John's Vademecum - public:miscellany:radio:2024

60m

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:28:04 +0000

←2024 Radio Topics

60m

A return to 60m in earnest

I've been active on 60m since it was first available (with a NOV) - and mostly in Digimodes on FK / 5366.5kHz, along with a bit of CW and very little SSB. For many years 60m digimodes was the only activity I did on the radio. In recent years I've been largely QRT, or having the odd spell on CW, but I still have an interest in 60m as a place for experimentation and for inter-UK communications. 2024 will be my year of 60m, with more SSB operating.

Band Utilization

Captured well by G3NRW's chart uk_60m_5_mhz_band_utilization_chart_band_plan_by_g3nrw.pdf
Since this chart was first produced many more European countries have access to 60m - mostly using the WARC allocation 5351.5 → 5366.5
The UK was first to have access to 60m but we are now out of touch with how the band is developing, locked in our unique set of bandlets.
Digimodes among UK stations still takes place on 5366.5kHz (USB Dial) which is an RF centre frequency of 5368.0. This is therefore out of the WARC allocation.
- Many Eu hams choose to ignore this - the WARC allocation goes to 5366.5kHz and if they set their radios to 5366.5kHz they operate there ignoring the fact that their actual signal is out of band.
- I tend to just work them and leave them to juggle the legalities.
I still see the band as interesting mainly for it's use as quiet, mostly channelized band for inter-UK experiments, rather than a band for “working DX”.
The WARC band has evolved its own internal band-plan.
- IARU Bandplan including 5MHz WARC hf_r1_bandplan.pdf

5351.5 → 5354.0	5354.0 → 5358.0	5358.0 → 5362.0	5362.0 → 5366.0	5366.0 → 5366.5
CW NOT UK	All Modes UK OK FT8 @ dial 5357 UK Beware band edge	All Modes NOT UK	All Modes UK OK SSB 5363 Common	Weak Signal UK OK WSPR @dial 5364.7

USA

Channel	Dial	Centre	Comments
1	5330.5	5332.0
2	5346.5	5348.0
3	5357.0	5358.5	In WARC : FT8
4	5371.5	5373.0	Shared UK
5	5403.5	5405.0	Shared UK

100W PEP ERP
Data & CW must be on centre frequency of channel (FT8 on 5357.0 + 1.5kHz ONLY??)

Canada

Same channels as USA
Also WARC Band 5351.5 → 5366.5 at 100W ERP

UK : Occupancy versus Bandlet/channel

I plan to investigate which bandlets are used for amateur QSOs and where/when any non-ham, commercial, military and UNID activity blocks access to our allocated spectrum.
- Which bandlets are clobbered regularly?
- Which bandlets have clear SSB channels most of the time?
- Where are the regular amateur nets, QSOs, CQ calls?

UK Bandlet List

No.	Start → Stop	Width	Comments (*Centre of Activity*)	SSB Dial range	Utilization 2024	CQ?	Non Ham Occupancy
1	5258.5 → 5264.0	5.5	FA 5258.5 *UK CW @ 5260.0*		CW @ 5260.0	CQ
2	5276.0 → 5284.0	8.0	FB 5278.5	5276.0 → 5281.0	5279.0		Fishfone
3	5288.5 → 5292.0	3.5	FC 5288.5 BEACONS & WSPR ONLY		Beacons W @ 5287.2
4	5298.0 → 5307.0	9.0		5298.0 → 5304.0			5298.0→5303.0 data@night 5304.0 clear
5	5313.0 → 5323.0	10.0	*UK AM @ 5317.0*	5313.0 → 5320.0	5320.0
6	5333.0 → 5338.0	5.0		5333.0 → 5335.0	5335.0		5333.0→5335.0 data@night
7	5354.0 → 5358.0	4.0	WARC FT8 @ 5357.0 USA Ch. 3 UK beware band edge	5354.0 → 5355.0
8	5362.0 → 5374.5	12.5	WARC→5366.5, WSPR 5363.0 SSB FK UK DIGI @ 5366.5 FL 5371.5 USA Ch. 4	5362.0 → 5371.5	5363.0 W @ 5364.7 D @ 5366.5 5371.5
9	5378.0 → 5382.0	4.0		5378.0 → 5379.0
10	5395.0 → 53401.5	6.5	FE UK SSB @ 5398.5	5395.0 → 5398.5	5395.0 5398.5	CQ	5395→5397 data@night FE Clear
11	5403.5 → 5406.5	3.0	FM 5403.5 USA Ch. 5 DX	5403.5	5403.5	CQ

SSB and “Dial Frequency” unless specified

W = WSPR
WL = Winlink
D = Digi (Olivia, MFSK, Contesia, PSK31 etc.)
DV = Digital Voice (FreeDV?)

Other 60m Users

User	Frequency	Location	Comments
UK Cadets	5245	Various	NRN - Replacement for 5345?
RAF Volmet	5450	England
Shannon Volmet	5505	Ireland
UK Rescue	5680	Various	Based at NMOC Fareham?
DRA5	5195	Germany	CW Beacon → DK0WCY
Aero	Various	Various	HF Utilities

Further Information

Exercise Blue Ham 2024

60m is shared in the UK with the Primary User - military - and we are allowed to have 2-way communication with Cadet Stations.
While they do appear occasionally on our shared bandlets they tend to be more active on their own specific cadet frequencies
Once or twice a year there is a better opportunity to work Cadet Stations - Exercise Blue Ham

The next Blue Ham is

June 17 - June 21 2024
All 5MHz UK SSB slots and data on 5366.5
See Alpha Charlie https://alphacharlie.org.uk/exercise-blue-ham/
See M0PLT https://www.m0plt.me.uk/blueham.php
Callsigns:
- Air Cadets : MRxyy
- Sea Cadets : MFxyy
- Army Cadets : (tbc)
- CCF : (tbc)

For other cadet radio info, as I find it, see Cadet Radio Info

60m band Wikipedia Page

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60-meter_band#

— John Pumford-Green 31/03/24 18:50

Page Updated: 29/01/26 17:28 GMT

60m, radio, ssb

Allstar & Echolink

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:29:41 +0000

←2024 Radio Topics

Allstar & Echolink

Revisiting Allstar with Node 48148 for 2024

Node 48148

I've set up an Allstar node/gateway - in place of the Svxlink node I did yesterday Svxlink & Echolink

Platform	Rapsberry Pi
Interface	CM108 Soundcard
Radio	FT-8900
Frequency	144.9125 MHz
Monitor	Supermon
AllStar	http://stats.allstarlink.org/stats/48148

It turned out to be not too difficult, as I already had all the correct working configs from the last time I used Allstar, so I was able to copy them onto the new SD card image and have a working node straight from boot up!

Editing the image

I downloaded the most recent V2.0 beta image for Raspberry Pi here : 2.0.0-beta.6

Once I had the img file unzipped I thought it would be fun to try and add my config to the image before writing it to the SD Card. I had enough information here to show me how to mount an image as a block device (ie disk). Once that was done I could simply copy any files onto the mounted image and then unmount it. The image could then be dd to the SD card in the usual way.

So I retrieved the last set of config file backups and copied all the *.conf files that go in /etc/asterisk into the mounted image device i.e. to /mnt/etc/asterisk/

Unmount the image from the filesystem sudo umount /mnt

Then

sudo dd if=my_new_image.img of=/dev/mmblblahblah bs=4M

and wait.

It's alive

Once written I put the CD card into the Pi. Booted up, and heard my callsign ID on the radio - it worked, without having to go through the rigmarole of a new install configuration.

I SSH'd in via the DHCP address it had been given, and to change the IP to a static one I checked the peculiar name of the Ethernet interface: enxb827eb6f9954 and edited /etc/dhcpcd.conf to use a static IP address on this device. Using eth0 didn't work, as the interface wasn't called eth0

# Example static IP configuration:
interface enxb827eb6f9954
static ip_address=192.168.21.109/24
static routers=192.168.21.1
static domain_name_servers=192.168.21.1 8.8.8.8

Reboot again, and now I can SSH via the correct static IP address

Next Steps

Add my own user (don't want to use the built in repeater user)
Add myself to the necessary groups (sudo etc.)
change the hostname from repeater → asterisk
- remember to edit /etc/hosts as well as /etc/hostname
set timezone to Europe/London
Check the RX/TX levels/deviation with /usr/sbin/simpleusb-tune-menu - the levels were spot on due to using the same setup, and the same config. files as the previous incarnation.
Enable Echolink by editing /etc/asterisk/modules.conf to load the Echolink Module (last time I'd disabled it)
Copy any necessary allmon2 files to /var/www/html/allmon2/ & set up allmon2
Port Forward on router:
- UDP/4569
- UDP/5198
- UDP/5199
All working…!

First QSO

* I was called on Echolink by G0RAS while I was out walking the dogs. We had a good chat, so that was a good test that it's all working

Section Two

some macros as configured in /etc/asterisk/rpt.conf for quick connect/disconnect

*531

[macro]
 
11 = *141223# ; disc. hubnet
21 = *241223# ; monitor hubnet
31 = *341223# ; transceive hubnet
 
 
12 = *12197# ; disc Freedom Net
22 = *22197# ; monitor Freedom Net
32 = *32197# ; transceive Freedom Net
 
13 = *129332# ; disc Alaska
23 = *229332# ; monitor Alaska
33 = *329332# ; transceive Alaska
 
;14 = *154383# ; disc CQ North
;24 = *254383# ; monitor CQ North
;34 = *354383# ; transceive CQ North
 
;191 = *140894# ; disconnect hubnet Echo
;391 = *340894# ; connect hubnet echo
 
;192 = *13009999#       ; dis echolink echotest
;392 = *33009999#       ; con echolink echotest

— John Pumford-Green 07/04/24 10:03

Further Information

radio, allstar, echolink

APRS

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:55:07 +0000

←2024 Radio Topics

APRS

VHF and HF APRS

VHF

FT8900 : 2m I-Gate GM4SLV-2 - Raspberry Pi, TNC-Pi and APRX I-Gate software
- UPDATE 6/4/24 : 2m APRS suspended. Coverage not adequate from low 2m antenna.
TM-D710 in van : GM4SLV-9 - will digipeat “WIDEn-N”
TH-D72 : GM4SLV-8
Anytone 878
- analogue : GM4SLV-7,
- DMR
  - Brandmeister → PC 234999 (Self-Care set to GM4SLV-7)
  - DMR+/Phoenix → PC 5057 → GM4SLV-7

HF

Occasional use of 30m AFSK 10,147.6kHz USB as GM4SLV-10
- IC-706 and Signalink-USB soundcard

Software

Direwolf
- HF (300 baud FSK) or VHF soundcard modem/TNC
- AGW Packet Engine TCP/IP interface to other software
- standalone iGate and Digipeater
Xastir
- Can use the Direwolf TCP/IP AGW TNC across network
WinRPR winrpr_075_2.zip
- Can act as TCP/IP KISS mode TNC providing 300 or 600 baud Robust Packet TX/RX and also simultaneous 300 baud FSK RX
APRSISCE32 aprsis32.zip
- Can use WinRPR's KISS mode TNC
UIView32 32full203.exe
- Needs to be registered first at https://www.apritch.co.uk/uiv32.htm
  - ••••••••••
- Can use Direwolf's AGW TNC across network

HF Frequencies

30m

300 Baud FSK RF centre 10149.3kHz
- 1700 Hz audio (1600/1800Hz tones)
- Dial = 10147.6kHz USB
  - alternative dial = 10151.0kHz LSB (signal can be inverted without issues)
300 baud RPR RF centre 10148.8kHz
- 1500 Hz audio
- Dial = 10147.3kHz USB
  - Normal 300 baud AFSK resolves at 2000Hz - and is decoded by WinRPR at this offset

Direwolf update : 10/04/24

Direwolf v1.6 in Debian has a minor annoyance - it decodes its own transmitted frames occasionally due to cross talk in the sound card
This is reported to be fixed in 1.7 release so I cloned the git repository and built the current 1.7 version
It has removed the annoyance of seeing (and reporting to APRS-IS) your own transmitted packets
There are other changes and improvements which I will investigate over time.
Steps to clone/build

sudo apt-get install libavahi-client-dev
git clone https://www.github.com/wb2osz/direwolf
cd direwolf
 
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make -j4

Running the new version

cd src
./direwolf -c ~/direwolf.conf

A few red warnings due to changes for v1.7 not being fully compatible with the previous config options, but it runs and doesn't seem to decode its own transmissions any more.

A few tweaks to the config:

ADEVICE  plughw:2,0
 
CHANNEL 0
 
MYCALL GM4SLV-10
 
#MODEM 300 7@30
 
MODEM 300 B+
 
#FIX_BITS 1
 
TXDELAY 50
 
LOGDIR .
 
AGWPORT 8000
KISSPORT 8001
 
PBEACON sendto=0 via="WIDE1-1" delay=0:00 every=10:00 symbol="\-" lat=60^17.31N long=1^25.51W comment="30m HF Direwolf AFSK"
 
#FILTER 0 0 ( ! d/* )
#FILTER 0 0 (! b/GM4SLV-10 )
 
#IGSERVER euro.aprs2.net
 
#IGLOGIN GM4SLV-10 19626
 
#PBEACON sendto=IG delay=0:30 every=60:00 symbol="\-" lat=60^17.31N long=1^25.51W comment="30m AFSK RX Igate"
 
 
DIGIPEAT 0 0 ^WIDE[3-7]-[1-7]$|^TEST$ ^WIDE[12]-[12]$ PREEMPT
 
#IGTXLIMIT 6 10

I will remove the Debian version 1.6 and sudo make install the newly compiled v1.7 once I'm happy with it.
This version also decodes FX25 packets - which I don't fully understand yet

SP6PGH-10 audio level = 53   FX.25   75_______
[0.1] SP6PGH-10>APWW11,WIDE1-1:>100639zTest HF APRS station
Status Report, APRSISCE win32 version
Test HF APRS station
[0H] SP6PGH-10>APWW11,GM4SLV-10*:>100639zTest HF APRS station

a normal AX25 packet

IW4EGP-10 audio level = 46    _|||_____
[0.2] IW4EGP-10>APU25N,WIDE2-2:=4403.57N/01233.72E&APRS HF 30m -/D R-I  H24 {UIV32}<0x0d>
Position, HF Gateway  <= the original primary table definition, UIview 32 bit apps
N 44 03.5700, E 012 33.7200
APRS HF 30m -/D R-I  H24 {UIV32}
[0H] IW4EGP-10>APU25N,GM4SLV-10*,WIDE2-1:=4403.57N/01233.72E&APRS HF 30m -/D R-I  H24 {UIV32}<0x0d>

both of these are also digipeated my me, shown on the last line is my outgoing digipeated packet:
- [0H] SP6PGH-10>APWW11,GM4SLV-10*:>100639zTest HF APRS station
- [0H] IW4EGP-10>APU25N,GM4SLV-10*,WIDE2-1:=4403.57N/01233.72E&APRS HF 30m -/D R-I H24 {UIV32}<0x0d>

— John Pumford-Green 21/03/24 16:14

Last Update : 30/12/25 09:55 GMT

Further Information

Direwolf v1.7 User Manual	user-guide_1_.pdf
aprs.fi	https://aprs.fi/info/a/GM4SLV-10

radio, aprs

DMR and DV Modes

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:30:15 +0000

←2024 Radio Topics

DMR and DV Modes

Hotspots

DVMega Simplex hotspot
MMDVM_HS_Hat Simplex hotspot
MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat Duplex Hotspot

Date	Hotspot	Colour	Frequency	Config	Location	Software	Comments
25/03/24	DVmega	N/A	434.000MHz	wpsd_config_fusion_2024-mar-26.zip	Home	WPSD	YSF Single mode
17/03/24	MMDVM	Red	438.800MHz		Mobile	Pi-Star	2-DMR Network
25/03/24	Duplex MMDVM	Green	439.950MHz / -9.9MHz	pi-star_config_repeater_2024-mar-26.zip	Home	Pi-Star	2-DMR Network

https://brandmeister.network/?page=device&id=235442904

Brandmeister Details

On arrival (25/3/24) the Dual-Hat board had the wrong firmware (MMDVM_HS_HAT) and would not operate correctly as a duplex/two-timeslot hotspot.
Pi-Star has capability to upgrade attached MMDVM firmware, but attempts to load MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat repeatedly failed
The firmware upload function was locked but unlocking was a simple matter of solder-bridging the pads of “JP1” on the MMDVM board.
Pi-Star Firmware upgraded successfully to MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat v1.6 and duplex/two timeslot functionality was successful

Radios

— John Pumford-Green 17/03/24 23:34

Further Information

DMR Dashboards

Phoenix A	MMDVM Repeaters	http://dvsph-a.dvsph.net/
Phoenix F	Hotspots	http://phoenix-f.opendmr.net/ipsc/
Phoenix K	Hytera / Motorola Repeaters	http://dvsph-k.dvsph.net/ipsc/
Phoenix M	Personal Repeaters	http://phoenix-m.opendmr.net/ipsc/
GM4SLV	My Hotspot	http://gm4slv.plus.com:28080/
GB7HT	Ashington / G4NAB	http://gb7ht.ddns.net:8080/

radio, dv, pistar, ysf, nxdn, dmr

HF-VHF Xgate 2024

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:31:37 +0000

←2024 Radio Topics

HF-VHF Xgate 2024

Revisiting an old project

Previously...

VHF / HF X-Gate Project

DTMF Commands on VHF Port

DTMF Commands

Function	Command	Comment
Log on	0#
Log off	99#
Set Frequency	*1fffff#	ffff.f kHz
Set Channel	*1xxxx#	mem chan xxxx
Set Mode USB	*21#
Set Mode LSB	*22#
Set Mode AM	*23#
Set TX Power Low	*41#	15W
Set TX Power Medium	*42#	50W
Set TX Power High	*43#	100W
QSY Down 0.5kHz	*5#
QSY Up 0.5kHz	*6#
Monitor HF	*7#	5 seconds
Monitor HF	*7xx#	xx seconds
Monitor HF	71#	(Duplex Mode) Continuous Monitor ON
Monitor HF	70#	(Duplex Mode) Continuous Monitor OFF
ATU Tune	*8#
Status	*9#
S-Meter	*91#
Full Status	*93#
Talkthrough ON	*01#
Talkthrough OFF	*00#

Plans for 2024

Re-install all the hardware:
- IC-M710
- Raspberry Pi X-Gate controller
- X-Gate Interface with syllabic squelch and DTMF decoder
Test in full-duplex VHF/UHF mode to identify any issues that need addressing to bring back to normal function
Suspend or stop completely VHF APRS to free up V/UHF for X-Gate
Test remote operation from Vehicle - V/UHF coverage is unlikely to be very good…
Revisit Python code if necessary to add/remove features.
Actually have real QSOs on HF using the X-Gate!

2024 Progress

23/3/24

Connected X-Gate Interface, R.Pi controller, IC-M710 and FT8900
Initial problem with crashing due to USB problems on R.Pi causing USB/Serial adaptor (for control of IC-M710) to fail - this was cured by using different 5V USB power supply.
Speech clipper removed from HF TX audio path due to distortion and poor audio quality.
HF Audio drive level set to give correct HF SSB Power out
Web server status page available by port forwarding at http://gm4slv.plus.com:42109/
VHF uplink changed to split-band
- Input : 144.650MHz
- Output: 435.400MHz
- This allows control even when in permanent “Monitor” or “Talkthrough”
- Enabled a 15-minute CW ident on the UHF port which identifies with my callsign and the current HF frequency/mode.

TMUX Session

Xgate software runs in a Tmux session with 3 panes
- Xgate software - printing commands etc. from the running controller code
- Relay control - independantly control various Xgate relays (PTT, Monitor, Mute, CW tone) directly, while main xgate is running.
- a shell for editing code etc.

24/3/24 : Thoughts....

Is the “HF Channel” 4-digit input selection really of any value?
- It requires memorizing channel numbers and saves entering only one or two digits.
- Will probably drop this function unless I find a use for it soon.
- Perhaps change to 2-digit channels and limit to a few frequently used frequency/mode combinations?

The current channels are: Memory Dictionary (4 digits)

mem_dict = {
        "0101" : ["1942.0", "LSB"],
        "0102" : ["1933.0", "LSB"],
        "0103" : ["1957.0", "LSB"],
        "0104" : ["1985.0", "LSB"],
        "0105" : ["1966.0", "LSB"],
        "0301" : ["3773.0", "LSB"],
        "0302" : ["3760.0", "LSB"],
        "0303" : ["3615.0", "AM"],
        "0501" : ["5276.0","USB"],
        "0502" : ["5279.0","USB"],
        "0503" : ["5298.0","USB"],
        "0504" : ["5301.0","USB"],
        "0505" : ["5304.0","USB"],
        "0506" : ["5317.0","AM"],
        "0507" : ["5320.0", "USB"],
        "0508" : ["5333.0", "USB"],
        "0509" : ["5354.0", "USB"],
        "0510" : ["5363.0", "USB"],
        "0511" : ["5366.5", "USB"],
        "0512" : ["5371.5", "USB"],
        "0513" : ["5378.0", "USB"],
        "0514" : ["5395.0", "USB"],
        "0515" : ["5398.5", "USB"],
        "0516" : ["5403.5", "USB"],
        "0521" : ["5258.5", "USB"],
        "0522" : ["5278.5", "USB"],
        "0523" : ["5288.5", "USB"],
        "0524" : ["5366.5", "USB"],
        "0525" : ["5371.5", "USB"],
        "0526" : ["5398.5", "USB"],
        "0527" : ["5403.5", "USB"],
        "0531" : ["5330.5", "USB"],
        "0532" : ["5346.5", "USB"],
        "0533" : ["5357.0", "USB"],
        "0534" : ["5371.5", "USB"],
        "0535" : ["5403.5", "USB"],
        "0591" : ["5450.0", "USB"],
        "0592" : ["5505.0", "USB"],
        "0701" : ["7160.0", "LSB"],
        "1091" : ["10051.0", "USB"]
        }

Initial try at 2-digit memory channels

mem_dict = {
 
        "01" : ["5279.0","USB"],
        "02" : ["5320.0", "USB"],
        "03" : ["5366.5", "USB"],
        "04" : ["5371.5", "USB"],
        "05" : ["5378.0", "USB"],
        "06" : ["5395.0", "USB"],
        "07" : ["5398.5", "USB"],
        "08" : ["5450.0", "USB"],
        "09" : ["5505.0", "USB"],
        "10" : ["7160.0", "LSB"],
        }

One change in main xgate code:

 if len(command_two[2:]) == 4:

becomes

 if len(command_two[2:]) == 2:

                elif command_two[:2] == "*1":
                    write_file("Frequency / Memory")
                    #if len(command_two[2:]) == 4:
                    if len(command_two[2:]) == 2:
                        new_freq = float(mem_dict[command_two[2:]][0])
                        new_mode = mem_dict[command_two[2:]][1]
                        write_file("Memory Channel selected %s" % mem_dict[command_two[2:]])
                        set_frequency(new_freq)
                        set_mode(new_mode)
                        write_status("freq",str(new_freq))
                        write_status("mode",new_mode)
                    else:
                        new_freq = float(command_two[2:])/10
                        set_frequency(new_freq)
                        write_status("freq",str(new_freq))

modified main xgate code to be able to start in simplex or duplex mode by the choice of commandline argument:
- for simplex (single frequency/band uplink/downlink) which will disable the continuous monitor function to avoid getting locked out →

./xgate_current.py s

for duplex (separate uplink and downlink bands) which will enable the continuous monitor function, as it is always possible to send a command on the uplink band while the downlink is transmitting →

./xgate_current.py d

I've updated the mercurial repository - added new files, committed recent changes and made a clone of it on the shack laptop - in Dropbox (which might be a bad idea?)

There's another page about simple Mercurial , as an aid to remembering how to do it each time.

24/3/24

xgate_m710.zip

Xgate scripts

Mobile Cross-band repeat access

29/3/24

If the X-gate is set to simplex mode (single band control) on VHF it should be possible to access the system via a mobile cross-band repeater from a low power UHF handheld.

This extends the range of the local VHF network.

If you are within UHF simplex range of the V/UHF cross-band repeater (usually vehicle mounted) and the vehicle is located within VHF range of the X-Gate (e.g. on a suitable distant hill-top) it should be possible to access the X-Gate and log in/change frequency etc. and to operate through it on HF, from the UHF side of the vehicle's Cross-Band repeater.

I am beginning tests on this using a TM-D710 mobile and TH-D72 handheld.

From the RSGB Band Plan

144.500 MHz Image Modes (SSTV, Fax etc)
144.600 MHz Data Centre of Activity (MGM, RTTY etc)
433.8000-434.2500 MHz Digital communications & Experiments

On 2m an appropriate place seems to be between 144.500 and 144.600, where there don't seem to be any prior centre-of-activity channels carved out.

I'll use 144.575MHz.

On 70cm an appropriate place seems to be between 433.800 and 434.250 - experiments

I'll use 433.825MHz

X-Gate uplink changed to Simplex : 144.575MHz

Talkthrough Watchdog Timer

I found an old piece of the python code I'd written that adds a Talkthrough Timeout to the X-Gate. It detects the commencement of a Talkthrough period and starts a timer. The timeout of this watchdog is set in the code, as is a pre-timeout warning time.

At the end of the warning time the VHF port sends “di-dit” every 20 seconds superimposed over the talkthrough (HF Receive) audio, to warn the VHF user(s) that the talkthrough will terminate soon.

At the end of the timeout period the Talkthrough is turned off and the system returns to it's quiescent state.

The Barrett 2062 Crossgate has a 10 minute inactivity timeout, which closes the cross-connection (talkthrough) after 10 minutes with no user activity.

My X-Gate doesn't take into consideration user activity, as the VHF→HF PTT does not get monitored by the X-Gate, so it is not currently possible to quantify “user inactivity”, by observing if there's any traffic on the VHF port. The Watchdog as it stands is a safety precaution against talkthrough getting locked up in transmit (in either direction).

After a timeout it's a simple matter of logging in again via VHF DTMF and re-starting talkthrough if it's still required. The “warning pips” give notice that this action is soon to be needed. If talkthrough is no longer needed then no further action is required.

Ideas

Make the Watchdog timer user switchable - be able to disable it if required.

Added new DTMF Commands “Timeout on” = * 3 1 #, “Timeout off” = * 3 0 #
Use these to write to the “status” file
The watchdog process can check the status file to decide whether to take action or not
Tested and it works as expected

Problems

29/3/24

Found that the IC-M710 HF radio has poor receive sensitivity - well below spec. 12dB SINAD should be at 0.5uV but it needs more like 3uV (or more) which is quite poor
X-Gate taken out of use until I can either repair the IC-M710 or make up connections to use the IC-7200. The latter needs a 13-pin DIN plug for the rear panel ACC socket.

Further Information

GM4SLV XGate

Status Page

http://gm4slv.plus.com:42109/

radio, xgate

2024 Radio Topics

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:55:07 +0000

←Radio

2024 Radio Topics

— John Pumford-Green 17/03/24 23:32

Further Information

Svxlink & Echolink

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:32:47 +0000

←2024 Radio Topics

Svxlink & Echolink

Revisiting the Analogue FM Voice Gateway

Svxlink Gateway Initial Setup

Trying not to re-invent the wheel

find saved Pi Image File for a previous Svxlink system
copy to a new SD Card and boot a spare Raspberry Pi with it
find and connect a modified CM108 sound-dongle - has PTT and SQL via the dongle's own GPIO
connect to 2m FM radio and test initial config
make any necessary config changes - e.g. MB7AZE → GM4SLV
set up audio levels using devcal
change to 9600 packet interface on 2m radio to remove radio pre/de emphasis and apply pre/de emphasis in Svxlink
set up audio levels again using devcal
Check connectivity to Echolink
- remember to Port Forward on ADSL router : UDP 5198 & 5199 → svxlink Pi's IP address
- consider using a private proxy on my VPS instead? Java JRE and Echolink Proxy

Pi Image File handling

R Pi Image files

Devcal

devcal
remember to sudo killall svxlink to ensure no daemon svxlink processes are running in the background
remember to adjust path to valid svxlink.conf file which will be different to this old example
Set for 3kHz deviation
remember to edit the config file(s) to change the RX Pre-amp and TX Master Gain settings to match those find using Deval

sudo devcal -r -m=3000 -d=3000 /etc/svxlink/svxlink_noel.conf Rx1

sudo devcal -t -m=3000 -d=3000 /etc/svxlink/svxlink_noel.conf Tx1

add the PRE_AMP and MASTER_GAIN settings to both svxlink_el.conf and svxlink_noel.conf

Config Files

One for Echolink Enabled
One for Echolink Disabled
Switch Echolink on/off via DTMF commands
- Edit Logic.tcl to give this functionality

/etc/svxlink/svxlink_el.conf

###############################################################################
#                                                                             #
#                Configuration file for the SvxLink server                    #
#                                                                             #
###############################################################################
 
[GLOBAL]
#MODULE_PATH=/usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/svxlink
LOGICS=SimplexLogic
CFG_DIR=svxlink.d
TIMESTAMP_FORMAT="%c"
CARD_SAMPLE_RATE=48000
#CARD_CHANNELS=1
#LOCATION_INFO=LocationInfo
#LINKS=LinkToR4
 
[SimplexLogic]
TYPE=Simplex
RX=Rx1
TX=Tx1
MODULES=ModuleHelp,ModuleEchoLink,ModuleParrot
CALLSIGN=GM4SLV
SHORT_IDENT_INTERVAL=15
SHORT_CW_ID_ENABLE=1
SHORT_VOICE_ID_ENABLE=0
CW_AMP=-10
CW_PITCH=800
CW_WPM=20
LONG_IDENT_INTERVAL=60
#IDENT_ONLY_AFTER_TX=4
#EXEC_CMD_ON_SQL_CLOSE=500
EVENT_HANDLER=/usr/local/share/svxlink/events.tcl
DEFAULT_LANG=en_US
RGR_SOUND_DELAY=0
#REPORT_CTCSS=77.0
#TX_CTCSS=ALWAYS
MACROS=Macros
FX_GAIN_NORMAL=0
FX_GAIN_LOW=-12
#ACTIVATE_MODULE_ON_LONG_CMD=4:EchoLink
#QSO_RECORDER=8:QsoRecorder
ONLINE_CMD=998877
#MUTE_RX_ON_TX=1
#MUTE_TX_ON_RX=1
#STATE_PTY=/var/run/svxlink/state
#DTMF_CTRL_PTY=/dev/shm/simplex_dtmf_ctrl
TIME_FORMAT=24
RGR_SOUND_ALWAYS=1
 
[RepeaterLogic]
TYPE=Repeater
RX=Rx1
TX=Tx1
MODULES=ModuleHelp,ModuleParrot,ModuleEchoLink,ModuleTclVoiceMail
CALLSIGN=MYCALL
SHORT_IDENT_INTERVAL=10
LONG_IDENT_INTERVAL=60
#IDENT_ONLY_AFTER_TX=4
#EXEC_CMD_ON_SQL_CLOSE=500
EVENT_HANDLER=/usr/share/svxlink/events.tcl
DEFAULT_LANG=en_US
RGR_SOUND_DELAY=0
REPORT_CTCSS=136.5
#TX_CTCSS=SQL_OPEN
MACROS=Macros
#SEL5_MACRO_RANGE=03400,03499
FX_GAIN_NORMAL=0
FX_GAIN_LOW=-12
#QSO_RECORDER=8:QsoRecorder
#NO_REPEAT=1
IDLE_TIMEOUT=30
OPEN_ON_1750=1000
#OPEN_ON_CTCSS=136:2000
#OPEN_ON_DTMF=*
#OPEN_ON_SQL=5000
#OPEN_ON_SEL5=01234
#OPEN_SQL_FLANK=OPEN
#OPEN_ON_SQL_AFTER_RPT_CLOSE=10
IDLE_SOUND_INTERVAL=3000
#SQL_FLAP_SUP_MIN_TIME=1000
#SQL_FLAP_SUP_MAX_COUNT=10
#ACTIVATE_MODULE_ON_LONG_CMD=4:EchoLink
#IDENT_NAG_TIMEOUT=15
#IDENT_NAG_MIN_TIME=2000
#ONLINE_CMD=998877
#STATE_PTY=/var/run/svxlink/state
#DTMF_CTRL_PTY=/dev/shm/repeater_dtmf_ctrl
 
[ReflectorLogic]
TYPE=Reflector
HOST=reflector.example.com
#PORT=5300
CALLSIGN="MYCALL"
AUTH_KEY="Change this key now!"
#JITTER_BUFFER_DELAY=0
 
[LinkToR4]
CONNECT_LOGICS=RepeaterLogic:94:SK3AB,SimplexLogic:92:SK3CD
#DEFAULT_ACTIVE=1
TIMEOUT=300
#AUTOACTIVATE_ON_SQL=RepeaterLogic
 
 
[QsoRecorder]
REC_DIR=/var/spool/svxlink/qso_recorder
#MIN_TIME=1000
MAX_TIME=3600
SOFT_TIME=300
MAX_DIRSIZE=1024
#DEFAULT_ACTIVE=1
#TIMEOUT=300
#QSO_TIMEOUT=300
#ENCODER_CMD=/usr/bin/oggenc -Q \"%f\" && rm \"%f\"
 
[Voter]
TYPE=Voter
RECEIVERS=Rx1,Rx2,Rx3
VOTING_DELAY=200
BUFFER_LENGTH=0
#REVOTE_INTERVAL=1000
#HYSTERESIS=50
#SQL_CLOSE_REVOTE_DELAY=500
#RX_SWITCH_DELAY=500
#COMMAND_PTY=/dev/shm/voter_ctrl
 
[MultiTx]
TYPE=Multi
TRANSMITTERS=Tx1,Tx2,Tx3
 
[NetRx]
TYPE=Net
HOST=remote.rx.host
TCP_PORT=5210
#LOG_DISCONNECTS_ONCE=0
AUTH_KEY="Change this key now!"
CODEC=S16
#SPEEX_ENC_FRAMES_PER_PACKET=4
#SPEEX_ENC_QUALITY=4
#SPEEX_ENC_BITRATE=15000
#SPEEX_ENC_COMPLEXITY=2
#SPEEX_ENC_VBR=0
#SPEEX_ENC_VBR_QUALITY=4
#SPEEX_ENC_ABR=15000
#SPEEX_DEC_ENHANCER=1
#OPUS_ENC_FRAME_SIZE=20
#OPUS_ENC_COMPLEXITY=10
#OPUS_ENC_BITRATE=20000
#OPUS_ENC_VBR=1
 
[NetTx]
TYPE=Net
HOST=remote.tx.host
TCP_PORT=5210
#LOG_DISCONNECTS_ONCE=0
AUTH_KEY="Change this key now!"
CODEC=S16
#SPEEX_ENC_FRAMES_PER_PACKET=4
#SPEEX_ENC_QUALITY=4
#SPEEX_ENC_BITRATE=15000
#SPEEX_ENC_COMPLEXITY=2
#SPEEX_ENC_VBR=0
#SPEEX_ENC_VBR_QUALITY=4
#SPEEX_ENC_ABR=15000
#SPEEX_DEC_ENHANCER=1
#OPUS_ENC_FRAME_SIZE=20
#OPUS_ENC_COMPLEXITY=10
#OPUS_ENC_BITRATE=20000
#OPUS_ENC_VBR=1
 
[Rx1]
TYPE=Local
AUDIO_DEV=alsa:plughw:1,0
AUDIO_CHANNEL=0
SQL_DET=HIDRAW
SQL_START_DELAY=0
SQL_DELAY=0
SQL_HANGTIME=200
#SQL_EXTENDED_HANGTIME=1000
#SQL_EXTENDED_HANGTIME_THRESH=15
#SQL_TIMEOUT=600
VOX_FILTER_DEPTH=20
VOX_THRESH=1000
#CTCSS_MODE=2
CTCSS_FQ=77.0
#CTCSS_SNR_OFFSET=0
#CTCSS_OPEN_THRESH=15
#CTCSS_CLOSE_THRESH=9
#CTCSS_BPF_LOW=60
#CTCSS_BPF_HIGH=270
#SERIAL_PORT=/dev/ttyUSB0
#SERIAL_PIN=CTS
#SERIAL_SET_PINS=
#EVDEV_DEVNAME=/dev/input/by-id/usb-SYNIC_SYNIC_Wireless_Audio-event-if03
#EVDEV_OPEN=1,163,1
#EVDEV_CLOSE=1,163,0
#GPIO_PATH=/sys/class/gpio
#GPIO_SQL_PIN=gpio25
#PTY_PATH=/tmp/rx1_sql
HID_DEVICE=/dev/hidraw0
HID_SQL_PIN=!VOL_DN
#SIGLEV_DET=TONE
SIGLEV_SLOPE=1
SIGLEV_OFFSET=0
#SIGLEV_BOGUS_THRESH=120
#TONE_SIGLEV_MAP=100,84,60,50,37,32,28,23,19,8
SIGLEV_OPEN_THRESH=30
SIGLEV_CLOSE_THRESH=10
DEEMPHASIS=1
#SQL_TAIL_ELIM=300
PREAMP=-1.5
#PEAK_METER=1
DTMF_DEC_TYPE=INTERNAL
DTMF_MUTING=1
DTMF_HANGTIME=40
DTMF_SERIAL=/dev/ttyS0
#DTMF_PTY=/tmp/rx1_dtmf
#DTMF_MAX_FWD_TWIST=8
#DTMF_MAX_REV_TWIST=4
#1750_MUTING=1
#SEL5_DEC_TYPE=INTERNAL
#SEL5_TYPE=ZVEI1
#FQ=433475000
#MODULATION=FM
#WBRX=WbRx1
 
[WbRx1]
#TYPE=RtlUsb
#DEV_MATCH=0
#HOST=localhost
#PORT=1234
#CENTER_FQ=435075000
#FQ_CORR=0
#GAIN=0
#PEAK_METER=1
#SAMPLE_RATE=960000
 
[Tx1]
TYPE=Local
AUDIO_DEV=alsa:plughw:1,0
AUDIO_CHANNEL=0
PTT_TYPE=Hidraw
#PTT_PORT=/dev/ttyS0
#PTT_PIN=HIDRAW
HID_DEVICE=/dev/hidraw0
HID_PTT_PIN=GPIO3
#SERIAL_SET_PINS=DTR!RTS
#GPIO_PATH=/sys/class/gpio
#PTT_HANGTIME=1000
TIMEOUT=300
TX_DELAY=500
#CTCSS_FQ=136.5
#CTCSS_LEVEL=9
PREEMPHASIS=1
DTMF_TONE_LENGTH=100
DTMF_TONE_SPACING=50
DTMF_DIGIT_PWR=-15
MASTER_GAIN=-1.25
 
[LocationInfo]
#APRS_SERVER_LIST=euro.aprs2.net:14580
STATUS_SERVER_LIST=aprs.echolink.org:5199
LON_POSITION=1.25.30W
LAT_POSITION=60.17.18N
CALLSIGN=EL-GM4SLV
FREQUENCY=144.912
TX_POWER=5
ANTENNA_GAIN=0
ANTENNA_HEIGHT=2m
ANTENNA_DIR=-1
#PATH=WIDE1-1
BEACON_INTERVAL=10
STATISTICS_INTERVAL=10
TONE=0
COMMENT=SvxLink
 
[Macros]
1=EchoLink:9999#
2=EchoLink:973498#
3=EchoLink:662666#

/etc/svxlink/svxlink_noel.conf

###############################################################################
#                                                                             #
#                Configuration file for the SvxLink server                    #
#                                                                             #
###############################################################################
 
[GLOBAL]
#MODULE_PATH=/usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/svxlink
LOGICS=SimplexLogic
CFG_DIR=svxlink.d
TIMESTAMP_FORMAT="%c"
CARD_SAMPLE_RATE=48000
#CARD_CHANNELS=1
#LOCATION_INFO=LocationInfo
#LINKS=LinkToR4
 
[SimplexLogic]
TYPE=Simplex
RX=Rx1
TX=Tx1
MODULES=ModuleHelp,ModuleParrot
CALLSIGN=GM4SLV
SHORT_IDENT_INTERVAL=15
SHORT_CW_ID_ENABLE=1
SHORT_VOICE_ID_ENABLE=0
CW_AMP=-10
CW_PITCH=800
CW_WPM=20
LONG_IDENT_INTERVAL=60
#IDENT_ONLY_AFTER_TX=4
#EXEC_CMD_ON_SQL_CLOSE=500
EVENT_HANDLER=/usr/local/share/svxlink/events.tcl
DEFAULT_LANG=en_GB
RGR_SOUND_DELAY=0
#REPORT_CTCSS=77.0
#TX_CTCSS=ALWAYS
MACROS=Macros
FX_GAIN_NORMAL=0
FX_GAIN_LOW=-12
#ACTIVATE_MODULE_ON_LONG_CMD=4:EchoLink
#QSO_RECORDER=8:QsoRecorder
ONLINE_CMD=998877
#MUTE_RX_ON_TX=1
#MUTE_TX_ON_RX=1
#STATE_PTY=/var/run/svxlink/state
#DTMF_CTRL_PTY=/dev/shm/simplex_dtmf_ctrl
TIME_FORMAT=24
RGR_SOUND_ALWAYS=1
 
[RepeaterLogic]
TYPE=Repeater
RX=Rx1
TX=Tx1
MODULES=ModuleHelp,ModuleParrot,ModuleEchoLink,ModuleTclVoiceMail
CALLSIGN=MYCALL
SHORT_IDENT_INTERVAL=10
LONG_IDENT_INTERVAL=60
#IDENT_ONLY_AFTER_TX=4
#EXEC_CMD_ON_SQL_CLOSE=500
EVENT_HANDLER=/usr/share/svxlink/events.tcl
DEFAULT_LANG=en_US
RGR_SOUND_DELAY=0
REPORT_CTCSS=136.5
#TX_CTCSS=SQL_OPEN
MACROS=Macros
#SEL5_MACRO_RANGE=03400,03499
FX_GAIN_NORMAL=0
FX_GAIN_LOW=-12
#QSO_RECORDER=8:QsoRecorder
#NO_REPEAT=1
IDLE_TIMEOUT=30
OPEN_ON_1750=1000
#OPEN_ON_CTCSS=136:2000
#OPEN_ON_DTMF=*
#OPEN_ON_SQL=5000
#OPEN_ON_SEL5=01234
#OPEN_SQL_FLANK=OPEN
#OPEN_ON_SQL_AFTER_RPT_CLOSE=10
IDLE_SOUND_INTERVAL=3000
#SQL_FLAP_SUP_MIN_TIME=1000
#SQL_FLAP_SUP_MAX_COUNT=10
#ACTIVATE_MODULE_ON_LONG_CMD=4:EchoLink
#IDENT_NAG_TIMEOUT=15
#IDENT_NAG_MIN_TIME=2000
#ONLINE_CMD=998877
#STATE_PTY=/var/run/svxlink/state
#DTMF_CTRL_PTY=/dev/shm/repeater_dtmf_ctrl
 
[ReflectorLogic]
TYPE=Reflector
HOST=reflector.example.com
#PORT=5300
CALLSIGN="MYCALL"
AUTH_KEY="Change this key now!"
#JITTER_BUFFER_DELAY=0
 
[LinkToR4]
CONNECT_LOGICS=RepeaterLogic:94:SK3AB,SimplexLogic:92:SK3CD
#DEFAULT_ACTIVE=1
TIMEOUT=300
#AUTOACTIVATE_ON_SQL=RepeaterLogic
 
 
[QsoRecorder]
REC_DIR=/var/spool/svxlink/qso_recorder
#MIN_TIME=1000
MAX_TIME=3600
SOFT_TIME=300
MAX_DIRSIZE=1024
#DEFAULT_ACTIVE=1
#TIMEOUT=300
#QSO_TIMEOUT=300
#ENCODER_CMD=/usr/bin/oggenc -Q \"%f\" && rm \"%f\"
 
[Voter]
TYPE=Voter
RECEIVERS=Rx1,Rx2,Rx3
VOTING_DELAY=200
BUFFER_LENGTH=0
#REVOTE_INTERVAL=1000
#HYSTERESIS=50
#SQL_CLOSE_REVOTE_DELAY=500
#RX_SWITCH_DELAY=500
#COMMAND_PTY=/dev/shm/voter_ctrl
 
[MultiTx]
TYPE=Multi
TRANSMITTERS=Tx1,Tx2,Tx3
 
[NetRx]
TYPE=Net
HOST=remote.rx.host
TCP_PORT=5210
#LOG_DISCONNECTS_ONCE=0
AUTH_KEY="Change this key now!"
CODEC=S16
#SPEEX_ENC_FRAMES_PER_PACKET=4
#SPEEX_ENC_QUALITY=4
#SPEEX_ENC_BITRATE=15000
#SPEEX_ENC_COMPLEXITY=2
#SPEEX_ENC_VBR=0
#SPEEX_ENC_VBR_QUALITY=4
#SPEEX_ENC_ABR=15000
#SPEEX_DEC_ENHANCER=1
#OPUS_ENC_FRAME_SIZE=20
#OPUS_ENC_COMPLEXITY=10
#OPUS_ENC_BITRATE=20000
#OPUS_ENC_VBR=1
 
[NetTx]
TYPE=Net
HOST=remote.tx.host
TCP_PORT=5210
#LOG_DISCONNECTS_ONCE=0
AUTH_KEY="Change this key now!"
CODEC=S16
#SPEEX_ENC_FRAMES_PER_PACKET=4
#SPEEX_ENC_QUALITY=4
#SPEEX_ENC_BITRATE=15000
#SPEEX_ENC_COMPLEXITY=2
#SPEEX_ENC_VBR=0
#SPEEX_ENC_VBR_QUALITY=4
#SPEEX_ENC_ABR=15000
#SPEEX_DEC_ENHANCER=1
#OPUS_ENC_FRAME_SIZE=20
#OPUS_ENC_COMPLEXITY=10
#OPUS_ENC_BITRATE=20000
#OPUS_ENC_VBR=1
 
[Rx1]
TYPE=Local
AUDIO_DEV=alsa:plughw:1,0
AUDIO_CHANNEL=0
SQL_DET=HIDRAW
SQL_START_DELAY=0
SQL_DELAY=0
SQL_HANGTIME=200
#SQL_EXTENDED_HANGTIME=1000
#SQL_EXTENDED_HANGTIME_THRESH=15
#SQL_TIMEOUT=600
VOX_FILTER_DEPTH=20
VOX_THRESH=1000
#CTCSS_MODE=2
CTCSS_FQ=77.0
#CTCSS_SNR_OFFSET=0
#CTCSS_OPEN_THRESH=15
#CTCSS_CLOSE_THRESH=9
#CTCSS_BPF_LOW=60
#CTCSS_BPF_HIGH=270
#SERIAL_PORT=/dev/ttyUSB0
#SERIAL_PIN=CTS
#SERIAL_SET_PINS=
#EVDEV_DEVNAME=/dev/input/by-id/usb-SYNIC_SYNIC_Wireless_Audio-event-if03
#EVDEV_OPEN=1,163,1
#EVDEV_CLOSE=1,163,0
#GPIO_PATH=/sys/class/gpio
#GPIO_SQL_PIN=gpio25
#PTY_PATH=/tmp/rx1_sql
HID_DEVICE=/dev/hidraw0
HID_SQL_PIN=!VOL_DN
#SIGLEV_DET=TONE
SIGLEV_SLOPE=1
SIGLEV_OFFSET=0
#SIGLEV_BOGUS_THRESH=120
#TONE_SIGLEV_MAP=100,84,60,50,37,32,28,23,19,8
SIGLEV_OPEN_THRESH=30
SIGLEV_CLOSE_THRESH=10
DEEMPHASIS=1
#SQL_TAIL_ELIM=300
PREAMP=-1.5
#PEAK_METER=1
DTMF_DEC_TYPE=INTERNAL
DTMF_MUTING=1
DTMF_HANGTIME=40
DTMF_SERIAL=/dev/ttyS0
#DTMF_PTY=/tmp/rx1_dtmf
#DTMF_MAX_FWD_TWIST=8
#DTMF_MAX_REV_TWIST=4
#1750_MUTING=1
#SEL5_DEC_TYPE=INTERNAL
#SEL5_TYPE=ZVEI1
#FQ=433475000
#MODULATION=FM
#WBRX=WbRx1
 
[WbRx1]
#TYPE=RtlUsb
#DEV_MATCH=0
#HOST=localhost
#PORT=1234
#CENTER_FQ=435075000
#FQ_CORR=0
#GAIN=0
#PEAK_METER=1
#SAMPLE_RATE=960000
 
[Tx1]
TYPE=Local
AUDIO_DEV=alsa:plughw:1,0
AUDIO_CHANNEL=0
PTT_TYPE=Hidraw
#PTT_PORT=/dev/ttyS0
#PTT_PIN=HIDRAW
HID_DEVICE=/dev/hidraw0
HID_PTT_PIN=GPIO3
#SERIAL_SET_PINS=DTR!RTS
#GPIO_PATH=/sys/class/gpio
#PTT_HANGTIME=1000
TIMEOUT=300
TX_DELAY=500
#CTCSS_FQ=136.5
#CTCSS_LEVEL=9
PREEMPHASIS=1
DTMF_TONE_LENGTH=100
DTMF_TONE_SPACING=50
DTMF_DIGIT_PWR=-15
MASTER_GAIN=-1.25
 
[LocationInfo]
APRS_SERVER_LIST=euro.aprs2.net:14580
STATUS_SERVER_LIST=aprs.echolink.org:5199
LON_POSITION=1.25.30W
LAT_POSITION=60.17.18N
CALLSIGN=EL-GM4SLV
FREQUENCY=144.9125
TX_POWER=1
ANTENNA_GAIN=0
ANTENNA_HEIGHT=1m
ANTENNA_DIR=-1
#PATH=WIDE1-1
#BEACON_INTERVAL=60
TONE=77
COMMENT=SvxLink by SM0SVX (www.svxlink.org)
 
[Macros]
1=EchoLink:9999#
2=EchoLink:973498#
3=EchoLink:662666#

/etc/svxlink/svxlink.d/ModuleEchoLink.conf

[ModuleEchoLink]
NAME=EchoLink
ID=2
TIMEOUT=60
#ALLOW_IP=192.168.1.0/24
#DROP_INCOMING=^()$
#REJECT_INCOMING=^()$
#ACCEPT_INCOMING=^(.*)$
#REJECT_OUTGOING=^()$
#ACCEPT_OUTGOING=^(.*)$
#REJECT_CONF=0
#CHECK_NR_CONNECTS=2,300,120
SERVERS=servers.echolink.org
CALLSIGN=GM4SLV-L
PASSWORD=XXXXXXXXX
SYSOPNAME=John
LOCATION=[Svx] Shetland
PROXY_SERVER=my.vps.host.name
PROXY_PORT=8100
PROXY_PASSWORD=my_proxy_password
#BIND_ADDR=10.20.30.40
MAX_QSOS=5
MAX_CONNECTIONS=6
LINK_IDLE_TIMEOUT=900
#AUTOCON_ECHOLINK_ID=9999
#AUTOCON_TIME=1200
#USE_GSM_ONLY=1
#DEFAULT_LANG=en_US
#COMMAND_PTY=/dev/shm/echolink_ctrl
DESCRIPTION="You have connected to a SvxLink node,\n"

/usr/local/share/svxlink/events.d/local

Edit the section proc dtmf_cmd_received {cmd} to add the stanzas that run external bash scripts to stop and restart svxlink with different config files

#
# Executed when a DTMF command has been received
#   cmd - The command
#
# Return 1 to hide the command from further processing is SvxLink or
# return 0 to make SvxLink continue processing as normal.
#
# This function can be used to implement your own custom commands or to disable
# DTMF commands that you do not want users to execute.
proc dtmf_cmd_received {cmd} {
  #global active_module

  # Example: Ignore all commands starting with 3 in the EchoLink module.
  #          Allow commands that have four or more digits.
  #if {$active_module == "EchoLink"} {
  #  if {[string length $cmd] < 4 && [string index $cmd 0] == "3"} {
  #    puts "Ignoring random connect command for module EchoLink: $cmd"
  #    return 1
  #  }
  #}

  # Handle the "force core command" mode where a command is forced to be
  # executed by the core command processor instead of by an active module.
  # The "force core command" mode is entered by prefixing a command by a star.
  #if {$active_module != "" && [string index $cmd 0] != "*"} {
  #  return 0
  #}
  #if {[string index $cmd 0] == "*"} {
  #  set cmd [string range $cmd 1 end]
  #}

  # Example: Custom command executed when DTMF 99 is received
  if {$cmd == "99"} {
    puts "Executing external command"
    playMsg "Core" "online"
    exec /home/gm4slv/svx_noel.sh &
    return 1
  }
  # Example: Custom command executed when DTMF 99 is received
  if {$cmd == "98"} {
    puts "Executing external command"
    playMsg "Core" "online"
    exec /home/gm4slv/svx_el.sh &
    return 1
  }
 
  return 0
}

start with echolink : svx_el.sh

#!/bin/bash
 
CFG=/etc/svxlink/svxlink_el.conf
LOG=/home/gm4slv/svxlink.log
 
sudo killall svxlink
sudo killall svxlink
sudo killall svxlink
 
sudo svxlink --daemon --logfile=$LOG --config=$CFG
exit 0

start without echolink : svx_noel.sh

#!/bin/bash
 
CFG=/etc/svxlink/svxlink_noel.conf
LOG=/home/gm4slv/svxlink.log
 
sudo killall svxlink
sudo killall svxlink
sudo killall svxlink
 
sudo svxlink --daemon --logfile=$LOG --config=$CFG
exit 0

crontab entry to start with echolink enabled at boot time

@reboot sleep 30 && sudo -u gm4slv /home/gm4slv/svx_el.sh >/dev/null 2>&1

Catch up with git version

The version of svxlink running on this Pi was self-compiled from the GIT repository
- Update to latest version from GIT
I decided to pull & compile the latest version so I simply followed the instructions I'd put on the above wiki page and all went smoothly (if slowly)

DTMF Commands

Old info SVXLink : DTMF commands
Ignore Reflector commands - I am not (yet) connected to the SVX Reflector http://svxportal-uk.ddns.net:81/index.php

`*#`	System Status
`0#`	Help Module
`1#`	Parrot Module
`2#`	Echolink Module

`#`	De-activate module

Echolink Module

`<node number>#`	Connect to `<node number>`
`0#`	Play the help message
`1#`	List all connected stations
`2#`	Play local EchoLink node id
`31#`	Connect to a random link or repeater
`32#`	Connect to a random conference
`4#`	Reconnect to the last disconnected station
`50#`	Deactivate listen only mode
`51#`	Activate listen only mode
`6*#`	Use the connect by callsign feature
`#`	If connected = Disconnect, otherwise = Deactivate Echolink module

https://github.com/sm0svx/svxlink/wiki/ModuleEchoLink

Macros

`D1#`	Echolink	9999	Echotest
`D2#`	Echolink	973498	M0HOY-L	Hubnet
`D3#`	Echolink	662666	M0JKT-L	FreeStar

Sound files

use en_US when echolink is enabled
- this is also needed for reflector when it's re-enabled, as the US files also have the additional reflector sound samples
use en_GB when echolink is disable
easy to tell from status *# which is active!

Proxy

after consideration….
I decided to use my VPS-hosted echolink proxy
- remove port forwards on home router for UDP/5198 & UDP/5199
- open port TPC/8100 for only my home IP address on VPS
  - this means only one IP address can reach the Proxy on port TCP/8100
- open ports UDP/5198 & UDP/5199 for anywhere on VPS
- edit echolink proxy config on VPS to allow only GM4SLV-L to connect
  - this means only one callsign can connect to the proxy
- start proxy in a tmux session, using bash script on VPS
- edit ModuleEchoLink.conf on svxlink pi to use the proxy
- restart svx_el.sh

PROXY_SERVER=my.vps.host.name
PROXY_PORT=8100
PROXY_PASSWORD=xxxxxxxxx

— John Pumford-Green 06/04/24 07:09

LAST MODIFIED : 29/01/26 17:32 GMT

Further Information

radio, svxlink

YaDDNet Data Backup

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:55:07 +0000

←2024 Radio Topics

YaDDNet Data Backup

Offsite Text file backups of all DSC messages

Alan Spindel initially suggested an offsite backup of the DSC messages in 2019
YaDDNet has had the facility to send copies of each new message out to specified IP addresses via UDP since that time
The DSC messages are sent by UDP as simple plain text, for easy archiving
The archived text file can be used if necessary to rebuild the SQL database table containing the DSC messages in case of disaster
Since I'm now hosting YaDDNet again I decided I should run a UDP log receiver at home to improve the backup provision
The daily archive files will be gzipped and stored on Dropbox
- I could share the link to anyone who is interested in using the saved data

YaDDNet UDP Send to Mirror

In the PyYadd.py function a DSC message is created from the raw incoming data from YaDD (and DSC Decoder) in a standard format.
This involves converting MMSI → Coast or Ship name, finding the [MID] and corresponding country etc.
Prior to using the newly created message to inject new data into the SQL server PyYadd.py calls the function send_to_mirror() to send out the UDP packet to any configured IP addresses
PyYadd.py then inserts the new data in the SQL server
Any addressed & listening UDP clients receive the UDP packets and append them to a log file

def send_to_mirror(data):
    log_data = "[log];"+data
    port = 2505
    host = "aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd.eee"
    host2 = "fff.ggg.hhh.iii"
    sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
    sock.sendto(log_data, (host, port))
    sock.sendto(log_data, (host2, port))
 
    return

Backup UDP receive and logrotate

UDP Listener

#!/usr/bin/env python
#
# udp_logger.py
#
 
import SocketServer
import socket
import threading
 
class ThreadedUDPRequestHandler(SocketServer.BaseRequestHandler):
 
    def handle(self):
        data = self.request[0].strip()
        socket = self.request[1]
        self.write_file(data)
 
    def write_file(self,text):
        filename = '/home/gm4slv/yaddlogs/yaddnet_udp_log.txt'
        f = open(filename, 'a+')
        log = text
        f.write(log+"\n")
        f.close()
        return
 
class ThreadedUDPServer(SocketServer.ThreadingMixIn, SocketServer.UDPServer):
    pass
 
if __name__ == "__main__":
    HOST, PORT = "", 2505
    server = ThreadedUDPServer((HOST, PORT), ThreadedUDPRequestHandler)
    ip, port = server.server_address
    server.serve_forever()
    # Start a thread with the server -- 
    # that thread will then start one
    # more thread for each request
    server_thread = threading.Thread(target=server.serve_forever)
    # Exit the server thread when the main thread terminates
    server_thread.daemon = True
    server_thread.start()
    server.shutdown()

The UDP Log Receiver listens to UDP/2505 for incoming packets from YaDDNet. These are of the form:

[log];2024-04-19 08:43:06;NLD_MB_HF1;2187.5;SEL;002050480;COAST;205;Belgium;Ostende Radio;SAF;636092799;SHIP;636;Liberia;CISNES, D5HF4, Cargo;TEST;NOINF;--;--;REQ;OK
[log];2024-04-19 08:43:28;BDXC-Han-Remote;12577.0;SEL;002241022;COAST;224;Spain;Coruna Radio;SAF;538005991;SHIP;538;Marshall Islands;NAVIG8 VIOLETTE, V7IH3, Tanker;TEST;NOINF;--;--;REQ;OK

each new packet is appended to the running log file /home/gm4slv/yaddlogs/yaddnet_udp_log.txt
the file will grow indefinitely if left to itself!

Logrotate

run by Crontab every day at midnight
copies the current running log to a timestamped file
erases the contents of the running log file
gzips the timestamped copy and moves it to Dropbox

## CRONTAB ENTRY
 
00 00 * * * /home/gm4slv/bin/yaddlog_rotate.sh /dev/null 2>&1

#!/bin/bash
#
# yaddlog_rotate.sh
 
DROPBOX=/home/gm4slv/Dropbox/Yaddlogs/
DIR=/home/gm4slv/yaddlogs
 
INFILE=yaddnet_udp_log.txt
 
TIMESTAMP=`date +%Y%m%d_%H%M`
 
OUTFILE=$TIMESTAMP\_$INFILE
 
cp $DIR/$INFILE $DIR/$OUTFILE
cat /dev/null > $DIR/$INFILE
 
 
gzip $DIR/$OUTFILE
 
mv $DIR/$OUTFILE.gz $DROPBOX

This creates a gzipped log file in my Dropbox of each day's new DSC messages

Starting the UDP Listener at boot-up

crontab entry to start it as a background job at @reboot

#
# CRONTAB ENTRY
#
@reboot python /home/gm4slv/bin/udp_logger.py &

— John Pumford-Green 19/04/24 09:31 BST

Last updated : 30/12/25 09:55 GMT

Further Information

YaDDNet

radio, yaddnet

YaDDNet : New VPS

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:35:57 +0000

←2024 Radio Topics

YaDDNet : New VPS

Moving YaDDNet from USA to UK

Background

YaDDNet started hosted on a machine in my shed
In 2019 I almost gave up maintaining & hosting it and was approached by Alan Spindel ex. of WLO/Mobile Radio with the offer of a free VPS in the States
I moved everything from my own PC to the new Cloud Server - as documented largely here Yaddnet Migration
It's run quietly and without too may hiccups since 2019 until now, April 13th 2024
Alan has now been asked to contribute financially for continued access to the VPS - up to $200 per month
This is way too much money!
I looked at my current VPS hosted by Fasthosts and they do a VPS with similar specs to the existing USA-based server - for £12 per month
I let Alan know I'd take on the new server and migrate YaDDNet ASAP, and began the process of obtaining server, installing software required, copying YaDDNet Python code, transferring YaDDNet HTML/PHP web pages and then the big job of taking a MYSQL dump of the YaDDNet database and copying it over, and putting it into the new SQL server.
Let the fun begin

New VPS

I bought a VPS L from Fasthosts
- 120GB HDD, 4GB RAM, 2 CPU, Ubuntu 20.4
I copied the yaddnet python code (in a tar-ball) that deals with the network feeds of Yadd and DSCDecoder and injects the resulting data into the MySQLdatabase from the existing server.
I installed the necessary software
- Python2.7
- python-is-python2
- python-dev-is-python2
- MySQL Client
- MySQL Server
- Apache2
- PHP
- Tmux
- Vim
- copied my .bashrc from the old server for colour prompt etc.

Using the previous Yaddnet Migration info Yaddnet Migration I had some guidance of any tweaks needed.
I needed extra Python2 supporting libraries
- For MySQLdb → pip install MySQL-python
- but for pip…. I need pip2… how to get it - it's no longer available from Ubuntu's apt repositories.
  - I found a script get-pip.py at github
    - https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
    - also need python-dev from apt
    - also need my_config.h from where..?
    - finally can pip install MySQL-python

curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/pip/2.7/get-pip.py --output get-pip.py
sudo python2 get-pip.py
sudo apt-get install python-dev
sudo wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/paulfitz/mysql-connector-c/master/include/my_config.h -O /usr/include/mysql/my_config.h
sudo pip2 install MySQL-python

at this point I could run the python server code, in a tmux session as usual, using the shell script in the python directory extracted from the tar-ball. All the supporting libraries were there.

MySQL config

My old notes had instructions of how to set MySQL for password-less root access, but I found by trial and error that these steps no longer work in Ubuntu 20.4, with systemd
I found some help online https://ostechnix.com/how-to-reset-root-password-in-mysql-8-on-ubuntu-linux/
- the basic is that it's now necessary to add options to MySQL via systemd
- for skip-grant-tables

$ sudo systemctl stop mysql
$ sudo systemctl status mysql
$ sudo systemctl edit mysql

[Service]
ExecStart=
ExecStart=/usr/sbin/mysqld --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking

$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl start mysql
$ sudo mysql -u root

mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
mysql> ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY '';
mysql> exit

$ sudo systemctl revert mysql
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl restart mysql

Make database for yadd

$mysql -u root

mysql> create database yadd;
mysql> quit;

Get the data

on the old server

$ mysqldump -u root yadd > yadd_backup.sql

and wait…. and wait…..
eventually there's a 6.2GB sql file containing all the existing data
bzip2 the file to make it smaller (it's about 400MB now) for scp transfer to the new server
send it across:
- scp yaddnet_backup.sql.bz2 gm4slv@109.228.53.165:

on the new server
- bunzip2 yaddnet_backup.sql.bz2
- and wait….and wait
then inject it into the new yadd database

mysql -u root yadd < yaddnet_backup.sql

and wait…. and wait…. and wait
eventually the command returns and the database is restored on the new machine

Web pages

extract the backed-up webpages from the old server and copy them to /var/www/html
To be able to retrieve SQL data via PHP I needed to install more

sudo apt-get install php-mysql

Almost there….
New MYSQL user with a password for PHP data retrieval
- Alan Spindel informed me that there was an update some time ago and it was necessary to create a new MySQL user, with a password, and to modify the PHP files to use it in the PHP → MySQL transactions

CREATE USER 'XXXXX'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'YYYYY';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'XXXXX'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION;

XXXXX is the username as set in all the PHP files and YYYYY is the password for the user
to perform some of the SQL queries (group-by) - need to alter sql-mode but again the old method using *.cnf files no longer works

# MySQL systemd service file

[Unit]
Description=MySQL Community Server
After=network.target

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

[Service]
Type=notify
User=mysql
Group=mysql
PIDFile=/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid
PermissionsStartOnly=true
ExecStartPre=/usr/share/mysql/mysql-systemd-start pre
ExecStart=/usr/sbin/mysqld  --sql-mode=STRICT_TRANS_TABLES,ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION
TimeoutSec=infinity
Restart=on-failure
RuntimeDirectory=mysqld
RuntimeDirectoryMode=755
LimitNOFILE=10000

# Set enviroment variable MYSQLD_PARENT_PID. This is required for restart.
Environment=MYSQLD_PARENT_PID=1
~
~

Then

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl restart mysql

start the Python code to listen for new data

./new_tmux.sh

open firewall for UDP/50666 and UDP/4530
set up my own Yadd receiver pointing at 109.228.53.165 port 50666 and let it send new data….
it's arriving!
Alter DNS for the domain at Fasthosts to point yaddnet.org and www.yaddnet.org → 109.228.53.165
Wait for new data from other YaDD receivers to start arriving as the DNS change propagates….
it's arriving
make /var/www/html/pages/php/test/tmp world read/writable to allow new text files to be written there (eg REU searches etc.)

Clean up

that's everything working correctly
crontab entries to maintain everything

@reboot sleep 60; sudo -u gm4slv /home/gm4slv/yaddnet/tmux_yadd.sh >/dev/null 2>&1
 
 
15 */4 * * * /home/gm4slv/yaddnet/purge_err.sh > /dev/null
* * * * * /home/gm4slv/yaddnet/purge_tmp.sh > /dev/null

get SSL certificates from Fasthost and convert Apache2 to HTTPS, per previous posts
- SSL Install on VPS
- VPS Notes
add a PayPal Donate button

install mercurial on new server and make new code repositories

hg init
hg add
hg com -m "first commit, new server"

yaddnet_repo containing the python and various bash scripts for handling incoming data and SQL injection
yaddnet_web_repo containing the html and php web pages

Extra

config directory needs access control via .htaccess and .htpasswd
- first apache2 needs config tweaking

<Directory /path/to/website/database_tweaks/config>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
</Directory>

.htaccess file in config directory

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Password Protected Area"
AuthUserFile  /path/to/website/database_tweaks/config/.htpasswd
Require valid-user

create a .htpasswd file for the user who can have access to config
restart apache2
to prevent directory file-listing (where there's no index.html file) remove Indexes from apache2.conf

<Directory /var/www/>
        Options  FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride None
        Require all granted
</Directory>

to allow the test directory itself to be listed (I can't be bothered to maintain an index for these scraps of php)

<Directory /var/www/html/pages/php/test/>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride None
        Require all granted
</Directory>

restart apache2

— John Pumford-Green 14/04/24 18:11 BST

Further Information

yaddnet, radio