[arm-allstar] Another IMPORTANT update

[Doug Crompton]

We have placed yet another update in the hamvoip repository today. Please
use the ADMIN menu item 1 to update.

First I would like to dispel some possible misconceptions about updating
the hamvoip code.

- Updating could break something. While we can't say it could never happen
it is highly unlikely and to our knowledge has not happened to date.

- My system is working fine so why update? This is the hardest thing to get
across to users. We do not force updates and there is no requirement to do
so. The BIG downside is you will not benefit from feature enhancements and
bug fixes. We highly recommend that users update.

- I have never updated won't it take forever? Updates are quick! Certainly
lightning quick compared to Windows. There is a screen that warns not to
remove power or interrupt the process. Please wait for for it to finish
which could take up to a minute or so in some cases. It will finish, so
wait!

- My update got interrupted now what should I do? If you don't have a late
July 2017 or after update There could be a stale lock file that can be
manually deleted to correct this. Later updates corrected that problem and
it should not happen again. If your system is not updating due to a stale
lock file do the following at the Linux prompt -  rm -f
/var/lib/pacman/db.lck  - then perform the update again.

- How do I see a list of added features and bug fixes? The file
/etc/allstar_version on your server lists all feature enhancements and bug
fixes in the code up to your latest downloaded version. This is also listed
(and now updated to match the current repository state) at the hamvoip.org
web page in the download section.

Updating like Allstar requires an Internet connection. So if you are
operating "off grid" of the Internet you will have to temporarily gain
access to update. It also, like Allstar, requires a properly functioning
DNS to update.

The latest updates should reflect the following versions when finished
(viewed from the version screen in the ADMIN menu)

Hamvoip Firmware Version - RPi2-3 Version 1.5rc4-4 Allstar - September 19,
2017 - KB4FXC, WA3DSP
Hamvoip Allstar Version - Asterisk
1.4.23-pre.hamvoip-V1.5.3-16-app_rpt-0.327-09/28/2017
Linux Kernel Version - Linux version 4.4.44-1-ARCH (builduser at leming) gcc
version 6.3.1 20170109 (GCC) ) #1 SMP Mon Jan 23 19:01:18 MST 2017

Features added -

- G.729 and G.722 CODECs

     These codecs are for experimentation and have not been offered before
in Allstar.

simpleusb TXCTCSS capability

  This allows a bit on the FOB to reflect RX COS. Useful for implementing a
PL input follows output in a repeater situation. It could also be used to
light an LED on COS true or many other possible ideas. See the howto on the
hamvoip web page or directly here -

https://hamvoip.org/hamradio/arm-allstar/documents/howtos/txctcss_bit_enable_howto.pdf

Distinctive courtesy tones

 The is a really neat new feature that allows you to define courtesy tones
based on node number. So if you were connected to a number of locations you
could define a specific tone, CW character, or audio file that would be
played when that node drops carrier. See the howto on the hamvoip web page
or directly here -

https://hamvoip.org/hamradio/arm-allstar/documents/howtos/distinctive_courtesy_tones_howto.pdf

Core DNS code

 The majority of the DNS lookup code is in this update but not quite yet
implemented as it is still in the beta phase. The next update should fully
implement this and there will be full information on it at that time.


*73 Doug*

*WA3DSP*

*http://www.crompton.com/hamradio <http://www.crompton.com/hamradio>*