Build a Pi Q&A | Easy Raspberry Pi build for Ham Radio

Answering some of the most common user questions for the build-a-pi project. Including hints for the IC-7300, hotspot, conky, and more.

🔹Links mentioned in the video
🔹Commands used in the video
sudo /usr/bin/autohotspotN

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Want your raspberry pi to play nice with your ham radio? Are you into digital modes like FT8, JS8Call, FLDIGI, Winlink, APRS, Digipeaters and others? Each week I put out new content showing you exactly what steps to take to get the latest ham radio software on your raspberry pi. Whether you just want to ragchew or are seriously into emergency preparedness, emcomm, or ARES and want to learn all you can about using the raspberry pi to drive your ham radio, this channel has something for you. Be sure to click the subscribe button and ring the bell before heading off. That way you will get notified of all future videos.

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[barnmichael]

Great videos, Jason. Some information regarding Icom radios. The CI-V command structure is basically the same for most models of Icom radios. The CI-V bus can be paralleled to multiple radios, so each model has its own hex address. This is identified in positions 5-6 of the command string, e.g. or The IC-7100 address is 88, the IC-7300 is 94, the IC-706MKIIG is 58, etc. There is also a "Universal" address of 00 that will work with most radios. So, in the files you show on your video, most of those show 88 for the address, so they will only work with an IC-7100. You have a choice here, you can either edit the file to your specific radio each time you change radios, or, for most commands (like key/unkey) you can use 00, e.g. FEFE001C0001FD (key) FEFE001C0000FD (unkey), which will work on any recent model of Icom radio. I hope that helps with your explanations. Keep up the good work. 73, Michael WA7SKG

[JnJTrueOutdoorAdventures]

Jason, I have a Yaesu FT-817ND and I am using the SignaLink USB hooked up. Now my 817ND is also hooked to my LDG Z817 auto tuner and the radio port is connected to the radio port on the tuner. The SignaLink is hooked to the data port on the radio. The SignaLink is hooked to the Raspberry Pi. I ran WSJTX FT8 and the software is hearing the audio via USB, but again the rig isn't being seen. Any clue?? Juddie - WD8WV

[JnJTrueOutdoorAdventures]

Jason, do you have a video show how to actually get setup on Winlink?? Not how to install since we have done the build a pi and loaded everything you had setup. Remember where we put in our callsign, and then set the password to PASSWORD. I don't think, in my 24 years of being a ham, I have ever used Winlink. I tried following some of your videos, but mostly all I have found so far is how to get everything setup on the pi. Thanks Juddie WD8WV Sorry to be so much trouble. Oh, I got the email you sent out to those who sign up to get them and I have built a new MicroSD card with Buster and ran the script that you said the testers had been testing, it actually took me about an hour and half to two hours to get it all installed. LOL

[AASK]

I'm trying to install TQSL updates the file is tqsl-2.5.4.tar.gz. I'm running a Pi 4 with 4 GB I'm new to the Pi so I'm not sure how to install from source code Any help would be greatly appreciated Thanks John AA9SK

[davesaunders]

Followed instructions to set up hotspot. However the up and down arrows hotspot icon at the top right of desktop has red Xs on the arrows. But I can still access hotspot from ipad. What is up with that? Thanks for great videos.

[eliseradiowoman]

Thank you Jason for your guides! I've got a Raspberry pi 4 for my shack. All of your guide videos were really helpful and the website was useful to just copy and paste the scripts. The ARDOP modem installation was a bit confusing in your guide videos and I still need to figure out how to install it correctly.

[JnJTrueOutdoorAdventures]

Jason, also FLrig isn`t seeing the USB or a serial port like in your video. But it was seen for audio for WSJTX FT8 for the audio. Don`t know if I did something wrong or not. Oh, I also can`t get PatMenu to execute from desktop into terminal. Says the following: "Failed to execute child process "xterm" (no such file or director yet). I accidentally hit the button to the right the next time I tried to run it. Don't know if that is causing my issue. Juddie - WD8WV

[raifmt]

I used the automated build-a-pi today. Things seemed to go well until I tried to start ARDOP. When the browser opens, it says, "This site can't be reached" and the next line says 127.0.0.1 refused to connect. I went back and watched earlier videos on configuring Pat. Part of those instructions included typing "pat http" in a terminal window. When I do that, the message I get says, "Unable to load/write config: unexpected end of JSON input." At that point I decided to post my progress (or lack thereof) here.

[JnJTrueOutdoorAdventures]

Jason, first I want to thank you for all this work you have done to compile all this into one package that a non-Pi person can understand!! A lot of this is really over my head. But I kind of fixed my issued with my display. First I removed the HDMI 800x480 pixel display from my Pi 3 Plus, I am running it with VNC. I can use VNC on my iPhone, my iPad Mini and even on my Gateway Windows 10 laptop. By doing this I can get the full screen, well on my laptop at least and see the information on the right side of the screen. Also, using my laptop I have discovered how to send files from my laptop to the Pi. I have yet to hook my radio (FT-817ND) to the Pi via my Signallink. I plan to do that today. I do have a question, I was wondering since my phone and my iPad mini are both capable of being hotspots, can you add their info into the files and safe it so that it discovers them when it looses a wifi home signal?? Again great information and videos. Finally I think I can actually use my Pi's for something other than what-nots on a shelf. Juddie WD8WV

[blomidon]

Hi Jason I've done the pi build but have decided to leave FLRIG operation for later. JS8CALL is working fine. I've changed the port to to 2237 and I've sent texts and emails but the GPS tool picks up the grid locator but won't send to JS8Call and just freezes. VO1OK

[hhampton]

I find that if I log off the Pi for any length of time I have to do a re-boot to get the conky information to display when I log back on. Is there a CLI command I can run instead to get it to re-display?

[JnJTrueOutdoorAdventures]

Never mind all my previous comments about rig control. I found out what it was! Operator error! I forgot that I had to hook one more cable up, the rig control cable from the PC to the LDG Z817 tuner. Duh!! Now the only issue is I am not seeing the USB codec for the sound from and to the Pi. Gave up for the night. Juddie - WD8WV

[MichaelLloyd]

Most of what was giving me trouble is solved. I have to start Conky manually but that's no hill for a stepper. Unrelated to the script, it appears that N3FJP's logging software is not Linux friendly. I've found where someone made it work but it wasn't on a Pi. I was hoping to keep my logging software the same as what is on my windows 10 machine (that I hope to get rid of). N3FJP logs it, sends it to QRZ, and then I can send it to LOTW from N3FJP. CQRLOG llooks interesting.

[TheUnofficialMaker]

no place to enter email for getting started guide

[mybulldog]

how do you VNC into the hotspot if there is no WiFi?

[pathopkins]

Very good clarification Jason on the build for the R Pi Field Computer =) Keep up the great work =) The links you use and instruction is working great =) I just need to replace another Micro-SD card that was corrupted when I bought it on one R Pi build =) A few friends have IC-7610's and IC-7000 series radio and I have the IC-7200 and addition information will help is solving those problems if I encounter them later on when they start the builds on their own =) 73 Pat N5VMO

[LibertyEver]

Good stuff! THANKS!

My current hassle is trying to build JS8Call on a Pinebook with an ARM64 processor. Jordan provides binaries for each release in several popular flavors that cover probably 99% of the users, and while there is a version for the Raspberry Pi, the Pinebook isn't supported. When I try to build it, there are many missing libraries resulting in broken dependencies. I need to buckle down and slog through it. I've gotten lazy in the past few years and right click a DEB or use Synaptic to install on Ubuntu. I was glad to see the next scripts will allow FLDigi to be built. You never know when someone won't have a machine that's supported by a binary, or maybe they'll want an easier way to run a developmental version that needs to be built.

[KenCrouse_ultra]

Thanks for the hard work on this, Jason - very helpful. For others (like me) who operate an IC-7300, I found these recommendations for the rig set-up to helpful:


One area I was having trouble with was Flrig. By using the linked guidelines (especially Echo Back: On and setting the CI-V USB Baud Rate to the recommended levels rather than "Auto"), it started up without further issues. Thanks again, de K6KEC

[radioact]

Jason: Thanks for all your work with BuildAPi. In your version 2, will the script allow adding the modules that were not in Version 1 to an existing Pi running V1.. ie the ability to upgrade the BuildAPi system?


73 - Jeff KE0OOS

[JonGlauser]

Do you have a side-by-side comparison running fldigi or js8call on a Pi3 and Pi4? I'm running a Pi3B+ and want to know if the performance boost with a Pi4 is worth the $ and effort to rebuild.