ConDV is free Hotspot software from DUTCH*Star, maker of DV Modems, the
DUTCH*Star firmware that runs them, and many free software programs. It was written by
Fred van Kempen, KA4YBR. It's easy to install and has wide-ranging
functionality, including linking support for DPlus (REF) reflectors, DExtra
(XRF) reflectors and DCS reflectors. It allows you to configure an ircDDB
gateway, supports DTMF commands, provides optional audio announcements, and has
an easy to use command line user interface. It runs under Linux on ARM
processors like the Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone Black. There is also a
version for Windows. This page is about the Pi version.
To speed the installation process, this page assumes your Pi will use the
excellent "westerndstar" image produced by Brian GW6WTK. It is easy to
download this image file and write it to your Pi's SD card, then boot up and
configure your own callsign, etc.
The westerndstar image actually has ConDV already installed on it, though the
Pi boots up running Brian's very nice "WesternDStar Widget". The Widget is
aimed at managing the G4KLX programs, which ConDV does not need, but you will be
able to switch easily between G4KLX or ConDV.
LCD Support (Optional, if you have one)
ConDV makes nice use of an LCD if you have one for your Pi, showing the
callsign and user text of the person you are listening to. However, an LCD
is not needed to be able to use ConDV on a Pi. ConDV can be configured to
work with various LCDs.
Load image file
Click here for how to download the
westerndstar image created by Brian, GW6WTK.
That page will also have you install several very useful tools to make
configuration and operation easier:
- A VNC Client (TightVNC), so you can log onto your Pi's desktop from
another pc
- WinSCP, so you can easily navigate the Pi's folders and manage files
from another pc
- An SSH Client (PuTTY) to be able to log onto the Pi using a terminal
(command liane) interface from another pc
Configure ConDV
- Right-click here and select Save As
(or equivalent for your browser) to download hotspot.conf. Save it on your pc
where you can find it.
-
Use WinSCP to upload this sample file to /dstar/etc/condv.d
-
With WinSCP, right click hotspot.conf and select Edit:
- At a minimum, change MYCALL to use your own callsign, and DEVICE
should point to the PORT section at the bottom of the file that
describes your modem. Note: If you want to link to DPlus reflectors (those named REFxxxn),
then the combination of the two must be a registered terminal The normal
convention is to use initial or module letter B if on 70cm, or C if on 2
meters.
Check the D-Star Info Query to be sure your terminals are set up.
- If you will not be using an LCD screen, in the LCD section, change
Enabled to False. Mode=2 for Adafruit LCDs. Mode=3 for the
LCD from MoenComm.
- Review the other sections. If you want to enable the ircDDB Gateway
and have a password, fill that in, otherwise set Enable to False.
Note: If you have not registered the Hotspot/Repeater's callsign with
ircddb.net and received a password, the freestar server is known to work
without a password.
- If PROTOCOL DPlus is enabled, fill in the AuthCall callsign that is
registered with an ICOM US Trust gateway.
- In the sample file, module_b describes a NODE device, that is, a
GMSK Modem.
- Save.
Create Launch script and configure
- Right-click here and select
Save As (or equivalent for your browser) to download file cdv. Save it to your pc where
you can find it.
- Use WinSCP to upload the cdv file to /usr/local/bin/
- Right-click the file, select Properties and change Permissions
to 0755
- Right-click here and select
Save As to download file autostart. Save it to your pc.
- Use WinSCP to upload the autostart file to
/home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/ (replace existing file)
- See notes below about host files and ircDDB configuration
- You have finished installing ConDV!
Ongoing Operations -- Boot Pi to launch G4KLX, or boot to launch ConDV
To boot to G4KLX
Log on using your VNC client like TightVNC
Bring up WDs Widget
Make sure the Startup Options for both Modem 1 and Gateway are set to
GUI
SAVE
RSTRT
To boot to ConDV
Log on using VNC Client
Bring up WDs Widget
On Startup Options for both Modem 1 and Gateway, set both to None
SAVE
RSTRT
Using ConDV (first make above Widget change and restart Pi)
You can control linking normally from your radio, e.g. use a
memory with URCall=REF001CL
You can issue the I (Info) command, and the status will be in
the text message of the reply transmission. ConDV does not support
voice announcements.
For an Echo test, just link to the E module of any REF
reflector and that will provide an excellent Echo facility for
testing
If you want to control ConDV from your PC, then just log onto
the Desktop using your VNC Client. You will see a terminal
window already open, and ConDV will be running in it.
To get help with supported commands, press ? key
- Mostly you will use L and U to link to reflectors and
unlink from them. To link to REF001C, enter L, then enter
REF001_C (note the underscore so C goes in position 8)
- This also works for DCS and XRF reflectors, e.g. L, then
DCS006_B
- Don't close the Terminal window, but you can close the
VNC session and ConDV will continue to run. And of course,
there is no need to use the command line interface, since
full control using your radio is possible.
The following commands are supported:
ESC abort
? help
B send APRS beacon
C list connection(s)
f find callsign
I send RF beacon message
L link to (new) gateway
R re-connect to gateway
U unlink from gateway
Z unlink client conn
To quit the program, just hit the Escape key.
Linking by using RF commands from your D-Star radio
- These are the same commands you can use with an ICOM repeater that has
DPlus installed
- Check out
http://www.k6jm.com/dstarlinking.htm .
- The one difference is that for your Hotspot, unless you checked the
Check for valid RPT1 and RPT2 checkboxes (on WinDV's RF Access tab), you do
not need to program the values for RPT1 and RPT2
More Features
We've covered the most important features, but as you get familiar with
ConDV, you may want to explore other useful features:
- Hosts files - ConDV comes with three hosts files that contain lists of
REF reflectors, XRF reflectors and DCS reflectors. If you are unable to link
to a given reflector, you may need to update one of these files.
You have several choices:
- Easiest: Use the host files already on your image put there for G4KLX
programs. A script called "symhosts" will create Linux symlinks so
ConDV will use the G4KLX host files:
- Right-click here and select
Save As (or equivalent for your browser) to download file
symhosts. Save it to your pc where
you can find it.
- Use WinSCP to upload the symhosts file to /usr/local/bin/
- Right-click the file, select Properties and change Permissions
to 0755
- In a terminal window, enter symhosts. This does not need
to be done again unless you erase the linked filenames from
/dstar/etc.
- Or, you can copy G4KLX hosts
files to where ConDV expects them to be:
- ConDV hosts files are located in /dstar/etc and are named
dphosts.txt, dxhosts.txt and dcshosts.txt
- G4KLX hosts files are located in /usr/local/etc and are
named DPlus_Hosts.txt, DExtra_Hosts.txt and DCS_Hosts.txt
- Just use WinSCP to copy the G4KLX files to /dstar/etc,
rename or delete the existing ConDV files and rename theG4KLX files to
the ConDV-expected names (e.g. DPlus_Hosts.txt becomes dphosts.txt, etc.)
- Or, you can manually edit the hosts files in /dstar/etc with updated information
- ircDDB - This service helps ICOM callsign routing work better.
When configuring /dstar/etc/condv.d/hotspot.conf, you can enable
ircddb. Note that some of the provided server options do not require
registering your Hotspot's callsign to get a password, and some do.
See our FAQ at http://www.gmskdvnode.info/#Callsign_Routing for more information.
That's it! Enjoy your ConDV hotspot on your Raspberry Pi.
