[arm-allstar] Update version 1.3 BBB/RPi2 now in testing (Doug Crompton)

mitch clifford vk6fmll at aussietalk.net
Mon Jan 11 00:51:22 EST 2016


Hi Doug and the group
I do agree with you about the FOB mod being a more elegant and for some, a
easy solution - I personally have been doing it for years
But the problem is the days where affordable modifiable CM108/CM119 usb FOBs
being available are nearly long gone...
For the past 6 months I have not received 1 out of 30 FOBs purchased online
that did not have the dreaded BLOB.
just 1 month ago I was in Hong Kong so I took the time out to search my old
known suppliers and again came away 
With only 2 usable FOBs so it's getting to be slim pickings for some of us
:)

if you have a direct source of the $3.00 modifiable FOB's let me know and I
will buy a heap now because I used the link to bargaincableusa and they sold
me 2 in the last month and both where BLOBs (bugger)
cheers
Mitch



 



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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2016 23:35:07 -0500
From: Doug Crompton <doug at crompton.com>
To: ARM Allstar <arm-allstar at hamvoip.org>
Subject: Re: [arm-allstar] Update version 1.3 BBB/RPi2 now in testing
Message-ID: <BLU171-W89F4961E5107DB5C2998C9BAC90 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Pierre,

   Have you looked at the simpleusb FOB  mod on the web site? The method of
threading the wire under the pins and bending over the stripped end and
tacking is SO easy. That is the ONLY surface mount soldering you have to do
and I would not call that surface mount soldering but rather soldering to a
surface mount pin. I invite anyone to get the proper materials and tools and
try it. It takes but a second to tack the wire on. Get a board ($3) and
practice!

As far as external control, the GPIO pins on the main board are good for
that. Depending on what you want to control you can use very inexpensive
relay  boards designed to connect directly to the GPIO or a USB GPIO
interface. Both ways are described on the hamvoip.org web page in the how-to
section. 

73 Doug
WA3DSP
http://www.crompton.com/hamradio


Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2016 20:01:28 -0500
From: petem001 at gmail.com
To: arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
Subject: Re: [arm-allstar] Update version 1.3 BBB/RPi2 now in testing

I do understand that we need to be carefull with the gpio cause when they
are gone they are gone for good. but you have to understand that soldering
on those small pins are not for everyone..  I have a few friends that are
waiting to jump in when the gpio will work cause they dont have the skill to
solder those pin and no one around to do it. for them..

On the other end, It will cost a bit more to work a nice circuit on the
gpio, but all can be done with normal componant ( non surface mount) on a
small pcb where we could have nice connector for wiring that goes to the
radio's they could already be choice for high or low squelch input. and othe
such thing.. 

One other thing could be the use of a way to have a serial connection with
pin 8 and 10 on the header that could be used for control of a remote base..
(wishfull thinking) ;-) 

so someone could design a nive pcb with all those option and this would be
very fun to work with!

Pierre
VE2PF





2016-01-10 18:59 GMT-05:00 Doug Crompton <doug at crompton.com>:



Perre,

  Not promising anything but yes they might be. But be aware - I have said
this many times before - the job of modifying a FOB and the interface
circuitry involved is little more than what you would have to do to use the
main board GPIO. You would still need to build the same interface circuitry.
The only thing you would not have to do is solder a few wires on the FOB. 

I really wish I could get people to understand how ridiculously easy that is
and how the GPIO method is not just connect a couple of wires up to pins. It
is much safer and cleaner to work on a $3 FOB then to build circuitry and
run wires to GPIO on the main board. You can buy a dozen FOBS for $24 - less
than the cost of one RPI2 board. Practice on a couple, if you blow them up
throw them in the trash and start over, no big loss.

I realize there are some hams due to disability, eyesight, etc. who would
not be able to do the modification but in that case I doubt you would be
able to build the required interface to the main board GPIO either. Most
hams know other hams. Ask someone to help you.

The simple FOB modification is at the hamvoip.org web page.

73 Doug
WA3DSP
http://www.crompton.com/hamradio


Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2016 17:57:05 -0500
From: petem001 at gmail.com
To: arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
Subject: Re: [arm-allstar] Update version 1.3 BBB/RPi2 now in testing

Will the hardware headers will be available with that release ?? (the i/o
pin on both the BBB and rpi) so that we could use a simple dongle without
mods and input/and outpu connection could be driven directly to the embeded
device?



2016-01-09 14:44 GMT-05:00 Doug Crompton <doug at crompton.com>:






I am pleased to announce that version 1.3 of the BBB and RPi2 images are now
in Alpha testing. The 1.3 versions will bring the BBB and RPi2 to the same
level of updates and code capability. This update will also mark a split in
the code. The 1.x versions will continue with maintenance updates as needed
but a new 2.x version will be appearing in 2016. The 2.x versions will mark
a very significant branch from the current code including a completely
different code concept and many new features and capabilities. More on that
will be coming out soon. The 1.x versions are considered stable and will be
supported into the future during transition to the 2.x code. Here is a list
of significant changes for version 1.3 -

Both the BBB and RPi2 have been updated to 4.x kernels and all associated
software has been updated.

New app_rpt.c changes:
 
 - Removed obsolete uchameleon code (about 2500 lines).
      
      This is obsolete hardware.

 - Added COS timeout, with COS flap suppression (new rx_timeout, rx_cosflap
rpt.conf parameters)

      This is an attempt at eliminating single node hangups of connected
networks. Often a single node,
      due to radio or interface failure, can cause a COS hangup tying up an
entire network. If the timeout
      is set COS is monitored and the indication of asserted COS to the
network is dropped if the time is
      exceeded. The COS timeout is set in the same way as a TX timeout. The
COS unasserted indication to
      the network will remain until the hardware COS is cleared. COSFLAP can
also be set and will attempt
      to catch conditions where a squelch is "flapping" by not resetting the
timer during this condition and
      allowing the timeout period to proceed. 

 - Added telemetry gain levels (new telemnomdb rpt.conf parameter)

     This will allow a level adjustment of telemetry (connect, disconnect,
etc.) messages. The level 
     change is in dB like the Echolink level adjustments. This will
eliminate the need to change the
     level of audio files. 

 - Added telemetry ducking (AKA: Allison ducking) (new telemduckdb rpt.conf
parameter)

    This optionally reduces telemetry levels when a voice signal is present.


 - Changed tx timeout variable name from totime to tx_timeout (the old
variable is deprecated,
    but still works after printing a console warning)
 
    This was done to avoid the confusion between TX and RX timeouts. TX
timeout is applied only
    to the local transmitter. It is often in addition to a TX timeout that
is set at a longer time in the
    radio itself ensuring double protection for a hung transmitter. The RX
timeout, added in this
    update, would normally be set slightly longer than the TX timeout to
offer the same protection 
    to the network from a COS hardware failure. 
      
New core Asterisk changes:

- Removed need to recompile to enable/disable RADIO_RELAX

   This command when on reduces the DTMF decode requirements but can also
cause DTMF "Falsing"
   RADIO _RELAX is OFF by default and has been in ALL BBB and RPi2 compiles.
This command
   previously required a menuselect change and recompile to enable. It is
now added as a runtime
   option in the simpleusb.conf and usbradio.conf files.

   IMPORTANT NOTE - this command should be used with caution and NEVER used
indiscriminately.
   It loosens the  DTMF decoding requirements but also can cause voice
"falsing" which can severely
   effect the audio. The "falsing" causes muting that sounds like dropouts.
In 99.9% of cases you do
   not need to enable this command. Proper pre/de-emphasis and level
settings solve most all DTMF 
   problems and should always be the first thing tried. I have run with this
off in all the time I have
   used Allstar and never had a problem. In all but one case so far, that I
know of, using the
   BBB/RPi2 images DTMF issues have been solved with proper settings. So be
aware that this
   command can potentially cause as many problems as it might solve. 

 New chan_simpleusb.c changes:

 - Added code to resolve annoying variable transmitted audio delay

   This has plagued simpleusb on all platforms since it was added to the
ACID code. It is more prevalent
   on the small boards and especially the RPi2.  The symptoms generally only
appear when Allstar
   is used on a repeater. A user would hear their own voice for a few
syllables or a word after
   unkeying. This update totally fixes the problem and the delay through the
system is now constant
   and short in length.   

   The delay elimination update has been in beta testing on several
repeaters for the last month 
   with excellent results.

Other updates

 - Cleaned up all compiler warnings. in app_rpt.c and chan_simpleusb both
now compile cleanly,
   no warnings at all.  Added flags to allow compiles using new gcc for new
and old versions of the
   code

 - The weather scripts are updated to "work around" the loss of Google
voice.

 - With the kernel update the BBB now has GPIO capability for external
control like the RPi2. 

While these are the significant changes in 1.3 there are other programs and
scripts added and updated.
There may be more options added and further updates before the release date
and a complete listing will be available at that time.

Many thanks to Dave, KB4FXC and Chris, W0ANM for these updates.

I am hoping we can move this to distribution by the end of January early
February time frame.

73, Doug
WA3DSP



 		 	   		  

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