Amateur Radio

[w4ett]

http://www.tapr.org/pr_intro.html

HF Packet runs at 300 baud...quite slow but ok for basic messaging....then there is PSK31, AMTOR, RTTY and Digital Sideband

[perryrt]

I would agree with that, and TAPR is just about the most advanced outfit experimenting with the use of digital transmission and amateur radio.

You might also want to look into a commercial system like SailMail (which is based on PACTOR). However, the bottom line is that - unless you're providing text-only email services - I think you'll be disappointed with the speed.

General rule: lower frequencies = slower speed, higher frequency = higher speeds...but shorter range. (That's actually an oversimplification, but it's a good start.) A decent primer to the issues involved can be found here.

Also, be advised that the modes you may use and the information you can transmit depend on your country and license class (I have no idea where you are in the world) and can lead to a significant deficit in your bank account :^)

[DarkW0lf]

I looked for more info on the kubuntu cd on the leap site but can't find anything.

Is it a LiveCD ? Did they install the available Synaptic packages to the iso ?

I'll download it to check later I am already downloading two other iso's.

[perryrt]

Try this link:

www.leap-cf.org/download/kubuntu-ham-2007-1.iso

and if that doesn't work, pm me and I'll upload it to my personal webspace so you can get it from there.

[DarkW0lf]

No, I can download it (and I have).
What I meant was that all that is posted is just the iso, there is no documentation, project page, or even an email for the person who made it.

Checked it out and had checksum errors on three of the packages.
But loaded fine and the software works, needs a little cleaned up though.
The desktop is cluttered and unless you know what you are looking at, it is a pain to find what you need. It an aesthetic kind of thing, I only think it needs cleaned up and made to look a little prettier, and that pretty good if that is the only complaint (that and xsmith may be the only app I had a glitch with).

[perryrt]

Woops. Sorry, misunderstood your question.

Yeah, I got the impression it was a dupe of someone's personal desktop, actually. The disc physically is a slim-jewel case from CompUSA with a B/W cover page with the Leap web address and the phrase "Kubuntu Linux - Amateur Radio Edition" on it. As I remember, they had set up a demo station (a HF radio and a laptop) and had some real interest going on...hams are known for being ... parsimonious...so a sign saying "FREE AMATEUR RADIO SOFTWARE" went over pretty well

I noticed the checksum problems too....and honestly, I am not using it currently (as I mentioned, I live in an apartment) so can't really advise you there. Plus, I find I just like the GNOME interface better. Personal choice, but there you go.

As for a contact name, I suppose you could try the emails at this page: http://www.leap-cf.org/contactinfo.php3

Unfortunately, they moved the date of the Orlando HamCation (which is where I got the distro last year) from October to February, so it will be a while before I can get a new one or meet the guy/s who made it.

....or I suppose I could haul my lazy butt out of this chair and go to the meeting on Thursday and ask :^)

[DarkW0lf]

The hamfest in my area is next week.
I am going to check out what I can find there and they are having a seminar on software defined radios.

I work with SD amps for those and I am interested in what they are going to show.
I am going to try to catch up with other club members that work on digital and my club now has a Technology Exploration Commitee (TEC )

I think it's TEC doing the seminar.

[hostyorkshire]

Hi, I'm currently setting up a DSTAR repeater here in the UK.

Has anyone had any experience or know anyone who has the D-STAR system running with UBUNTU? Most of the recommended LINUX platforms by Icom are now no longer supported eg redhat9 and fedora.

Thanks

de M3UXC

[w4ett]

Hi, I'm currently setting up a DSTAR repeater here in the UK.

Has anyone had any experience or know anyone who has the D-STAR system running with UBUNTU? Most of the recommended LINUX platforms by Icom are now no longer supported eg redhat9 and fedora.

Thanks

de M3UXC

I would have thought that as long as all the dependencies are satisfied, the D-Star app would run normally given that the kernel modules have not been changer ie: AX.25 and the serial/usb protocols have not been changed in the current kernel. The only difference would be that the application is only available in tar.gz and not .deb for installation purposes.

73 Don

[DarkW0lf]

I was about to suggest http://www.k5tit.org/forums/index.php

But looks like you have already posted there.
TAPR mailing list looks like some people have been talking about it but most are from 2005 or 2006, though there appears to be a YouTube video posted recently.