is the command. If the call you are referencing has less than six characters, you need to leave enough spaces for the module letter to appear in position 7 and the command in 8.
In addition to your call in the MYCALL field, you may also program a message to be sent along with your call. People frequently put their name, location, and sometimes the kind of radio they are using in this message. When they key the mike, you will see this scroll across your screen.
To program your radio for the Midland repeater, set the frequency to 444.350, duplex, offset 5 MHz (standard for 440), no PL. PL has no meaning in D-STAR. Set RPT1 to KC8ARJ B, module B being the 440 module. RPT2 set to KC8ARJ G, the gateway, and URCALL to CQCQCQ.
This basically says that you will talk to anyone on the repeater, like a normal repeater, but you will also talk to anyone on a repeater or reflector linked to the repeater.
The URCALL field is where stuff happens; particularly the eighth position of URCALL. If this is an I, the repeater will tell you about itself, an E will cause your transmission to be echoed, an L links the repeater to something else, and a U unlinks.
To use the commands, you set the eighth character, key the mike for a second, then go back to CQCQCQ to use whatever you have set up. In the case of E, Echo, you speak for a few seconds. On most radios you can make this change from the front panel, but depending on the radio it might be a bit of a pain. If you only use a few D-STAR repeaters, you might program channels for the common commands.
So for example, set an I in position 8, key the mike for a second, and 'Linked to REF024 C' might scroll across the screen and the repeater speaks 'Linked to R E F 0 2 4 charlie'. During the meeting we demonstrated this with an HT. Put an E in position 8, key the mike and speak for a few seconds, and the repeater repeats your transmission back to you. This is a great way to tell how well you are making the repeater.
To link to a reflector, you need to put the name of the reflector in URCALL before the L in position 8. Key the mike for a second, the repeater responds as it does for 'I'. Return to CQCQCQ to talk over the reflector. A reflector is kind of like a chat room for repeaters. It is a place that a number of repeaters may link.
To unlink, simply send a U in position 8 and the repeater will be unlinked from whatever it is linked to, and respond with 'Not Linked'.
You can link to a repeater, just like to a reflector. Reflector names are always 7 characters, but repeaters might be less, to you may need blanks to move the module letter to position 7 and the link command to position 8. For example, W 8 D F blank blank C L to link to the 2 meter module of the Battle Creek repeater, or W X 8 G R R B L for the 440 module at Grand Rapids.
Since these radios have a GPS, you can see the list of repeaters sorted by distance from you. You can even scan nearby repeaters, and the list will update as you drive. In this mode, there are on-screen choices to linking, info, echo, etc.
Pressing the DR button on the radio brings up two boxes. Tapping the lower 'From' box gives you a choice or a repeater list, a nearby repeater list, or a list of repeaters to which you have recently transmitted.
Tapping the top box, gives you the menu of linking, unlinking, info and echo.
WD8BPT brought his ID-5100, and antenna and power supply into the meeting so we could demonstrate how simple it is to load the repeater list and get on the air. It took less than two minutes, even in demo mode, to load all the Michigan repeaters and many from adjoining states into Denny's 5100.
There are a LOT of reflectors. Some of the common ones are
- REF024C an open reflector commonly used around Michigan. Repeaters in Midland, Owosso, Stutsmanville, Howell and Traverse City are often linked to this reflector.
- REF024A the Michigan ARES reflector. This reflector is used by ARES groups, including the SEOC, when there is an activation. There is an ARES net on this reflector every Monday evening.
- REF001C is sometimes called the Megarepeater. A couple dozen repeaters around the world are commonly linked, as well as a lot of hotspots, mostly in English-speaking countries. This tends to be a favorite of British, Irish and Scottish operators but is open to anyone.
- REF004C is often used by folks meeting on REF001C but moving off for a rag chew to free up the very busy REF001C
- REF030C is a lot like REF001C except that mostly it links U.S. repeaters
Since the radios typically have GPS, you can configure your radio to transmit your location as part of the packet. Then the receiving station can get a display of your location. In this screenshot, Dave, G7HJX was in his car transmitting from Burntwood Staff's, which is apparently 3631 miles northeast of WB8RCR.
Most of the reflectors have Internet dashboards. Here you can see the repeaters linked in, any hotspots linked, as well as the recently heard stations. If the station's call is shown in orange, clicking on it will show you the location on Google Maps.
So finally we get to talking about the repeater itself. It is the same Yaesu DR-1X Fusion repeater that has been there about a year, but we have added a Raspberry Pi and an NW Digital UDRC, which allows D-STAR to be added to the previous Fusion and analog capabilities. We also added a power controller which allows for the repeater power to be cycled remotely.
Here are some of the more common radios. The Icom ID-5100 is a dual band mobile, very feature-rich. Even if you are not interested in D-STAR, the capabilities of this radio make it a great choice if you want a high-end mobile. The main downside is that the control head is huge to accommodate the large touch screen. However, the format of the head is a lot like a GPS, so windshield mounts intended for a GPS work well.The ID-51A+ is kind of the handheld sister of the ID-5100. The ID-51A+2 add a Bluetooth hotspot, so you can tether the HT to your phone, and continue your conversation on a reflector even when you aren't in repeater range.
The ID-880H is a current D-STAR radio, but the small display makes working with D-STAR challenging.
The Kenwood TH-D74A is interesting in that it is a three band D-STAR radio, in addition to 2 meters and 440 it adds 220 capability. If does not, however, support DPRS.
The Icom IC-7100 is a D-STAR radio that also does HF. There are, in fact, HF D-STAR nets. This radio also has DR mode, but it isn't quite as polished as the 5100.
There are a number of ways to access the D-STAR reflectors when you are not within range of a repeater.The old standard is the DV Dongle. This lets you connect to D-STAR using your computer's speaker and microphone, no radio required. The DVAP is like your private, D-STAR repeater. Like the DV Dongle, it connects to your PC, but it requires a D-STAR radio. The DV4mini adds DMR capabilities, but otherwise is similar to the DVAP. The DV-Mega sits on a Raspberry Pi, providing similar features to the DV4mini without typing up your computer.
If you have questions, post them in the comments below.
Some useful links:
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Power Control Revisited
The previous power control version used a PIC24FJ64GM002, a 28-pin part with 64K of flash. For the simple problem at hand, that PIC was gross overkill, but it happened to be what I had on hand.
The PIC24F04KA200 is much better suited to the task. It still is something of an overkill. Although 4K of flash is pretty tiny for a PIC24, the application ended up taking less than a tenth of that. Still, it's 14-pin package and low price make it a better choice.
After some experimentation, during which I got concerned about the base current, I decided to put each of the relays on their own output. The PIC24F04KA200 can source 18 mA per output pin, and the final base current was measured at slightly over 4 mA so there is plenty of headroom.
Basically, the board is supplied with 5 volts which is needed for the relays. The relays are operated by transistors so the PIC doesn't need to see the full current of the relays which it would not be capable of handling. A regulator supplies 3 volts for the PIC, chosen because the PI outputs are 3 volts.
On a signal from the Pi, the PIC waits long enough for the Pi to shut down, interrupts the power for a short time, then re-applies the power which causes the Pi to reboot (the Pi is powered by the repeater).
The final circuit looks like this:
A printed circuit board was laid out, the layout looks like:
The 6-pin header on the left is for programming the PIC, not shown on the schematic. Also not shown on the schematic are two ways to apply power; the two-pin header on the left and the microUSB on the bottom. Depending on how the packaging works out, one or the other will be used.
The "realistic" view of the PCB is:
The actual board is not expected to arrive until November 15. I selected the high-priced spread (Accutrace) because they are about two weeks faster than my normal supplier (MakerStudio). They are also extremely diligent. I covered some of the microUSB pins with solder mask because that makes it easier to solder by hand. They immediately emailed me with a PDF showing the issue and asking if that is what I really wanted. That isn't normal but I'm surprised they picked up on that.
The PIC24F04KA200 is much better suited to the task. It still is something of an overkill. Although 4K of flash is pretty tiny for a PIC24, the application ended up taking less than a tenth of that. Still, it's 14-pin package and low price make it a better choice.
After some experimentation, during which I got concerned about the base current, I decided to put each of the relays on their own output. The PIC24F04KA200 can source 18 mA per output pin, and the final base current was measured at slightly over 4 mA so there is plenty of headroom.
Basically, the board is supplied with 5 volts which is needed for the relays. The relays are operated by transistors so the PIC doesn't need to see the full current of the relays which it would not be capable of handling. A regulator supplies 3 volts for the PIC, chosen because the PI outputs are 3 volts.
On a signal from the Pi, the PIC waits long enough for the Pi to shut down, interrupts the power for a short time, then re-applies the power which causes the Pi to reboot (the Pi is powered by the repeater).
The final circuit looks like this:
 |
| Power Controller Schematic |
A printed circuit board was laid out, the layout looks like:
 |
| PCB Layout As Designed |
The "realistic" view of the PCB is:
 |
| "Photo-Realistic" View of Printed Circuit Board |
The actual board is not expected to arrive until November 15. I selected the high-priced spread (Accutrace) because they are about two weeks faster than my normal supplier (MakerStudio). They are also extremely diligent. I covered some of the microUSB pins with solder mask because that makes it easier to solder by hand. They immediately emailed me with a PDF showing the issue and asking if that is what I really wanted. That isn't normal but I'm surprised they picked up on that.
Status 5-Nov
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 917 | 2016-08-10 | FIXED | Order NW Digital board |
| 981 | 2016-09-11 | WONTFIX | KC8ARJ as repeater |
| 983 | 2016-09-11 | FIXED | Order quality SD cards |
| 986 | 2016-09-11 | FIXED | Validate LTE |
| 982 | 2016-09-12 | FIXED | WiFi startup |
| 994 | 2016-09-12 | FIXED | Investigate hang time control |
| 978 | 2016-09-13 | FIXED | Select UDRC/Pi Case |
| 984 | 2016-09-15 | FIXED | SD card receive |
| 995 | 2016-09-15 | WONTFIX | Investigate hang time in source |
| 979 | 2016-09-16 | FIXED | Receive UDRC/Pi Case |
| 987 | 2016-09-19 | FIXED | Select LTE provider |
| 980 | 2016-09-20 | FIXED | Modify/Install UDRC/Pi Case |
| 988 | 2016-09-20 | FIXED | Order LTE Device |
| 989 | 2016-10-04 | FIXED | Receive LTE device |
| 991 | 2016-10-10 | FIXED | Log file strategy |
| 1033 | 2016-10-15 | FIXED | Power control strategy long |
| 1032 | 2016-10-19 | FIXED | Power control strategy short |
| 1034 | 2016-10-22 | FIXED | Design power control |
| 1035 | 2016-10-23 | FIXED | Breadboard power control |
| 1037 | 2016-10-29 | FIXED | Order power control parts |
| 1040 | 2016-11-02 | FIXED | Receive power control parts |
| 1038 | 2016-11-03 | FIXED | Order power control PCB |
| 1036 | 2016-11-03 | FIXED | Power control PCB |
| 990 | 2016-11-06 | FIXED | Configure/Test LTE Device |
| 1042 | 2016-11-15 | ASSIGNED | Develop short-term firmware |
| 1039 | 2016-11-15 | ASSIGNED | Receive power control PCB |
| 1041 | 2016-11-20 | ASSIGNED | Construct power control circuit |
| 1044 | 2016-11-22 | ASSIGNED | Package power control |
| 985 | 2016-11-27 | ASSIGNED | Schedule 2030 install |
| 992 | 2016-11-28 | ASSIGNED | Make backup SD |
| 993 | 2016-11-30 | ASSIGNED | Move to 2030 |
| 996 | 2016-12-21 | ASSIGNED | Test 100 watt amp |
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1042 | 2016-11-15 | Develop short-term firmware |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Design and test firmware for the short term repeater power control, both PIC and Pi
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1039 | 2016-11-15 | Receive power control PCB |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Repeater power control printed circuit boards arrive
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1041 | 2016-11-20 | Construct power control circuit |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Assemble the production circuit for the repeater power control
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1044 | 2016-11-22 | Package power control |
2016-10-27 09:41:50:
Develop physical packaging for repeater power control circuit
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 985 | 2016-11-27 | Schedule 2030 install |
2016-09-12 10:30:56:
Schedule a time to move the repeater to 2030
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 992 | 2016-11-28 | Make backup SD |
2016-09-11 09:49:16:
Need to create a backup SD card immediately before taking repeater to site
2016-09-12 10:32:15:
Create a backup of the SD card. Moved date to the day before install since this wants to be the LAST thing we do.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 993 | 2016-11-30 | Move to 2030 |
2016-09-12 10:54:35:
Install the repeater at the permanent site at 2030 building.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 996 | 2016-12-21 | Test 100 watt amp |
2016-09-12 10:49:37:
Repeater will initially be set for 20 watts. It is unknown at this time whether the addition of an external amplifier will result in excess desense. After the repeater is at the site, an amp will be tested for coverage.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Detailed To-Do
Updated ToDo list including all completed items.
2016-08-08 14:19:41:
2016-08-08 14:21:15:
2016-08-10 18:45:15:
2016-09-11 09:29:55:
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2016-09-12 10:32:15:
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
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2016-10-27 17:03:21:
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 917 | 2016-08-10 | FIXED | Order NW Digital board |
| 981 | 2016-09-11 | WONTFIX | KC8ARJ as repeater |
| 983 | 2016-09-11 | FIXED | Order quality SD cards |
| 986 | 2016-09-11 | FIXED | Validate LTE |
| 982 | 2016-09-12 | FIXED | WiFi startup |
| 994 | 2016-09-12 | WONTFIX | Investigate hang time control |
| 978 | 2016-09-13 | FIXED | Select UDRC/Pi Case |
| 984 | 2016-09-15 | FIXED | SD card receive |
| 995 | 2016-09-15 | WONTFIX | Investigate hang time in source |
| 979 | 2016-09-16 | FIXED | Receive UDRC/Pi Case |
| 987 | 2016-09-19 | FIXED | Select LTE provider |
| 980 | 2016-09-20 | FIXED | Modify/Install UDRC/Pi Case |
| 988 | 2016-09-20 | FIXED | Order LTE Device |
| 989 | 2016-10-04 | FIXED | Receive LTE device |
| 991 | 2016-10-10 | FIXED | Log file strategy |
| 1033 | 2016-10-15 | FIXED | Power control strategy long |
| 1032 | 2016-10-19 | FIXED | Power control strategy short |
| 1034 | 2016-10-22 | FIXED | Design power control |
| 990 | 2016-10-23 | ASSIGNED | Configure/Test LTE Device |
| 1035 | 2016-10-23 | FIXED | Breadboard power control |
| 985 | 2016-10-28 | ASSIGNED | Schedule 2030 install |
| 1036 | 2016-10-28 | ASSIGNED | Power control PCB |
| 1037 | 2016-10-29 | ASSIGNED | Order power control parts |
| 1038 | 2016-10-30 | ASSIGNED | Order power control PCB |
| 1040 | 2016-11-02 | ASSIGNED | Receive power control parts |
| 992 | 2016-11-03 | ASSIGNED | Make backup SD |
| 1041 | 2016-11-05 | ASSIGNED | Construct power control circuit |
| 1039 | 2016-11-10 | ASSIGNED | Receive power control PCB |
| 1044 | 2016-11-12 | ASSIGNED | Package power control |
| 1042 | 2016-11-15 | ASSIGNED | Develop short-term firmware |
| 993 | 2016-11-18 | ASSIGNED | Move to 2030 |
| 996 | 2016-12-11 | ASSIGNED | Test 100 watt amp |
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 917 | 2016-08-10 | FIXED | Order NW Digital board |
2016-08-08 14:19:41:
Product page info below screen cap visible portion
Open Source Applications Supported by Others:
dstarrepeater (and optionally ircddbgateway)
DIREWOLF 1200/9600 AX25
The UDRC is a Raspberry Pi HAT containing all of the necessary
hardware to directly interface to a radio or repeater.
The UDRC is compliant with the Raspberry Pi HAT Specification
and has the ID EEPROM which directly loads the device table for
the UDRC on boot up. The Ideal Diode circuit allows the Pi to be
powered by either the Micro USB jack or external 12VDC.
Direct Connection to the Yaesu DR1-X Repeater is available with
the HD-15 Cable and adds D-STAR Capability to your Fusion
Repeater. This cable must have all 15 pins wired straight
through.
Alternatively the Mini DIN-6 Cable can be used to connect to the
Data Port on a standard HF/VHF/UHF Radio. This cable must have
all 6 pins wired straight through.
2016-08-08 14:21:15:
From: PayPalTo: John McDonough Subject: Your receipt for payment to NW Digital Radio Date: Mon, 08 Aug 2016 11:13:45 -0700 (08/08/2016 02:13:45 PM) You paid $96.05 USD to NW Digital Radio Thanks for using PayPal, John McDonough
2016-08-10 18:45:15:
Got an "Order Complete" email, whatever that means
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 981 | 2016-09-11 | WONTFIX | KC8ARJ as repeater |
2016-09-11 09:29:55:
KC8ARJ shows as a hotspot on dashboards, rather than as a repeater. Why is that?
2016-09-11 11:04:22:
Posted a message in the UDRC board
2016-09-11 11:40:08:
Normal behavior.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 983 | 2016-09-11 | FIXED | Order quality SD cards |
2016-09-11 09:33:37:
Need a Class 10, 8G SD card, preferably SanDisk or Kingston
2016-09-11 11:13:08:
One of these looks like a possibility: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA12K1RK3174&cm_re=sdhc_class_10-_-9SIA12K1RK3174-_-Product http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA12K4830573&cm_re=sdhc_class_10-_-0DF-0005-00JN6-_-Product Both 18 day delivery, one ships from Taiwan, the other from the U.S. The U.S. one is a little more expensive and a little slower, although we don't care about speed nearly as much as life.
2016-09-11 11:14:00:
Also http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA12K4830573&cm_re=sdhc_class_10-_-0DF-0005-00JN6-_-Product Also 18 days from Hong Kong.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 986 | 2016-09-11 | FIXED | Validate LTE |
2016-09-11 09:39:11:
Tether repeater off phone to validate LTE utility
2016-09-11 20:06:02:
No link tethering from phone. Able to ssh in through phone when
also tethered and connection looks good
root@KC8ARJ:~# ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr b8:27:eb:49:40:f2
inet6 addr: fe80::523:94ec:2a31:756e/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:65536 Metric:1
RX packets:2529 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:2529 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1
RX bytes:164814 (160.9 KiB) TX bytes:164814 (160.9
KiB)
wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr b8:27:eb:1c:15:a7
inet addr:192.168.43.162 Bcast:192.168.43.255
Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::625a:8382:b7d2:1582/64 Scope:Link
inet6 addr: 2600:1007:b02b:bbfb:e670:e28b:6efd:6417/64
Scope:Global
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:2152 errors:0 dropped:134 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:1931 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:1538428 (1.4 MiB) TX bytes:241161 (235.5 KiB)
Linking looking a little shaky:
M: 2016-09-11 23:50:21: Linking KC8ARJ B at startup to REF024 C
M: 2016-09-11 23:50:29: D-Plus ACK message received from REF024 C
M: 2016-09-11 23:50:29: D-Plus link to REF024 C established
M: 2016-09-11 23:51:21: D-Plus link to REF024 C has failed (poll
inactivity)
M: 2016-09-11 23:51:21: D-Plus link to REF024 C has failed,
relinking
M: 2016-09-12 00:00:45: Link command from KC8ARJ B to REF030 C
issued via UR Call by WB8RCR
M: 2016-09-12 00:00:45: D-Plus ACK message received from REF030 C
M: 2016-09-12 00:00:45: D-Plus link to REF030 C established
It looks like it may just take some time for the LTE link to
settle down
M: 2016-09-12 00:04:39: Link command from KC8ARJ B to REF024 C
issued via UR Call by WB8RCR
M: 2016-09-12 00:04:39: D-Plus ACK message received from REF024 C
M: 2016-09-12 00:04:39: D-Plus link to REF024 C established
2016-09-11 20:26:46:
Not all is sweetness and light: M: 2016-09-12 00:09:50: Link command from KC8ARJ B to REF001 C issued via UR Call by WB8RCR M: 2016-09-12 00:10:20: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect M: 2016-09-12 00:10:51: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect M: 2016-09-12 00:11:21: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect M: 2016-09-12 00:11:52: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect M: 2016-09-12 00:12:22: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect M: 2016-09-12 00:12:53: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect M: 2016-09-12 00:13:23: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect M: 2016-09-12 00:13:54: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect M: 2016-09-12 00:14:24: D-Plus link to REF001 C has failed to connect But then, maybe it is just REF001 M: 2016-09-12 00:15:20: Link command from KC8ARJ B to REF030 C issued via UR Call by WB8RCR M: 2016-09-12 00:15:20: D-Plus ACK message received from REF030 C M: 2016-09-12 00:15:20: D-Plus link to REF030 C established
2016-09-11 20:39:49:
Well, that worked pretty nice. Shut off the WiFi hotspot and immediately reconnected via the house WiFi (which was set as a lower priority) M: 2016-09-12 00:38:17: D-Plus link to REF030 C has failed (poll inactivity) M: 2016-09-12 00:38:17: D-Plus link to REF030 C has failed, relinking M: 2016-09-12 00:38:17: D-Plus ACK message received from REF030 C M: 2016-09-12 00:38:17: D-Plus link to REF030 C established
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 982 | 2016-09-12 | FIXED | WiFi startup |
2016-09-11 09:31:24:
Clean up WiFi startup at boot
2016-09-12 08:18:52:
Starting automatically from interfaces allows selection of network based on priority. Good solution.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 994 | 2016-09-12 | WONTFIX | Investigate hang time control |
2016-09-11 11:16:21:
Not much found in config panel.
2016-09-12 08:17:08:
No real opportunities in configuration panel. Need to investigate source.
2016-10-12 09:00:08:
Additional update: Walt wondered whether the bare Fusion without the remote would have a squelch tail. Tried: - Shutdown the Pi - Turn off remote on repeater - Disconnect the Pi - Cycle power on the repeater After each step, tested and still no squelch tail.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 978 | 2016-09-13 | FIXED | Select UDRC/Pi Case |
2016-09-11 09:24:23:
Decide on a case
2016-09-12 14:28:59:
John Jays likes this one http://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016954T3I/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1465094927&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=hifiberry+case $14.97 - apparently takes a little work.
2016-09-12 14:33:07:
Mike Morneau suggests http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/83-16355 $4.97 with the possible addition of spacers http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/83-16386 $2.29 He indicates holes for the VGA and DIN connectors would need to be routed out. I suspect the same with the case Hays suggests
2016-09-12 14:38:37:
Looks like the MCM case might also want a shroud for the USB connectors and possibly the SD port. Probably nice for an unattended installation. Also looks as though there might be a light pipe.
2016-09-12 21:56:01:
From: auto-confirm@amazon.comReply-to: auto-confirm@amazon.com To: wb8rcr@arrl.net Subject: Your Amazon.com order of Raspberry Pi 3 Model B... and 1 more item. Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 00:00:19 +0000 (09/12/2016 08:00:19 PM) Amazon.com Order Confirmation www.amazon.com/ref=TE_simp_tex_h _______________________________________________________________________________________ Hello JOHN MCDONOUGH, Thank you for shopping with us. You ordered "Raspberry Pi 3 Model B..." and 1 other item. Well send a confirmation when your items ship. View or manage your orders in Your Orders: https://www.amazon.com/gp/css/order-details?orderId=103-4845455-0913016&eoid=1%3A1%3AsZtOklBjvHvISHNY7uyHv0Mme2nX6cvsS8FpAUCYaalGx8nUzHHVkQujQqEfvPVBAM74KCYZwzU1IcPLDGWHeNgcjx4%2BUJ8XoJi8fEhashiLglhPhjoRXdI7MUy%2F5NbfKkAyfdkFvUprgqHqrT4886USfVWc%2FVzxTpx7Dj5L30%2FosWtruGQbGW0GWJ%2BOdjkdPv5mzIwLmy4dp853Xo6Cmo%2B2U2kH%2B27a1ON%2B6wt%2BV7QvUCt6%2F3DKJdhcYCHQVCYzKDex7W0DZIX7DiHGgL4N5XEUxGzivgUvoJZ%2BnaaTQKDgNAqlcLsVeHEhW8lH%2BtWWrUQiPZMb2aqKDTF1%2BK2mrw%3D%3D&ref_=TE_simp_od Details Order #103-4845455-0913016 Arriving: Monday, September 19 Ship to: John J. McDonough 2211 LAUREL LN... Total Before Tax: $58.88 Estimated Tax: $0.00 Order Total: $58.88 ======================================================================================= We hope to see you again soon. Amazon.com www.amazon.com/ref=TE_simp_tex_ty _______________________________________________________________________________________ The payment for your invoice is processed by Amazon Payments, Inc. P.O. Box 81226 Seattle, Washington 98108-1226. If you need more information, please contact (866) 216-1075. Unless otherwise noted, items sold by Amazon.com LLC are subject to sales tax in select states in accordance with the applicable laws of that state. If your order contains one or more items from a seller other than Amazon.com LLC , it may be subject to state and local sales tax, depending upon the seller's business policies and the location of their operations. Learn more about tax and seller information at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=TE_simp_tex_tx?ie=UTF8&nodeId=201133270 This email was sent from a notification-only address that cannot accept incoming email. Please do not reply to this message.
2016-09-12 21:56:58:
From: talk@mcmelectronics.com
To: wb8rcr@arrl.net
Subject: MCM Electronics Confirmation - Order #W001578800
Date: 12 Sep 2016 21:02:53 -0400
Thank you for placing your order with MCM Electronics.
Your order has been submitted and will be processed shortly.
Order Information
Order Number: W001578800 on 9/12/2016 9:01:20 PM
Email Address: wb8rcr@arrl.net
Payment Type: Credit Card
Product Total: $12.65
Shipping: $7.99 - 00 Super Saver Shipping
Tax: $0.00
Order Total: $20.64
Order Line Items
1
83-16355 - Blue Raspberry Pi Enclosure for B+ and Pi 2 Model B
$4.59
$4.59
2
83-16386 - Blue Spacer for 83-16355 for B+ and Pi 2 Model B
$2.29
$4.58
1
83-16391 - Blue USB Port Cover for 83-16355 for B+ and Pi 2 Model
B
$1.99
$1.99
1
83-16396 - Blue SD Port Cover for 83-16355 for B+ and Pi 2 Model
B
$1.49
$1.49
Common Questions
How do I print an invoice or track my order status?
Visit mcmelectronics.com and login to your account at the top of
any page. Don't have an online account with MCM? Visit our
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*****************************************************************************
2016-09-13 08:01:46:
2 cases ordered, one should work
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 984 | 2016-09-15 | FIXED | SD card receive |
2016-09-11 09:35:02:
SD card received
2016-09-11 13:23:20:
Readjust date to max expected shipping on 983
2016-09-12 17:45:31:
One of the cards has apparently shipped. (Ordered two different types). Looks like it shipped from Kalifornia. At this point, only shipping label created, carrier has apparently not picked up Customer ID: wb8rcr@arrl.net Account Number: 10554662 Dear John J McDonough, Thank you for shopping at Newegg Marketplace. Your tracking number has been generated. Please see below for your order information and tracking number. Shipping Summary: Sales Order Number: 214262769 Seller: 3C Expert Carrier: USPS Item List: Item Number: Item Description: Quantity: 9SIA12K4830573 SanDisk Ultra 8GB Micro SD SDHC SDXC Class 10 Memory Card 48MB/s 2 Tracking Number: 9400110200828143918593 Shipped from 1F, No 239, SongRen Rd Shipping Time:9/12/2016 10:28:02 AM Once You Know, You Newegg. Your Newegg Marketplace Customer Service Team
2016-09-13 20:11:43:
Newegg tracking shows estimate Thursday
2016-09-15 12:35:02:
Rec'd 4 x 8G cards. both orders shipped as one
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 995 | 2016-09-15 | WONTFIX | Investigate hang time in source |
2016-09-11 11:17:29:
See if the source has any ability to control PTT when in analog.
2016-09-12 17:16:04:
git clone https://github.com/mcdermj/OpenDV.git
2016-09-12 17:25:03:
It looks as though the hang time is set in the code, 1000 must not be 1000 seconds, milliseconds would be reasonable, but I don't see 1000ms happening, so.... DStarRepeaterTXRXThread.cpp:m_activeHangTimer(1000U),
2016-09-12 17:42:19:
There is a configuration line activeHangTime=4 and a fair bit of code around it. The configuration panel has a slider for that which indicates the value is in seconds. However, the code defaults it to 1000 (unsigned) so milliseconds would make more sense. Setting activeHangTime to 1000 causes the repeater to refuse to transmit.
2016-09-15 12:38:29:
It appears that the remote board never touches the analog repeater. No code seems to deal with it, so any changes would have to be made in the repeater. There is a setting, which is called hangTime in the source, but changing that setting seems to do nothing. Even more interesting, it shows as seconds in the configuration panel, but milliseconds in the code. In any case, it appears the analog hang time isn't easily fixed.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 979 | 2016-09-16 | FIXED | Receive UDRC/Pi Case |
2016-09-11 09:25:39:
Wait for delivery
2016-09-12 21:57:49:
Amazon claims Sep 19 delivery
2016-09-13 20:09:53:
From: mcmelectronics-noreply@mcmelectronics.com
To: WB8RCR@ARRL.NET
Subject: MCM Ship Confirmation 044419
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 14:01:43 -0400 (EDT)
Dear JOHN MCDONOUGH,
Thank you for your recent order with MCM Electronics. We
appreciate your business.
This email is to confirm that your order 044419 has shipped
today, 09/13/16. Also, attached is a copy of your packing slip
for your convenience.
*******************************************
TRACKING YOUR SHIPMENT:
Your FEDERAL EXPRESS shipment tracking number is
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To tracking this shipment, please click on the following carrier
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********************************Disclaimer***********************************
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2016-09-15 12:44:17:
Amazon case has still not shipped. FedEx tracking is currently down so cannot get status on MCM case, however it shipped on 9/13, apparently from California, so delivery Friday or Monday seems reasonable.
2016-09-16 13:29:48:
MCM case arrived
2016-09-16 13:30:17:
Will go ahead with MCM case
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 987 | 2016-09-19 | FIXED | Select LTE provider |
2016-09-12 10:29:17:
There are a number of LTE providers that can provide quite low cost for limited data quantity. Estimate it would be hard to use up 1Gb per month.
2016-09-16 12:22:11:
Karma looks to be the winner. They rely on Sprint's WiMax, not actual LTE but several sources claim excellent coverage where we need it. Their little hotspot is $79 and they charge $14 per gig of data which doesn't expire. That means with our probable usage of under a quarter gig a month, they are under four bucks a month. Freedom Spot is another cheapie. The hotspot is $100 but when done you can send it back for a full refund providing you have kept all the packaging. Their monthly charge for a half-gig is zero! Also WiMax. You can also pay $10 per month for a gig, although totally free sounds appealing but suspicious. Verizon's cheapest prepaid plan appears to be $35/2 months, not clear what the hotspot actually costs. Looks like maybe a $50 hotspot, $18/month not so bad if we can cancel quickly. We know Verizon coverage is good.
2016-09-17 16:19:06:
The website comparing the hotspot offerings was apparently a little out of date. The Karma they are talking about, Karma Classic, is no longer available and no longer works. Apparently, WiMax was shut off a year ago. The new Karma is a little more expensive, $100 for the box instead of $80, and $15 per gig instead of $14, but it still looks like a winner. https://yourkarma.com/
2016-09-20 14:34:35:
Selected Karma Go
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 980 | 2016-09-20 | FIXED | Modify/Install UDRC/Pi Case |
2016-09-11 09:27:25:
Indication is that case will need some modification
2016-09-16 14:29:46:
Case with one spacer fits Pi + UDRC, *but* - Supplied screws not long enough with spacer - Light pipes in the wrong place (Pi 2?)
2016-09-16 16:13:25:
Looks like it works without spacer. Light pipe goes to Bluetooth antenna instead of LEDs. Will want to drill some holes so we can see the LEDs.
2016-09-20 14:46:02:
Will stick with the MCM case. Works just fine.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 988 | 2016-09-20 | FIXED | Order LTE Device |
2016-09-12 10:29:37:
Place order for LTE hotspot
2016-09-20 14:45:16:
Ordered Karma Go and only 1G From: KarmaTo: John McDonough Subject: Your Karma Order Confirmation Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2016 18:33:32 +0000 (09/20/2016 02:33:32 PM) Hey John McDonough, Thanks for your purchase. Billing Address: John McDonough 2211 Laurel Lane Midland MI 48642 Your invoice: #20160093320 1GB data $15.00 Karma Go $149.00 $50 off Karma Go -$50.00 ------------------------------------------ Tax $0.00 ------------------------------------------ Total $114.00 Shipping address: John McDonough 2211 Laurel Lane Midland MI 48642 The estimated delivery date is Wednesday, September 28. Well email your tracking number over once its shipped. Thanks, The Karma Team
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 989 | 2016-10-04 | FIXED | Receive LTE device |
2016-09-12 10:29:54:
Wait for delivery of LTE hotspot/service.
2016-09-20 14:35:08:
Date adjusted to promised delivery
2016-09-30 17:52:09:
FedEx tracking projects delivery Tue 10/04/2016 by end of day
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 991 | 2016-10-10 | FIXED | Log file strategy |
2016-09-11 09:46:43:
Develop a strategy to be sure that log files don't get excessive
2016-09-20 15:26:20:
Looks like we can simply delete all the gzipped log files after the backup has run. Probably should decide about backing up the system logs as well as the openDV logs,
2016-09-25 11:40:11:
Backup logs to cimbaoth
#!/bin/sh -x
FILENAME=`date +'%Y%m%d-opendv.tar.gz'`
FILENAME2=`date +'%Y%m%d-log.tar.gz'`
NODE="71.10.153.139"
#
*****************************************************************
# REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN ON ANOTHER NETWORK
#
*****************************************************************
NODE="cimbaoth"
TARGET="/backup03/backup/kc8arj/"
tar -czf ${FILENAME} /etc/opendv/*
tar -czf ${FILENAME2} /var/log/opendv/*
scp ${FILENAME} backup@${NODE}:${TARGET}
scp ${FILENAME2} backup@${NODE}:${TARGET}
rm -f ${FILENAME} ${FILENAME2}
Clear out old logs on Mondays
#!/bin/sh
rm /var/log/opendv/*log.?.gz
And finally the crontab:
MAILTO=root@localhost.localdomain
# Edit this file to introduce tasks to be run by cron.
#
# Each task to run has to be defined through a single line
# indicating with different fields when the task will be run
# and what command to run for the task
#
# To define the time you can provide concrete values for
# minute (m), hour (h), day of month (dom), month (mon),
# and day of week (dow) or use '*' in these fields (for 'any').#
# Notice that tasks will be started based on the cron's system
# daemon's notion of time and timezones.
#
# Output of the crontab jobs (including errors) is sent through
# email to the user the crontab file belongs to (unless
redirected).
#
# For example, you can run a backup of all your user accounts
# at 5 a.m every week with:
# 0 5 * * 1 tar -zcf /var/backups/home.tgz /home/
#
# For more information see the manual pages of crontab(5) and
cron(8)
#
# m h dom mon dow command
#
# Backup logs each night 3 minutes before midnight zulu
#
57 23 * * * /root/backitup
#
# Clear out gzipped logs each Monday right after backup
#
59 23 * * 1 /root/cleanLogs
2016-10-02 09:43:06:
Doesn't look like cleanLogs is running, or at least not doing
what is expected. Unfortunately, with no MTA, any messages are
lost. cleanLogs and backitup modified to save messages from the
last run as follows:
======================== backitup
================================
#!/bin/sh -x
FILENAME=`date +'%Y%m%d-opendv.tar.gz'`
FILENAME2=`date +'%Y%m%d-log.tar.gz'`
NODE="71.10.153.139"
#
*****************************************************************
# REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN ON ANOTHER NETWORK
#
*****************************************************************
NODE="cimbaoth"
TARGET="/backup03/backup/kc8arj/"
date >backitup.log
tar -czf ${FILENAME} /etc/opendv/* >>backitup.log 2>>backitup.log
tar -czf ${FILENAME2} /var/log/opendv/* >>backitup.log
2>>backitup.log
scp ${FILENAME} backup@${NODE}:${TARGET} >>backitup.log
2>>backitup.log
scp ${FILENAME2} backup@${NODE}:${TARGET} >>backitup.log
2>>backitup.log
rm -f ${FILENAME} ${FILENAME2} >>backitup.log 2>>backitup.log
===================cleanLogs=======================================
#!/bin/sh
date >/root/cleanLogs.log
rm /var/log/opendv/*log.?.gz >>/root/cleanLogs.log
2>>/root/cleanLogs.log
2016-10-04 13:38:07:
Job didn't run first Monday because script wasn't marked executable. Next schedule is October 10.
2016-10-09 11:23:10:
Updated script to kill logs with more than a single digit version #!/bin/sh date >/root/cleanLogs.log rm /var/log/opendv/*log.*.gz >>/root/cleanLogs.log 2>>/root/cleanLogs.log
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1033 | 2016-10-15 | FIXED | Power control strategy long |
2016-10-27 09:41:48:
Long term strategy for repeater power control
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1032 | 2016-10-19 | FIXED | Power control strategy short |
2016-10-27 09:41:48:
Short term strategy for repeater power control
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1034 | 2016-10-22 | FIXED | Design power control |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Design repeater power control circuitry
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | 2016-10-23 | Configure/Test LTE Device |
2016-09-12 10:30:32:
Configure the Pi to use the hotspot network, adjust the backup scheme for the external address, test repeater using LTE hotspot.
2016-09-30 17:52:38:
Date adjusted based on FedEx delivery projection
2016-10-05 09:09:30:
Initial investigation very discouraging. Device requires a browser. On the website it indicated browser-less devices were usable. However, a month later the website is very different, and it appears that a browser-less device costs $15 a month in addition to the $15 a gig. Will investigate spoofing the browser login.
2016-10-06 13:50:12:
Initial testing with cell phone indicates that it might well remember MACs which had been logged on. Turning off hotspot AND phone for about 5 minutes, next connection doesn't need login. Need further testing but encouraging.
2016-10-07 09:34:51:
Powered Karma off overnight. Thought I also had phone turned off but didn't. After cycling power on phone, came up connected to Karma no sign-in screen.
2016-10-11 14:20:41:
Now connected to Karma. Appears to link to many (but not all) reflectors. Have Karma getting power from Pi. Will run this way for a bit and see how it plays.
2016-10-12 08:47:06:
Still reserving judgment until we have had a few days, but so far, the Karma looks promising. Some limitations tho: - First it needs a browser. It looks like once you have signed on with the browser, you don't need to sign on again. But there is a risk that after a certain amount of time it will time out and need to be re-authorized - Because we cannot do port forwarding, we cannot connect to all reflectors, but the key ones of interest seem to work just fine. Some folks online have reported a symptom with improper port forwarding where they can link and hear but not be heard. So far I haven't observed that behavior. - Again because of no port forwarding, we won't be able to ssh through into the Pi and thus can't control the Pi remotely. However, we should be able to control by RF (most actions yet to be tested - need to add some more bugs to make sure we do that). And we can probably provide "pull" commands on a web server somewhere to perform the key operations of interest. All of this is resolved once we have "real" Internet.
2016-10-14 15:37:29:
Give it more time to get confidence with Karma
2016-10-18 09:50:29:
Checked out over the air commands. It appears that the predetermined commands work, but not those where we have an opportunity to add the command. Control over RF: RPT1: CTLARJ1 RPT2: CTLARJ2 URCALL: SLEEP - stops dstarrepeater WAKE - starts dstarrepeater REBOOT - supposed to reboot but doesn't STAT1 - supposed to transmit status but doesn't Created a script that tests for a file on the web. If a file called 'cycle' exists the raspberry pi cycles repeater power (hardware to be constructed). If a file called 'reboot' exists, the raspberry pi reboots. This is the theory. In fact, shutdown -r now does not work either from the control script or from a command in dstarrepeater. It does, however, work when typed from the command line. Must be some weird Debian thing. Need to investigate.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1035 | 2016-10-23 | FIXED | Breadboard power control |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Build repeater power control circuitry on solderless breadboard
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 985 | 2016-10-28 | Schedule 2030 install |
2016-09-12 10:30:56:
Schedule a time to move the repeater to 2030
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1036 | 2016-10-28 | Power control PCB |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Design printed circuit board for repeater power control
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1037 | 2016-10-29 | Order power control parts |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Order parts to construct power control circuit
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1038 | 2016-10-30 | Order power control PCB |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Order printed circuit board for repeater power control
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1040 | 2016-11-02 | Receive power control parts |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Receive relays, connectors, etc.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 992 | 2016-11-03 | Make backup SD |
2016-09-11 09:49:16:
Need to create a backup SD card immediately before taking repeater to site
2016-09-12 10:32:15:
Create a backup of the SD card. Moved date to the day before install since this wants to be the LAST thing we do.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1041 | 2016-11-05 | Construct power control circuit |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Assemble the production circuit for the repeater power control
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1039 | 2016-11-10 | Receive power control PCB |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Repeater power control printed circuit boards arrive
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1044 | 2016-11-12 | Package power control |
2016-10-27 09:41:50:
Develop physical packaging for repeater power control circuit
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1042 | 2016-11-15 | Develop short-term firmware |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Design and test firmware for the short term repeater power control, both PIC and Pi
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 993 | 2016-11-18 | Move to 2030 |
2016-09-12 10:54:35:
Install the repeater at the permanent site at 2030 building.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 996 | 2016-12-11 | Test 100 watt amp |
2016-09-12 10:49:37:
Repeater will initially be set for 20 watts. It is unknown at this time whether the addition of an external amplifier will result in excess desense. After the repeater is at the site, an amp will be tested for coverage.
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1045 | 2016-12-15 | Get proper Internet |
2016-10-27 09:45:47:
Get more flexible Internet at repeater site than Karma
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1043 | 2016-12-20 | Develop long term firmware |
2016-10-27 09:41:49:
Develop firmware for repeater power control after competent Internet available
| ID | Estimate | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1046 | 2016-12-31 | Test long term power control |
2016-10-27 17:03:21:
Test power control with "proper" Internet.
Power Control
With the better understanding of the Karma WiFi came the realization that some of the control we would like won't be available since we can't connect into the repeater over Internet, only out.
So, we would need some "pull" mechanism for control. Thinking through that made us also recognize that, because the Raspberry Pi is powered by the repeater, removing power from the repeater also removes power from the Pi, meaning that we have no control at all. This is messy especially because it takes time to arrange a physical visit to the site.
It isn't all dark. We have various commands we can perform on the input. And although we can't shut the repeater down, we can make it stop repeating which is almost as good.
However, we have seen the occasional case where we would like to cycle the power on the repeater. That will take some external logic since when the power is off there is nothing available to turn in back on. Even after we get "real" Internet, we still have the issue of loosing control when we cycle power.
We have concluded that a small controller would do the job. When the Pi sends a signal to the controller, it would wait long enough for the Pi to shutdown cleanly, then remove power for a while, perhaps 15 seconds or so, then re-apply power.
Another approach would be to have a second Pi or similar box that could handle the sequencing but have separate power from the repeater. The first approach looked simpler.
The power controller would be fairly simple; a couple of relays for the power, a transistor to drive the relay, and a PIC to receive the signal from the Pi and operate the relay. The PIC I selected is overkill for the task, but it is still inexpensive and was a 3 volt PIC I had several of in the parts drawer. (The Pi is a 3 volt device, and although 5 volts is needed for the relay, it is simpler to drive a transistor with a 3 volt PIC than it is to level shift the input.)
The circuitry has been breadboarded and tested. It remains now to lay out the printed circuit board, order the parts and PCB, and assemble the production version.
I have added the appropriate tasks to the bug list. I find it helpful when doing things like this to be very granular, so there are a lot of extra bubbles on the map, but most are short or involve no effort (e.g. wait for PCBs).
The detailed list, including the completed items, will come in a later post.
Not shown here, nor in the to-do list, is the possibility of constructing a parallel controller for the W8QN repeater, run off the same Pi. There are available output pins.
So, we would need some "pull" mechanism for control. Thinking through that made us also recognize that, because the Raspberry Pi is powered by the repeater, removing power from the repeater also removes power from the Pi, meaning that we have no control at all. This is messy especially because it takes time to arrange a physical visit to the site.
It isn't all dark. We have various commands we can perform on the input. And although we can't shut the repeater down, we can make it stop repeating which is almost as good.
However, we have seen the occasional case where we would like to cycle the power on the repeater. That will take some external logic since when the power is off there is nothing available to turn in back on. Even after we get "real" Internet, we still have the issue of loosing control when we cycle power.
We have concluded that a small controller would do the job. When the Pi sends a signal to the controller, it would wait long enough for the Pi to shutdown cleanly, then remove power for a while, perhaps 15 seconds or so, then re-apply power.
 |
| Block Diagram |
The power controller would be fairly simple; a couple of relays for the power, a transistor to drive the relay, and a PIC to receive the signal from the Pi and operate the relay. The PIC I selected is overkill for the task, but it is still inexpensive and was a 3 volt PIC I had several of in the parts drawer. (The Pi is a 3 volt device, and although 5 volts is needed for the relay, it is simpler to drive a transistor with a 3 volt PIC than it is to level shift the input.)
 |
| Schematic |
The circuitry has been breadboarded and tested. It remains now to lay out the printed circuit board, order the parts and PCB, and assemble the production version.
I have added the appropriate tasks to the bug list. I find it helpful when doing things like this to be very granular, so there are a lot of extra bubbles on the map, but most are short or involve no effort (e.g. wait for PCBs).
The detailed list, including the completed items, will come in a later post.
Not shown here, nor in the to-do list, is the possibility of constructing a parallel controller for the W8QN repeater, run off the same Pi. There are available output pins.
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