CHIRP – Open source programming of your amateur radio

Cross post with Radio W4OTN blog

CHIRP

In the past I’ve been frustrated by a lack of Linux-supported software for programming my amateur radios.  Sure, the Kenwood software that they gave you to use would kinda work under Wine but it’s Wine and who wants to operate under that?  Last year I discovered a project that aimed to solve my problem.  CHIRP is an open source alternative to other pieces of software that allow you to program your radios.  Supporting many of the current radio models, this software allows you to create your channel list and then use that on every radio you own.

Last year when I tried the software it wouldn’t program frequencies in the 70-cm band correctly.  That bug has been fixed and many features added as well.  There are even static lists of frequencies one might want to include on their radio including the FRS channels, 60m channels, NOAA weather radio channels, and others.  The software even interfaces with online frequency repositories making it easy to program repeaters into your radio when you are traveling to a new area.

The software is available for Linux, Mac, and Windows and is currently available in the Fedora software repositories (sudo yum install chirp).

New version of CQRLOG available for testing in Fedora

Version 1.5.2 of CQRLOG was released, today, and I have submitted the new version into the Fedora repos for testing.  I’d appreciate anyone using this package to test out, and provide karma for, this update.

• Fedora 17 package
• Fedora 18 package
• Fedora rawhide should already be available

CQRLOG now in Fedora

CQRLOG, touted as the world’s best Linux logging program for amateur radio operators, is now in Fedora!  I’ve used CQRLOG for a couple of years and truly love this program.  It does almost everything I’ve ever wanted a piece of logging software to do including manage all your contacts, send and receive LOTW contacts using TrustedQSL, maintain a stats on major awards like DXCC, and even provides a window to a DXCluster.

CQRLOG has been pushed to Fedora 17, 18, and rawhide.  Fedora 17 and Fedora 18 versions are awaiting karma in Bodhi before being released into the wild.  If you have time and an interest in this software please test these builds and provide karma.

Amateur Radio at FUDCon Blacksburg

If any amateur radio operators are planning on being at FUDCon Blacksburg next week I’ll be monitoring 146.535MHz 146.520MHz and 144.390MHz (APRS) during the event.  Give me a shout (W4OTN).

Update 111953Z: Ham operators going to FUDcon Blacksburg should annotate this on the wiki.

Update 041930Z: Local Blacksburg repeater is 146.715MHz.

Fedora’s Amateur Radio Guide

Cross posting to Radio W4OTN blog.

Earlier today John WB8RCR and I released the Fedora Amateur Radio Guide.  Depicting many of the programs available in Fedora’s repositories, these free and open source software packages provides many tools to turn any amateur radio operator into a truly geeky operator.

John did a wonderful job putting together the guide to include twenty-one software packages.  And while there is still work to do we wanted to get it out the door now so that Fedora users could take advantage of what was complete.  We hope you find it useful!

Linux client for packet radio

Anyone know of a good packet radio client for Linux?  I’ve been using minicom to connect to my modem and then interfacing but I’d like something prettier.

Sparks’ Fedora Project Journal by Eric H Christensen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Amateur Radio in January’s LINUX Journal

I just received the January 2010 issue of LINUX Journal and was surprised to see a penguin with headphones, a microphone, and a amateur radio callsign!  Awesome!  There is a four page article which starts to show the relationship between open source software and amateur radio and how one can benefit from the other.  There are so many options for amateur radio operators within the Linux community and the price is definitely right…  free!

Sparks’ Fedora Project Journal by Eric H Christensen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Amateur Radio in next month’s Linux Journal

I just pulled down the December version of Linux Journal a couple of minutes ago.  I made it all the way to page 4 and read that next month’s issue would be on Amateur Radio (or at least some portion there of).  I’m excited to see that Amateur Radio and Open Source has been written about together because they do share so many similarities.  Amateur radio operators used to build all their equipment and help mentor each other on developing better communications stations.  Open source software is very similar to that.  While I might not build my transceivers, I do still build many of my antennas which is something I enjoy.  Amateur radio operators, also like OSS developers, are in it to help people and have some fun in the mean time.  Yep, Amateur Radio and OSS… a match made in heaven.

Back but not ready for Monday

I got back from Cary, NC last night around 6:30P. It was an exciting but extremely exhausting weekend. The Tour de Cure went off with only a few minor problems but none really related to the communications operation (which is what I’m in charge of). I was pretty excited when I couple of people stuck their head in to say “hi” to have them pause and say “wow, are you running Fedora?”. Yep, we Fedorians are all over the place.

Someone outside the race wanted to know how I was using Fedora during this event. Amateur radio provides the communications between all the rest stops along the route (100 miles each day) and between the Support-and-Gear vehicles (SAGs). We relay position reports of where riders are, provide that initial emergency support, and handle logistics. There is a system in the amateur radio world called APRS (Automatic Position/Packet Reporting System) which transmits the position of the SAGs and also allows messaging. Thanks to the Amateur Radio SIG, many useful pieces of software have been packaged for Fedora. Xastir is my top pick for APRS. So with Xastir running on Fedora (a perfect match) I’m able to actually see where the SAGs are and comunicate with them via typed message, both of which reduces voice communications and improves efficiency.

So with another event under my belt I have a couple of months before the “Ride Without Limits” is upon us. This time a figure-8 in the Wake Forest area. Maybe I’ll remember that I should probably stay in NC for an extra day to help myself recover. Alas, I didn’t do that this time and I have to get ready to head in for a 9AM meeting.

ADA Tour de Cure this weekend.

I’ll be leaving around noon tomorrow (EDT) for Raleigh, NC. This is the weekend for the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure of which I’ve volunteered for via Carolina Helping Hams for going on ten years now. This is an excellent event where bicyclists ride either 80 or 100 miles on Saturday and roughly the same on Sunday all in an effort to raise money to help researchers do what they need to do to get rid of this horrible disease. Diabetes hits really close to home as my Dad had it and my sister-in-law has it so I’d like nothing more than to find a cure.

I’ve loaded up my Fedora laptop with some open-source goodness that will help me manage all the resources I’ll be managing coordinating during the event. Now all I have to do is hope for sunny skies and no rain!