This document discusses using a Raspberry Pi for various amateur radio projects. It begins by explaining what a Raspberry Pi is - an inexpensive single-board computer running Linux. It then provides examples of using a Raspberry Pi for software defined radio with an RTL-SDR dongle, receiving ADS-B aircraft signals, using WSPR for weak signal propagation reporting with the WsprryPi software, acting as a D-STAR access point with a DVAP dongle, using it for packet radio with software like Direwolf and hardware TNCs, setting up a packet BBS with PiLinBPQ, and using it for APRS with clients like Xastir and YAAC.

1. Raspberry Pi and Amateur Radio
Radio related things to do
with your Raspberry Pi
Kevin Hooke KK6DCT
July 2016
http://www.raspberrypi.org/

2. Amateur Radio + Raspberry Pi
General Radio stuff:
● SDR radio (RTL dongle and rtl_sdr / rtl_tcp)
● ADS-B Aircraft transponder reception (RTL dongle and dump1090)
Amateur Radio:
● Cheap Desktop PC replacement (for Logging, internet, QRZ lookups)
● Weak Signal Propagation (WSPR / WSPRryPi)
● DSTAR Access Point (DVAP dongle and other add-on boards)
● Packet Radio - h/w (Pi TNC) and s/w (Direwolf) TNC solutions
● Packet Radio BBS / Personal mailbox (PiLinBPQ)
● Packet DX Cluster (DX Spider)
● DIY Projects: Remote antenna rotator, antenna switches

3. Raspberry Pi – what is it?
● How does it differ from an
Arduino?
● Arduino: a microcontroller
– Programmable, can control
external devices, circuits
through analog and digital
I/O pins
– does one thing, usually
repeatedly
Image from: SparkFun Electronics from Boulder, USA - Arduino Uno - R3, CC BY 2.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26785892

4. Raspberry Pi – what is it?
● ARM microprocessor based
● Usually runs a flavor of Linux
(e.g. Raspbian)
● Uses SD Cards for disk
storage
● GPIO and I2C I/O pins for
interacting with hardware
devices
Raspberry Pi B+
Image from: Lucasbosch - CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34179985
● Pi 1 & 2: USB ports (for keyboard, mouse), HDMI out,
Ethernet
● Pi 3: WiFi, Bluetooth
● A general purpose single-board computer

5. Did I mention?
$35

6. Warning: Hobby time-sink alert!
● From this point onwards:
– You will most likely spend a bunch of time installing
and tweaking Linux related stuff
● We'll skip a lot of specifics here, but there are plenty of
resources online, e.g.
– https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/
– http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/
– http://elinux.org/RPi_Hub
– … many more
● All ideas here I've blogged in detail (some step by step):
– https://www.kevinhooke.com/?s=raspberry+pi
● I'll be happy to help anyone with specific questions after
the meeting, or via email: kevin.hooke@gmail.com

7. Raspberry Pi – Getting Started
● Download an OS https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads
● Burn to an SD card
● Several options to choose from, Raspbian is the default
option

8. ● Connect an HDMI monitor and keyboard/mouse for initial
setup
● Once setup, you can run it 'headless' (no monitor), use ssh
(Linux/OS X), or putty (on Windows) to access remotely
over your network
● sudo raspi-config : several useful config options
Raspberry Pi – Setting Up
Menu driven
config options:

9. Let's look at a few ideas!
Raspberry Pi – Radio Stuff

10. ● Install: sudo apt-get install xlog
Logging Apps: xlog

11. ● Install: sudo apt-get install cqrlog
Logging Apps: CQRLog

12. ● RTL USB TV receiver
● Install osmocomSDR software:
http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr
● rtl_sdr
● rtl_fm : fm receiver
● rtl_tcp : sdr server – can be accessed
remotely, eg from SDR# on a PC
– e.g. allows Pi + dongle + antenna
can be remotely located
= avoids long coax feed
RTL dongles + Raspberry Pi
$23 from
http://www.nooelec.com/store/sdr/
nesdr-mini-2-plus.html
Step by step setup:
https://www.kevinhooke.com/2014/07/26/installing-rtl-sdr-and-dump1090-on-a-raspberry-pi-to-receive-ads-b-signals/

13. ● ADS-B: Automated position report transmissions from
airplanes, location/speed/heading/flight/airframe id – 1.090
GHz
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_dependent_surveillance_%E2%80%93_broadcast
● Online flight tracking (eg FlightAware.com and others)
collect reception data from hobbyists
● Multiple approaches, dump1090 is easiest
● Needs rtl-sdr installed first
● Original version: https://github.com/antirez/dump1090
● Updated version: https://github.com/MalcolmRobb/dump1090
● To pull source and build:
– git clone https://github.com/MalcolmRobb/dump1090.git
– cd dump1090
– make
RTL dongle: ADS-B Reception

14. ● dump1090 --interactive
Running dump1090
● dump1090 --net

15. ● WSPR: Weak Signal Propagation Reporting
● Raspberry Pi
+ WsprryPi software
https://github.com/JamesP6000/WsprryPi
+ TAPR QRP shield ($29)
https://www.tapr.org/kits_20M-wspr-pi.html
+ wire antenna (e.g. dipole)
WSPR: WsprryPi + TAPR QRP TX
Shield

16. ● TAPR QRPi shield ($29)
● https://www.tapr.org/kits_20M-wspr-pi.html
● 20 dBm / 100 mW TX output
● LPF + BPF + 10 dBm power amp (20 dBm output)
WSPR: WsprryPi + TAPR QRP TX
Shield
See docs for other apps and modes:
SSB
NFM
AM
SSTV
CW

17. First attempt: Didn't get any spots using a RPi 1
(WsprryPi s/w was updated to support Rpi 2?)
● TAPR QRPi Shield
● 20m wire dipole
● Weatherproof
box
● 10000 mAh
USB battery
WSPR: WsprryPi + TAPR QRPi TX
Shield

18. Second attempt: RPi 2
● TAPR QRPi Shield
● 20m wire dipole
● Weatherproof
box
● 10000 mAh
USB battery
WSPR: WsprryPi + TAPR QRPi TX
Shield

19. 4/30/16: 20m : 100 mW – 2180 miles to W4DJW in South Carolina!
WSPR: WsprryPi + TAPR QRP TX
Shield

20. DSTAR Access Point (DVAP
dongle & others)
● DV Access Point USB
Dongle
– Requires DSTAR radio
From:
http://www.dvapdongle.com/DV_Access_Point_Dongle/Home.html
● DVMega
- various models, some require
DSTAR radio
- AMBE3000 takes analog input
and converts to DSTAR data
signal
From:
http://www.dvmega.auria.nl/AMBE3000_shield.html

21. Packet Radio and Raspberry Pi
● Lots of options!
– ax25 networking stack support in Linux
● Already installed or easily installed on Linux distros
● Provides basic tools like call: axcall 1 kberr
– Direwolf (Packet soundcard modem / TNC)
● Also supports APRS beacons, iGates
https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf
– LinPac (Packet terminal app) http://linpac.sourceforge.net/overview.php
– PiLinBPQ: BPQ32 Packet BBS
http://www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Documents/InstallingLINBPQ.htm
– Hardware TNC boards: TNC-Pi
● Checkout Joe DeAngelo AG6QO's site on setting up the
WINTBB Raspberry Pi BBS: http://ag6qo.com/PiPBBS.html

22. Prebuilt SD Card images for Packet
● Don't need to install apps yourself, prebuilt OS images (SD
Card):
– F6BVP: Xastir, FPAC, LinFBB
● Uses TNC-Pi by default
http://f6bvp.free.fr/AX25_BBS_Node_RaspBerry_Pi_install.html
– HALDigital: https://sourceforge.net/p/haldigital/wiki/Home/
● Prebuild Raspbian image with ax25, Direwolf, etc
● Menu driven configuration
If you want more flexibility/options, can still install all parts
yourself

23. Direwolf – soundcard modem
● Soundcard Packet modem (Linux and Windows versions)
● https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf
– AWESOME documentation
– Easy setup
– KISS app support
– AGWE app support
● APRS / Smart Beaconing / GPS board support
● APRS iGate

24. Direwolf and PiLinBPQ
● Raspberry Pi + Direwolf + PiLinBPQ:
– Low cost / low power packet BBS and CHAT station
– Portable Packet BBS? Add USB battery packs
● BPQ32: ax25 Node – Windows and Linux versions
– http://www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Documents/BPQ32.html
● PiLinBPQ: Raspberry Pi version
– Add on apps: BBS, CHAT, other integration

25. Direwolf and axcall/LinPac
● Raspberry Pi + Direwolf + axcall/LinPac
– Low cost / low power packet station
– Portable Packet station? Add USB battery packs
● Linpack: http://linpac.sourceforge.net/overview.php

26. Direwolf and APRS: Xastir
● APRS client: http://xastir.org/index.php/Main_Page

27. Direwolf and APRS: YAAC
● YAAC – Yet another APRS Client:
http://www.ka2ddo.org/ka2ddo/YAAC.html

28. Example Pi Packet setup

29. Example Pi Packet setup
● HT radio
● Soundcard interface
● Pi + Direwolf
● Add USB batteries for
portable setup
Left:
● Pi 1 (headless)
● PiLinBBS
Right:
● Pi 3 + 7” touchscreen
● Axcall into BBS
(WiFi hub is for ssh into Pi
for demo, not needed as
part of setup)

30. Future Project: RTL SDR and Direwolf
Self-contained Pi SDR Packet station?
● Setup:
– RTL USB dongle
– rtl_sdr / rtl_fm
– Direwolf soundcard modem
– (see Direwolf docs for instructions)
● Self-contained SDR packet station for < $60 ?
● What about transmit?
– RPiTX: https://github.com/F5OEO/rpitx
– QTCSDR: https://github.com/ha7ilm/qtcsdr

31. Demos and Questions