Thank you, this is something the amature community needs. It meets what I call people using what they have to make something work. I like how you use a browser on your phone to enter data and the aggregation of the data on I hope a tablet or computer that is OS independent. I typically use APRS for most of my data on bike rides. All SAG vehicles have APRS and we message but not the reststops and I wish I could do more than voice for these folks. Note we have been importing what we have been doing good 8 yrs and I started building Digipeater 9 yrs ago but APRS is limited to those that want to use it. I like this for its creativity.
Great video! I'm really intrigued by this idea of a bootable usb with a custom software set on it. I'm going to need to learn how to do this. On the CSV over radio thing. I do it all the time with vARIM (similar to Winlink P2P using VARA) you can send a decent size CSV quickly if band conditions are ok. Over a VHF link Vara FM would scream. Probably faster than 8psk1000F Keep up the great work. The future of amateur radio is going to depend on meshing computers/ip traffic and other modern tech with RF links.
As an electrical engineer and programmer, hats off for the design of arcOS. A lot of thought went into making it user friendly. A very nice APP indeed!
Nice work! A suggestion: When you click the button to add an entry to the parade app, have the backend generate the ID, optionally formatted per configuration. This will help keep things organized, and prevent ID collisions. Alternatively, if you are handing out paper tags or ID placards, include a QR code with a link to the registration app and the unique ID associated with that placard embedded. The volunteer parade worker can just scan the code, and fill in the required info. Hope this helps.....
AREDN is a bit trickier to get up and running. Line of site is more critical in the microwave bands. 2M/440 are slower for data transfer but fast enough for our needs during the parade. APRS trackers and objects will both be in play.
You could easily speed this up by changing the process a bit. Instead of having the user sign into your LAN, host a webpage that creates QR codes on the internet and have them enter data, generate the qr code then check-in people can scan the code and have it automagically enter the data from the QR code into the database. It saves time without people logging into the server and by scanning it's a smidgen more accurate. If you rather, the user can scan a wifi qr code also.
For this particular implementation, and maybe this wasn't clear, the only folks connecting to the wifi are club volunteers...not the parade participants. I don't want to get rid of chatty human interaction with the public :-). QR codes are still possibly useful, though. I'd recommend the `qrencode` package from the Mint/Ubuntu repos to eliminate the need for internet to generate the QR code. If you want to play around with implementing a QR code solution, please feel free to make a copy of the PARADE module in COMMUNITY, and place it in the USER directory. Modify away, and share your results!
This is AWESOME! Been using 73 Linux on Evolve laptop. Can we hope for a collaboration between the two of you to add Vara HF and Vara FM into the mix? Please? Pretty please?? Very nicely done with this effort!!
This is assuming that each person is setting up an ad hoc network between their laptop and their phone, correct? If that's the case, something that needs to be thought about is SSID coordination.
If the "Windows 10 machine" has hardware which is supported by the Linux kernel (6.5.0-14-generic), then yes. However, many of the lower cost laptop manufacturers with unpronounceable names are in cahoots with MS to make sure they have proprietary drivers available for Windows, but not for Linux. Can you provide a make and model? That would help me give you a better answer. My recommendation is for folks to use an affordable used machine, pulled from a corporate environment. Many businesses are happy to donate "old" tech to a 501c3, like a local club. Lenovo ThinkPads/ThinkCentres, Dell Latitudes/Inspirons, Panasonic ToughBooks, etc. would all make great candidates.
arcOS is a live image with everything pre-installed. 73Linux is a script that runs on top of the OS to help operators install the software of their choice.
Hello my dear friend; I am TA3AWB As far as I see in your UA-cam videos, you are interested in Raspberry Pi systems. I have a Pi 4 and I want to connect a screen to it and load a log recording program. However, I could not find a program similar to N1MM that I can use both in daily life and in big competitions. Is there a contest log recording program that I can run on the Raspian operating system?
Firstly, I'm just not familiar enough with AREDN...yet. Second, we've been trying to get more of our local club members interested and proficient in digital modes, like the one used here. So, this is hopefully a way to make digital modes more practically relevant to our members. And, third, equipment cost. I picked up the Linksys WRT54G for $5 at Goodwill, and no microwave antennas to buy/build. All that said, it's certainly possible! Thanks for the suggestion!
If AREDN is the equipment your group has, there's no reason why this shouldn't work seamlessly with that -- at least from what I can see. But from a practical perspective, the setup here is much simpler, and utilizes equipment that is much more common. For the use-case presented, where the distances aren't too great, this could easily be done on a single simplex frequency on either 2m or 70cm bands. What's more, if there are multiple stations within that simplex range that require the same information, they could copy the same exact csv data and have their own copy at their location - think about a bicycle ride fundraiser, or a road race that all falls within a repeater footprint - where there's multiple locations and a requirement to share pertinent information among all those locations. Or, in an EmComm scenario, sharing bed occupancy information beetween various shelter sites and an EOC. Sometimes it's adventageous to put a network in the middle of all that -- but that's also more equipment that could potentially fail, and one has to make a judgement as to whether the juice is worth the squeeze - especially for something that is really ad-hoc and is put up and torn down in one day.. SATERN, when they had their digital net active on the weekends, would send out a bulletin in this exact way and everyone that was tuned-in to the network could copy it - and that was on HF.
Now, I'm not at all saying that AREDN isn't a highly useful tool. In fact, I don't think it's utilized nearly as much as it should be. Let's say there's an EOC in a city center, and there's a requirement to emplace redundant communications at key locations, in the event the routine dispatch systems are either compromised or overwhelmed. It would be too easy to have AREDN nodes set up at the police HQ, the three fire departments, the two hospitals, highway department, and the city and county EOCs. Then, add some notional capabilities (routing and email, for example) on the back-end of each node. This would provide a completely ad-hoc, short-term, drop-in "infrastructure" for short-term emergency situations for more bandwidth-intensive traffic -- thus keeping that traffic off the lower-bandwidth voice/data networks (simplex / repeater voice/data).
Parade Module Setup - ua-cam.com/video/VPNpWh9_PvU/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
arcos-linux.com/
github.com/kg4vdk/arcos-linux-modules
www.youtube.com/@KG4VDK
Thank you, this is something the amature community needs. It meets what I call people using what they have to make something work. I like how you use a browser on your phone to enter data and the aggregation of the data on I hope a tablet or computer that is OS independent. I typically use APRS for most of my data on bike rides. All SAG vehicles have APRS and we message but not the reststops and I wish I could do more than voice for these folks. Note we have been importing what we have been doing good 8 yrs and I started building Digipeater 9 yrs ago but APRS is limited to those that want to use it. I like this for its creativity.
"It meets what I call people using what they have to make something work."
Boom! Mission success!
That's so good guy's. At last something quick easy and useful that shows the hobby in a new light.
Great video! I'm really intrigued by this idea of a bootable usb with a custom software set on it. I'm going to need to learn how to do this.
On the CSV over radio thing. I do it all the time with vARIM (similar to Winlink P2P using VARA) you can send a decent size CSV quickly if band conditions are ok. Over a VHF link Vara FM would scream. Probably faster than 8psk1000F
Keep up the great work. The future of amateur radio is going to depend on meshing computers/ip traffic and other modern tech with RF links.
As an electrical engineer and programmer, hats off for the design of arcOS. A lot of thought went into making it user friendly. A very nice APP indeed!
Nice work!
A suggestion: When you click the button to add an entry to the parade app, have the backend generate the ID, optionally formatted per configuration. This will help keep things organized, and prevent ID collisions. Alternatively, if you are handing out paper tags or ID placards, include a QR code with a link to the registration app and the unique ID associated with that placard embedded. The volunteer parade worker can just scan the code, and fill in the required info.
Hope this helps.....
Exciting information with HUGE potential!
Awesome work guys! Thanks for sharing your use/case.
Looks great. Excited to try it myself.
That some pretty nifty stuff right there. Thanks for sharing 73’s
this is a game changer
Very slick Mike and Jason. Downloading it now to try out myself. 73 K5MGK Mark
This is cool, useful, and a great video to show ham radio capabilities.
Now this is really cool stuff.. Exactly why i love this channel. Thanks Jason !
AREDN and RPi with LAMP installed. Live data.. Add some APRS/LORA trackers. Real-time movement reports.
AREDN is a bit trickier to get up and running. Line of site is more critical in the microwave bands. 2M/440 are slower for data transfer but fast enough for our needs during the parade. APRS trackers and objects will both be in play.
Looks like it would be great for EMO use as well.
Cool and thanks for sharing - 73
You could easily speed this up by changing the process a bit. Instead of having the user sign into your LAN, host a webpage that creates QR codes on the internet and have them enter data, generate the qr code then check-in people can scan the code and have it automagically enter the data from the QR code into the database. It saves time without people logging into the server and by scanning it's a smidgen more accurate. If you rather, the user can scan a wifi qr code also.
For this particular implementation, and maybe this wasn't clear, the only folks connecting to the wifi are club volunteers...not the parade participants. I don't want to get rid of chatty human interaction with the public :-). QR codes are still possibly useful, though. I'd recommend the `qrencode` package from the Mint/Ubuntu repos to eliminate the need for internet to generate the QR code. If you want to play around with implementing a QR code solution, please feel free to make a copy of the PARADE module in COMMUNITY, and place it in the USER directory. Modify away, and share your results!
This is AWESOME! Been using 73 Linux on Evolve laptop. Can we hope for a collaboration between the two of you to add Vara HF and Vara FM into the mix? Please? Pretty please?? Very nicely done with this effort!!
This is assuming that each person is setting up an ad hoc network between their laptop and their phone, correct? If that's the case, something that needs to be thought about is SSID coordination.
In the scenario we will be dealing with, there will be (1) WiFi router at Registration, and ~5 volunteers connected to that router from their phones.
again y'all are talking way above my head but then my head has been the second glass of wine
After the fourth glass, it will all be clear ... or at least you will think so 🤣
Very cool setup. Will we see a 73 Linux/arcOS collab release in the future?
Not sure what the future might hold :-) Mike is doing some really cool stuff!
So will ARCos work on a Windows 10 machine since I use a 12v computer for my portable setup? I like the idea of using Winlink to send the files!
If the "Windows 10 machine" has hardware which is supported by the Linux kernel (6.5.0-14-generic), then yes. However, many of the lower cost laptop manufacturers with unpronounceable names are in cahoots with MS to make sure they have proprietary drivers available for Windows, but not for Linux. Can you provide a make and model? That would help me give you a better answer. My recommendation is for folks to use an affordable used machine, pulled from a corporate environment. Many businesses are happy to donate "old" tech to a 501c3, like a local club. Lenovo ThinkPads/ThinkCentres, Dell Latitudes/Inspirons, Panasonic ToughBooks, etc. would all make great candidates.
Interesting concept. How does arcOS compare to 73Linux?
arcOS is a live image with everything pre-installed. 73Linux is a script that runs on top of the OS to help operators install the software of their choice.
@@KM4ACK Thanks for the reply.
Hello my dear friend;
I am TA3AWB
As far as I see in your UA-cam videos, you are interested in Raspberry Pi systems. I have a Pi 4 and I want to connect a screen to it and load a log recording program. However, I could not find a program similar to N1MM that I can use both in daily life and in big competitions. Is there a contest log recording program that I can run on the Raspian operating system?
There's a few out there. HAMRS, CQRlog, and not1mm, just to name a few. github.com/mbridak/not1mm
But how will I say “please copy. . . “ /s
😂😂😂
Very cool, @KG4VDK why not AREDN? Remote and NCS on normal wifi with a GHz link between them.
Firstly, I'm just not familiar enough with AREDN...yet. Second, we've been trying to get more of our local club members interested and proficient in digital modes, like the one used here. So, this is hopefully a way to make digital modes more practically relevant to our members. And, third, equipment cost. I picked up the Linksys WRT54G for $5 at Goodwill, and no microwave antennas to buy/build. All that said, it's certainly possible! Thanks for the suggestion!
If AREDN is the equipment your group has, there's no reason why this shouldn't work seamlessly with that -- at least from what I can see. But from a practical perspective, the setup here is much simpler, and utilizes equipment that is much more common. For the use-case presented, where the distances aren't too great, this could easily be done on a single simplex frequency on either 2m or 70cm bands. What's more, if there are multiple stations within that simplex range that require the same information, they could copy the same exact csv data and have their own copy at their location - think about a bicycle ride fundraiser, or a road race that all falls within a repeater footprint - where there's multiple locations and a requirement to share pertinent information among all those locations. Or, in an EmComm scenario, sharing bed occupancy information beetween various shelter sites and an EOC. Sometimes it's adventageous to put a network in the middle of all that -- but that's also more equipment that could potentially fail, and one has to make a judgement as to whether the juice is worth the squeeze - especially for something that is really ad-hoc and is put up and torn down in one day..
SATERN, when they had their digital net active on the weekends, would send out a bulletin in this exact way and everyone that was tuned-in to the network could copy it - and that was on HF.
@N0LSD NAILED IT!!
Now, I'm not at all saying that AREDN isn't a highly useful tool. In fact, I don't think it's utilized nearly as much as it should be. Let's say there's an EOC in a city center, and there's a requirement to emplace redundant communications at key locations, in the event the routine dispatch systems are either compromised or overwhelmed. It would be too easy to have AREDN nodes set up at the police HQ, the three fire departments, the two hospitals, highway department, and the city and county EOCs. Then, add some notional capabilities (routing and email, for example) on the back-end of each node. This would provide a completely ad-hoc, short-term, drop-in "infrastructure" for short-term emergency situations for more bandwidth-intensive traffic -- thus keeping that traffic off the lower-bandwidth voice/data networks (simplex / repeater voice/data).