update draft post (packet radio...)

content/posts/2024/packetradio-vara-mobilinkd-and-digirig-on-linux/index.md

@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 ---
-title: Packet radio, VARA (FM+HF), Mobilinkd and Digirig on Linux
+title: Packet radio, VARA (FM+HF), Mobilinkd, Digirig and the SignalinkUSB on Linux
 summary: >
-  
+  Some basic configuration of my HF and VHF/UHF rigs to participate in the
+  Winlink world...
 date: 2024-02-13T22:05:30+01:00
-lastmod: 2024-03-12T05:03:59+0000
+lastmod: 2024-03-23T18:47:43+0000
 categories:
 - amateur-radio
-- computerstuff
 tags:
-- draft_post
+- packet radio
+- vara fm
+- vara hf
 
 # showBreadcrumbs: true
 # showDate: false
@@ -41,6 +43,13 @@ I guess.
 I've been using a Surface 2 Go for some time (well, a really short time) but ditched it again
 because I wasn't really satisfied with its performance.
 
+There are several different devices and software solutions to send winlink messages and I
+won't cover all of them. The following examples exist because I own the necessary devices
+and I already have the software to work with them.
+
+_I would choose the Digirig as my favourite device because it just works every time and it
+also provides a USB soundcard to the computer (like the Signalink)._
+
 ## Digirig
 
 The Digirig gets controlled with `rigctld` -- I use different models for the
@@ -55,11 +64,18 @@ HF and the FM rig -- but the rig configuration is the same for both:
   },
 ~~~
 
+That part of the pat configuration makes sure that pat can transmit with the radio.
+
 ### Packet radio
 
 Using <kbd>AX.25+agwpe</kbd> within pat in combination with Direwolf -- but
 this combination felt a bit slow (which might only be my subjective opinion).
 
+Someone might want to tune direwolf for better throughput or more reliable connections,
+but I'm not a direwolf expert and I rarely use it in favour of VARA FM.
+
+Besides that, I never used packetradio on HF yet. (300bps)
+
 ~~~json
   "ax25": {
     "engine": "linux",
@@ -110,6 +126,8 @@ with the program `alsamixer` (<kbd>F6</kbd> to select the USB soundcard,
 then <kbd>F5</kbd> to list all devices, disable _Auto Gain Control_ with <kbd>m</kbd>
 (mute)).
 
+Direwolf handles the PTT via the RTS line of the Digirig.
+
 ### VARA FM
 
 The corresponding configuratoin in the pat config file:
@@ -167,14 +185,20 @@ Back to the TX-500, the pat configuration looks like:
 I start rigctld like:
 
 ~~~console
-$ rigctld -m 2014 -r /dev/ttyUSB0 -d /dev/ttyUSB0 -p /dev/ttyUSB0 -P RTS -s 9600 -vvvv
+$ rigctld -m 2050 -r /dev/ttyUSB0 -d /dev/ttyUSB0 -p /dev/ttyUSB0 -P RTS -s 9600 -vvv
 ~~~
 
-Untested, untested...
+This is for the CAT protocol <kbd>Lab599</kbd>. If you use the older implementation
+(<kbd>Kenwood TS-2000</kbd>) start rigctl with the proper model:
 
+~~~console
+$ rigctld -m 2014 -r /dev/ttyUSB0 -d /dev/ttyUSB0 -p /dev/ttyUSB0 -P RTS -s 9600 -vvv
+~~~
 
 ## Mobilinkd
 
+The Mobilinkd TNC4 is a KISS TNC and does not provide a USB soundcard.
+
 I will use <kbd>AX.25+linux</kbd> in pat with the TNC4 paired via Bluetooth.
 
 First of all, power on the TNC4 and pair it -- I use _blueman-manager_ for this.
@@ -232,6 +256,11 @@ To de-attach the KISS interface we need to kill the process by:
 $ sudo kill $(pgrep kissattach)
 ~~~
 
+## Signalink USB
+
+I haven't used this now for a while, but I wanted to include this in this list,
+as it provides a USB soundcard to the computer just like the Digirig does.
+
 ## Some systemd unit-file examples
 
 Put them into `$HOME/.config/systemd/user`. I created them at the
@@ -240,8 +269,7 @@ start the webgui at boot - the other stuff I start with scripts or
 I search the command history (autocomplete) in my shell.
 
 I don't even let pat listen to something because this is my main laptop
-and I like the services started in a terminal window where I actually can
-see some output when running.
+and I like the services started in a terminal window.
 
 ### pat
 
@@ -270,7 +298,7 @@ Before=pat.service ardopc.service
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
-; -m 2005 for Lab500 TX-500 CAT protocol
+; -m 2050 for Lab599 TX-500 CAT protocol
 ; ExecStart=/usr/bin/rigctld -m 2050 -r /dev/ttyUSB0 -p /dev/ttyUSB0 -P RTS -s 9600 -vvvv
 ; -m 2014 for Kenwood TS-2000 CAT protocol
 ; ExecStart=/usr/bin/rigctld -m 2014 -r /dev/ttyUSB0 -p /dev/ttyUSB0 -P RTS -s 9600 -vvvv
@@ -281,7 +309,7 @@ TimeoutSec=10
 WantedBy=default.target
 ~~~
 
-You can change the used protocol (_Kenwood TS-200_ or _Lab599 TX-500_l for CAT control within
+You can change the used protocol (<kbd>Kenwood TS-2000</kbd> or <kbd>Lab599 TX-500</kbd> for CAT control within
 the menu on the TX-500 (last menu setting)).
 
 ### ardopc
@@ -302,3 +330,79 @@ TimeoutSec=10
 WantedBy=default.target
 ~~~
 
+Maybe `hw:…` works better, but I had less trouble when using `plughw:…`.
+
+## Decoding other stations
+
+### APRS
+
+#### With direwolf
+
+This also sends a beacon and the received stations to APRS-IS. You can watch it on
+<https://aprs.fi>.
+
+~~~console
+$ rtl_fm -M fm -f 144.8M -p 36 -s 24000 -g 42 - | direwolf -c sdr-1200bps.conf -r 24000 -D 1 -B 1200 -
+~~~
+
+The direwolf configuration:
+
+~~~squid
+ACHANNELS 1
+ADEVICE null null
+CHANNEL 0
+
+MYCALL {callsign}
+IGLOGIN {callsign} {passcode}
+IGSERVER rotate.aprs2.net
+
+MODEM 1200
+
+AGWPORT 8000
+KISSPORT 8001
+
+PBEACON sendto=IG delay=0:30 every=30:00 symbol="igate" overlay=R lat=X long=Y alt=in_meter comment="144.8MHz Receive-only gateway AFSK 1200bps"
+
+IGTXLIMIT 6 10
+~~~
+
+#### With multimon-ng
+
+~~~console
+$ rtl_fm -f 144.8M -g 42 -s 22050 -l 20 - | multimon-ng -t raw -a AFSK1200 -
+~~~
+
+#### With sdrangel
+
+### Packet radio
+
+#### With direwolf
+
+~~~console
+$ rtl_fm -f 144.950M -M fm -s 200000 -r 32000 -g 35 | direwolf -n 1 -r 32000 -b 16 -t 0 -
+~~~
+
+~~~console
+$ rtl_fm -M fm -f 144.950M -s 22050 | direwolf -n 1 -r 22050 -b 16 - 
+~~~
+
+#### With multimon-ng
+
+#### With sdrangel
+
+### VARA HF
+
+We can only decode with VARA HF in monitor mode.
+
+### POCSAG
+
+#### With direwolf
+
+#### With multimon-ng
+
+~~~console
+$ rtl_fm -M fm -f 438.025M -s 22050 | multimon-ng -t raw -a POCSAG512 -a POCSAG1200 -a POCSAG2400 -a FLEX -f alpha -
+~~~
+
+#### With sdrangel
+