Notes on Soundmodem - Revision history

Sitwon: /* R60/UV-5R */

2013-06-19T04:54:12Z

R60/UV-5R

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:54, 19 June 2013
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	My alsamixer settings were:		My alsamixer settings were:
	Master=49		* Master=49
	PCM=51		* PCM=51
	Mic=75		* Mic=75
	Mic Boost=22		* Mic Boost=22
	And make sure the Mic is muted but enabled.		* And make sure the Mic is muted but enabled.
			* Also, the volume knob on my radio was turned to about 80%

	When you've gotten the packet loss as low as you can, you can try starting up some connections. I tried FTP and it was slow but it worked. You can also try to use kissparms to fine-tune some of the settings, but I'm not entirely sure how best to do that fine-tuning.		When you've gotten the packet loss as low as you can, you can try starting up some connections. I tried FTP and it was slow but it worked. You can also try to use kissparms to fine-tune some of the settings, but I'm not entirely sure how best to do that fine-tuning.

173.79.66.181: /* R60/UV-5R */

2013-06-19T04:50:14Z

R60/UV-5R

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:50, 19 June 2013
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	Now you're almost ready to go. The last thing to do is to adjust your audio levels. The way I did it was to start listen (as described in the section on debugging) on both computers, generate some traffic with ping, and adjust the audio levels with alsamixer until both computers could hear and respond to each other's traffic. (Make sure your firewall is off!)		Now you're almost ready to go. The last thing to do is to adjust your audio levels. The way I did it was to start listen (as described in the section on debugging) on both computers, generate some traffic with ping, and adjust the audio levels with alsamixer until both computers could hear and respond to each other's traffic. (Make sure your firewall is off!)

			My alsamixer settings were:
			Master=49
			PCM=51
			Mic=75
			Mic Boost=22
			And make sure the Mic is muted but enabled.

	When you've gotten the packet loss as low as you can, you can try starting up some connections. I tried FTP and it was slow but it worked. You can also try to use kissparms to fine-tune some of the settings, but I'm not entirely sure how best to do that fine-tuning.		When you've gotten the packet loss as low as you can, you can try starting up some connections. I tried FTP and it was slow but it worked. You can also try to use kissparms to fine-tune some of the settings, but I'm not entirely sure how best to do that fine-tuning.

173.79.66.181: /* R60/UV-5R */

2013-06-19T04:46:34Z

R60/UV-5R

@@ Line 198: / Line 198: @@
 The second system I used was a ThinkPad R60 running Slackware64-current connected to a Baofeng UV-5R. In this case, I used soundmodem and a pair of audio cables to connect it. The UV-5R was just connected directly to the sound card, no PTT circuit. The PTT is triggered by VOX, so in the menu of the UV-5R set VOX to 1. Run soundmodemconfig (as root) to setup the device with the following settings:
-''insert settings here''
+# If you don't see 'default' listed in the left window, go to File->New->Configuration and create a configuration named 'default'.
 Set up your `/etc/ax25/axports` file the same as above. Then, start soundmodem by running `sudo soundmodem /etc/ax25/soundmodem.conf`. Finally, run kissattach, the same as above, but with a different IP address and pointing to the soundmodem device.

Sitwon at 04:33, 19 June 2013

2013-06-19T04:33:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:33, 19 June 2013
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	By using soundmodem we'll be setting up an AX.25 network interface that, insofar as we're concerned, acts just like an ethernet interface (just crazy slow, 9600bps at best 1200bps likely). We can use ifconfig, route, and ip to configure it, IPtables to filter traffic, and /proc/net/ipv4/* to tweak it (and set up packet forwarding). IPv6 is not currently supported on AX.25 in the linux kernel (~v3.8.x).		By using soundmodem we'll be setting up an AX.25 network interface that, insofar as we're concerned, acts just like an ethernet interface (just crazy slow, 9600bps at best 1200bps likely). We can use ifconfig, route, and ip to configure it, IPtables to filter traffic, and /proc/net/ipv4/* to tweak it (and set up packet forwarding). IPv6 is not currently supported on AX.25 in the linux kernel (~v3.8.x).

			= Successful connection achieved on 2013-06-8 =

			I was able to connect two of my laptops together and get them pinging each other and transferring files over FTP. Here are some notes on how I accomplished it. [[User:Sitwon\|Sitwon]] ([[User talk:Sitwon\|talk]]) 21:33, 18 June 2013 (PDT)

			== T520/TH-D72 ==

			The first system was the easiest. A ThinkPad T520 running Slackware64-current connected to a Kenwood TH-D72. The TH-D72 has a built-in TNC. To get it up and running you need to edit `/etc/ax25/axports` to define a port, such as:
			<pre>ax0 CALLSIGN 9600 255 2 your comment here</pre>

			Next, turn on the radio, set it to the desired frequency, turn on the TNC to packet12, and connect it via USB. It should register as /dev/ttyUSB0 or similar. Using minicom issue the following commands to the serial device.
			<pre>kiss on
			restart</pre>

			Then exit minicom and bring up the interface with kissattach: `sudo /usr/sbin/kissattach /dev/ttyUSB0 ax0 44.x.y.z` supplying your own (valid) IP address at the end. It will bring up the interface. Now you're done with this computer.

			== R60/UV-5R ==

			The second system I used was a ThinkPad R60 running Slackware64-current connected to a Baofeng UV-5R. In this case, I used soundmodem and a pair of audio cables to connect it. The UV-5R was just connected directly to the sound card, no PTT circuit. The PTT is triggered by VOX, so in the menu of the UV-5R set VOX to 1. Run soundmodemconfig (as root) to setup the device with the following settings:

			''insert settings here''

			Set up your `/etc/ax25/axports` file the same as above. Then, start soundmodem by running `sudo soundmodem /etc/ax25/soundmodem.conf`. Finally, run kissattach, the same as above, but with a different IP address and pointing to the soundmodem device.

			Now you're almost ready to go. The last thing to do is to adjust your audio levels. The way I did it was to start listen (as described in the section on debugging) on both computers, generate some traffic with ping, and adjust the audio levels with alsamixer until both computers could hear and respond to each other's traffic. (Make sure your firewall is off!)

			When you've gotten the packet loss as low as you can, you can try starting up some connections. I tried FTP and it was slow but it worked. You can also try to use kissparms to fine-tune some of the settings, but I'm not entirely sure how best to do that fine-tuning.

			Expect the connection to be very slow.

	= Other resources =		= Other resources =

Sitwon at 04:10, 19 June 2013

2013-06-19T04:10:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:10, 19 June 2013
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	v0.18 is the latest (as of June 2013), I recommend using that. It now only depends on two things, audiofile and gtk2.		v0.18 is the latest (as of June 2013), I recommend using that. It now only depends on two things, audiofile and gtk2.

	Soundmodem will either turn your soundcard into a KISS radiomodem (serial modem) or an AX.25 network interface. We're going to be using it to create AX.25 network interfaces (/sm[0-9]/ or /ax[0-9]/).		Soundmodem will either turn your soundcard into a KISS radiomodem (serial modem) or an AX.25 network interface. <strike>We're going to be using it to create AX.25 network interfaces (/sm[0-9]/ or /ax[0-9]/).</strike> It seems to work best if we put it into KISS mode and use kissattach to bring up the device.

	= Installation =		= Installation =

Sitwon: /* Audio settings */

2013-06-19T04:08:04Z

Audio settings

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:08, 19 June 2013
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	We also suggest setting the volume to between 60% and 100%.		We also suggest setting the volume to between 60% and 100%.

			:Seems to me like these settings are radio/soundcard specific. YMMV. [[User:Sitwon\|Sitwon]] ([[User talk:Sitwon\|talk]]) 21:08, 18 June 2013 (PDT)

	= Theory =		= Theory =

113.252.188.80: /* Apt-Get: Ubuntu Lucid and Up */ Add Debian

2013-06-14T14:35:25Z

Apt-Get: Ubuntu Lucid and Up: Add Debian

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:35, 14 June 2013
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	Configure it by running (as root) /usr/local/bin/soundmodemconfig. It will open a window on your desktop with nothing in it. Click File, New, Configuration. Give your configuration a name (I used 'sm0').		Configure it by running (as root) /usr/local/bin/soundmodemconfig. It will open a window on your desktop with nothing in it. Click File, New, Configuration. Give your configuration a name (I used 'sm0').

	== ~~Apt~~-~~Get~~: Ubuntu ~~Lucid and Up~~ ==		== apt-get: Debian and Ubuntu ==
	Gets you version 0.13 on Lucid, ~~and~~ 0.15 on Maverick and Natty
			;Debian
			: Gets you version 0.10 on Lenny, 0.15 on Squeeze (6.0), 0.16 on Wheezy (7.0), and 0.18 on Jessie (testing) and Sid.
			;Ubuntu
			: Gets you version 0.13 on Lucid, 0.15 on Maverick and Natty, 0.16 on Precise (12.04) and Quantal (12.10), and 0.18 on Raring (13.04).

	As root do the following		As root do the following
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	apt-get install soundmodem		apt-get install soundmodem
	mkdir /etc/ax25		mkdir /etc/ax25
	soundmodemconfig /etc/ax25/soundmodem.conf #see below for configs		soundmodemconfig /etc/ax25/soundmodem.conf # see below for configs
	soundmodem /etc/ax25/soundmodem.conf -R -M >/dev/null 2>/dev/null& #this makes an awful noise when it works		soundmodem /etc/ax25/soundmodem.conf -R -M >/dev/null 2>/dev/null & # this makes an awful noise when it works
	</pre>		</pre>

Drwho at 00:47, 11 June 2013

2013-06-11T00:47:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:47, 11 June 2013
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	= Configuration =		= Configuration =
	== IO Tab ==		== IO Tab ==
	On the I/O tab, choose your sound driver (out of soundcard, file, simulation, and alsa, I picked alsa). You'll have to play around with the value of the ALSA Audio Driver field to get one that works. On Windbringer, I used plughw:0,0. Check half duplex for now. Leave the Capture Channel field set to 'mono'. ~~I don't know what to set~~ the PTT Driver field ~~to yet, so I left it set~~ to 'none'~~. My radios do~~ VOX ~~so I've been experimenting with that~~.		On the I/O tab, choose your sound driver (out of soundcard, file, simulation, and alsa, I picked alsa). You'll have to play around with the value of the ALSA Audio Driver field to get one that works. On Windbringer, I used plughw:0,0. Check half duplex for now. Leave the Capture Channel field set to 'mono'. Set the PTT Driver field to 'none' so Soundmodem will assume VOX.

	Haxwithaxe, Dan, and Mirage are working on PTT circuits for our radios. It hasn't been an easy process because the Baofengs seem to kick out just enough EMI to make the circuits act weird as-is. We have a few [https://drwho.virtadpt.net/archive/2013/05/31/project-byzantium-milestone-three-in-progress partial solutions] at this time.		Haxwithaxe, Dan, and Mirage are working on PTT circuits for our radios. It hasn't been an easy process because the Baofengs seem to kick out just enough EMI to make the circuits act weird as-is. We have a few [https://drwho.virtadpt.net/archive/2013/05/31/project-byzantium-milestone-three-in-progress partial solutions] at this time.
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	=== Audio settings ===		=== Audio settings ===
	From alsamixer:		From alsamixer:
	* Master: 13		* Master: 100
	* Headphone: 100		* Headphone: 100
	* Speaker: 94		* Speaker: 55
	* PCM: 76		* PCM: 55
	* Mic: 37		* Mic: 55
	* Mic Boost: 0		* Mic Boost: 0

			If these settings are any more quiet, the radios' PTT circuits won't trip.

			We also suggest setting the volume to between 60% and 100%.

	= Theory =		= Theory =

Drwho: /* Diagnostics, Testing, and Configuration */

2013-06-10T17:26:13Z

Diagnostics, Testing, and Configuration

@@ Line 100: / Line 100: @@
 As root:
-Note: you can connect two computers mic->headset to help check things are working before they hit the radio. ping and netcat (with -u option) are decent options for quick checks on rough sanity (the config not you :P). Keep the volume low at first to avoid accidental overload of the other machine.
+Note: you can connect two computers mic->headset to help check things are working before they hit the radio. ping and netcat (with -u option) are decent options for quick checks on rough sanity (the config not you :P).  Here's how we did it:
 Here's where you debug your configuration.  It's going to take some flipping back and forth between tabs to get right the first time.

Haxwithaxe: /* Other resources */

2013-06-10T14:45:44Z

Other resources

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:45, 10 June 2013
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	**Has some notes on how to tune your laptop's sound levels for optimal operation.		**Has some notes on how to tune your laptop's sound levels for optimal operation.
	*[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Amateur_Radio Amateur radio nodes] in the [https://wiki.archlinux.org/ Arch Linux wiki]		*[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Amateur_Radio Amateur radio nodes] in the [https://wiki.archlinux.org/ Arch Linux wiki]
			* Alternatives
			** hardware [[HAM_TNC\|TNC]]