Subject: REPOST: Linux Amamteur Radio Software List
From: [email-masked] (Terry Dawson)
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 12:40:42 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.announce

Hello,
This is the first version of a list of software packages that are
relevant and useful to amateur radio operators for linux. As this is
the first version it is small, inconsistent, probably quite horrible
in some respects, but I'm confident that if people contribute it will
become more useful. This version has some great examples of the sorts
of things I'd like to list.

The document has been produced with Matt Welsh's linuxdoc-sgml tools,
and as such, I have an html version of this document looking for
a home. If you run a Web Server and would be interested in contributing
something to the Amateur Radio community, I'd like to give this list
somewhere to live.

Please feel free to direct any comments to directly by email.

regards
Terry
vk2ktj

--------------------------8<-----------------8<-------------------

  Linux Amateur Radio Software List
  Terry Dawson, [email-masked], VK2KTJ
  v1.0 31/7/94

  It is hoped that this list will assist Amateur Radio operators in
  finding and trying the various amateur radio software that has been
  written for, or ported to Linux. It is also hoped that as a conse-
  quence of this information being available that more amateur radio
  operators will choose Linux as the platform of choice for their exper-
  imentation, and that software developers will choose Linux as the
  platform for their software development, further expanding the role of
  operating systems like Linux in the Amateur Radio field.

  1.  Introduction.

  This is the first version of this list. The list was prompted by
  comments that had been expressed in the various Linus newsgroup about
  the number of amateur radio operators that were involved with Linux.
  It seemed to me that I was catching snippets of information here and
  there relating to development efforts taking place, but I never knew
  really where to locate either the person responsible for a particular
  piece of software, or the software itself.  The list is quite small
  with only a few entries, but this doesn't concern me yet, it is the
  first release after all. I feel though that the items listed are an
  excellent base to build on, as they represent the various ways in
  which software can be developed for Linux for use in Amateur Radio.

  I'd originally considered limiting the scope of this list to non-
  commercial software only, but have subsequently changed my mind.
  Taking a serious look at most amateur radio fields shows that most
  good developments are those that are designed by individuals and that
  commercial entities have taken up and disseminated to the mass market.
  I'd like to see the same happen for Linux support for Amateur Radio
  software too.

  2.  Contributions/Updates etc.

  I'd like for this list to be as complete and up-to-date as possible.
  So I'm keen to hear about any developments or products that I don't
  already know about, or that the entry is obselete or outdated for.

  What I'd like as a minimum set of requirement would be something like
  the following:

     Name
	The name of the software in question.

     Author
	Who wrote, or ported the software. An email address, or some
	other means of contacting them is also essential.

     Description
	A single line description of what the software does.

     Status
	An indication of the software's status. Is it still in testing?
	Is it a production release? Is it still in the design stage?

     System requirements
	What does the software require to run? Does it require X-
	Windows? Does it need a soundcard? Does it need a certain
	version of kernel? Does it need other software to support it?

     Detail
	I'm not keen on including a large amount of detail on each piece
	of software as this would consume a lot of time reading and
	trying to keep up to date. So instead what I'd like to list is
	what makes this software unique, anything special about it.
	Perhaps its most outstanding features, that sort of thing.

     Where and How to obtain it.
	If the software is freely distributable then ftp details would
	be great.  If it is commercial software then the name of the
	company distributing the software, and an address or telephone
	number. If it is available only by some other means, say mail
	order, then details on where and how to obtain it.

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	Is the software Copyleft? Copyright? Shareware? Public Domain?
	Restricted in use in any way?

  Don't worry if you don't know all of these details, just send me what
  you do know and I'll list what I can. I'd rather have an incomplete
  listing than no listing at all.

  Please mail any contributions to:

  [email-masked] or [email-masked]

  I'd list a packet radio address too but I'm not properly operational
  again yet after moving house.

  3.  Discussion relating to Amateur Radio and Linux.

  There are various places that discussion relating to Amateur Radio and
  Linux take place. They take place in the comp.os.linux.* newsgroups,
  they also take place on the HAMS list on niksula.hut.fi. Other places
  where they are held include the tcpgroup mailing list at ucsd.edu (the
  home of amateur radio tcp/ip discussions), at Club meetings and on-air
  of course.

  To join the Linux HAMS channel on the mail list server, send mail to:

       [email-masked]

  with the line:

       X-Mn-Admin: join HAMS

  at the top of the message body (not the subject line).

  4.  Where to obtain new versions of this list.

  This list will be periodically posted to the comp.os.linux.announce
  newsgroup, and to the HAMS list on niksula.hut.fi. I'm looking for a
  home for the HTML version, so if anyone has a World Wide Web server
  that they'd like to contribute a small amount of space and bandwidth
  to supporting this list on, please let me know.

  5.  Satellite

  The following software is for use in experimentation with Satellite
  communication.

  5.1.	MicroSat Ground Station Software

     Author
	John Melton, g0orx/n6lyt, [email-masked]

     Description
	Microsat Ground Station software.

     Status
	ALPHA. Version 0.6 recently released.

     System requirements
	Alan Cox's kernel based AX.25 support ver 1.1.12 or better. X-
	Windows.  OpenLook libraries if you want to compile the source.

     Detail
	This software allows you to use a KISS tnc to directly
	communicate with the Microsat series of satellites. It provides
	an XView based X-Windows interface, and allows you a
	comprehensive range of means of interacting with the satellite.
	The software should work with any window manager.

	The software provides the following programs:

	xpb
	   broadcast monitor

	directory
	   directory list viewer

	downloaded
	   downloaded file list viewer

	viewtext
	   uncompressed ASCII text file viewer

	upload
	   message upload application

	message
	   message preparation application

     Where and How to obtain it.
	John's software is available from:

	ftp.ucsd.edu
	(ftp://ftp.ucsd.edu/hamradio/packet/tcpip/incoming/microsat-0.6.tar.gz)
	or ftp.funet.fi
	(ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/ham/satellite/microsat/microsat-0.6.tar.gz).
	Please check for new versions.

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	Unknown. John supplies source and is inviting others to assist
	in developing the software.

  6.  Shack Automation

  Software for simplifying tasks in the shack. Examples might include
  software for controlling the newer breed of radios, logging programs,
  QSL database, or antenna rotation.

  7.  Packet Radio

  Software for use in conjunction with, or for facilitating packet
  radio.

  7.1.	Kernel Based AX.25 networking.

     Author
	Alan Cox, GW4PTS, [email-masked]

     Description
	Software that allows the Linux Kernel to perform AX.25
	networking.

     Status
	ALPHA. Quite stable.

     System requirements
	Linux kernel 1.0 or later.

     Detail
	Alan's software provides the programmer with a berkeley socket
	based interface to the AX.25 protocol. AX.25 sockets can opened
	for either connected, or connectionless modes of operation.
	Support to allow tcp/ip over AX.25 is provided. The user
	applications has been Jonathon G4KLX.  The software comes in two
	parts, a kernel patch, and the user programs.  The user programs
	included are:

	axadd*
	   to manipulate the AX.25 ARP table.

	axattach
	   to convert a serial device into a KISS device.

	axl
	   an AX.25 listener designed to start a PMS when it receives an
	   incoming connection. The PMS is still very new.

	axsetcall
	   to change the callsign of a port.

	beacon
	   generated beacon messages every 30 minutes.

	call
	   A linemode AX.25 connection program. Call allows you to make
	   connections to other AX.25 nodes. It provides file transmit
	   and receive capabilities, and newer versions allow YAPP
	   binary file transfers.

	listen
	   a demonstration of how to use intercept AX.25 frames at the
	   raw packet level. Useful as a building block for packet
	   tracing for example.

     Where and How to obtain it.
	There are a number of different versions of the software. You
	must choose the one that suits your version of Linux kernel. The
	software is available from: sunacm.swan.ac.uk
	(ftp://sunacm.swan.ac.uk/pub/misc/Linux/Radio/)

	More detail on where and how to obtain the software is provided
	in the plain text version of the NET-2-HOWTO
	(ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/docs/howto/NET-2-HOWTO) or if
	you have WWW access at: NET-2-HOWTO via WWW
	(http://sunsite.unc.edu/mdw/HOWTO/NET-2-HOWTO.html).

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	Most of the software is Copyleft, some of the software is
	Copyright by the Regents of University California Berkeley, and
	small portions of the user programs are Copyright Phil Karn
	KA9Q, whose copyright allows unrestricted use by Amateur Radio,
	Educational Institutions and Commercial KA9Q OEM license
	holders.

  7.2.	MBL/RLI message to NNTP and email converter.

     Author
	SM0OHI, [email-masked]

     Description
	Software that will convert incoming MBL/RLI messages into either
	NNTP or RFC-822 formatted mail messages.

     Status
	Development, not yet released.

     System requirements
	Unknown.

     Detail
	This software would be ideally suited to those who want to
	establish a mail and news gateway between conventional tcp/ip
	networks and the amateur radio mail network.

     Where and How to obtain it.
	Not yet availale.

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	Unknown.

  7.3.	Single floppy disk AX.25 router.

     Author
	Alan Cox, GW4PTS, [email-masked]

     Description
	A single floppy disk version of linux with enough software to
	allow a PC to act as an AX.25/IP router.

     Status
	Development, not yet released.

     System requirements.
	As for any Linux system a 386SX class PC or better.

     Detail
	No detail yet.

     Where and How to obtain it.
	Not yet available.

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	Unknown/Undecided.

  7.4.	JNOS 1.09c

  A port of JNOS1.09c to Linux.	Brandon, can you supply me with details
  of the latest port please ?

  7.5.	Wampes

  A port of Wampes to Linux.  Could someone send me details of the
  latest wampes release please ?

  8.  Morse Code

  Software for use in conjunction with, or for facilitating Morse
  communication.

  9.  AMTOR

  Software for use in conjunction with, or for facilitating AMTOR.

  10.  PACTOR

  Software for use in conjunction with, or for facilitating PACTOR.

  11.  Slow Scan Television

  Software for use in conjunction with, or for facilitating Slow Scan
  Television.

  12.  Facsimile

  Software for use in conjunction with, or for facilitating Facsimile.

  13.  Design and Construction

  Software to assist in the design and construction of amateur radio
  related things. Antenna, Circuit Board, Filter, and QSL card design
  packages are all good candidates for this section.

  13.1.	Software Oscilloscope

     Author
	Jeff Tranter, [email-masked]

     Description
	Scope is a simple software emulation of an oscilloscope. It
	graphically displays voltage as a function of time.

     Status
	ALPHA. First release.

     System requirements
	Sound card with input capability supported by the kernel sound
	driver.	SVGALIB is used to do the display work.

     Detail
	Scope uses the /dev/dsp device to take audio in from the
	soundcard and displays it on the screen in a manner similar to
	an oscilloscope.  Jeff claims Scope was written more for
	amusement value than for any serious purpose.

     Where and How to obtain it.
	You can obtain source, makefile and man page for Scope from:
	sunsite.unc.edu
	(ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/apps/circuits/scope-0.1.tar.gz)

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	GNU Public License. Copyleft.

  13.2.	irsim

     Author
	Dmitry Teytelman, [email-masked]

     Description
	An event-driven logic-level simulator for MOS circuits

     Status
	Version 8.6, production.

     System Requirements
	X-Windows.

     Detail
	irsim is an X11 based simulator for MOS circuits. It has two
	simulation modes, either switch where each transistor is
	modelled as a voltage controlled switch, or linear where each
	transistor is modelled as a resistor in series with a voltage
	controlled switch, and each node has a capacitance.

     Where and How to obtain it.
	You can obtain irsim from: sunsite.unc.edu
	(ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/apps/circuits/irsim.tar.z).

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	Freely Redistributable

  13.3.	Spice

     Author
	University of California, Berkeley, ported by
	[email-masked]

     Description
	Spice is an analog circuit emulator.

     Status
	Stable release. Last fortran version produced.

     System requirements
	Unknown.

     Detail
	Spice allows you to design and test circuits in a computer
	modelled environment to see how they will behave without having
	to touch a soldering iron, or solder.

     Where and How to obtain it.
	You can obtain version 2g6 of Spice from: sunsite.unc.edu
	(ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/apps/circuits/spice2g6.tar.z)

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	Copyright held by University California, Berkeley. Freely
	redistributable.

  14.  Training/Educational

  Software to assist in education or training for amateur radio. Morse
  Code tutorials, technical examination database, Computer Based
  Training software, and the like are listed here.

  15.  Miscellaneous

  Software that I couldn't put anywhere else.

  15.1.	SunClock

     Author
	John Mackin, [email-masked]

     Description
	A clock that will show you instantly what parts of the globe are
	exposed by sunlight and what parts aren't.

     Status
	Released.

     System requirements.
	X-Windows.

     Detail
	sunclock is another of those desktop gadgets that most people
	think look nice but really don't have a lot of use for. I use
	sunclock to obtain an at-a-glance indication of the time
	anywhere in the world.	In its iconic form it sits in a small
	Mercator projection. When maximised it produces the same image
	but obviously larger with slightly more detail.	It also
	displays the date, local time and UTC. sunclock actually
	calculates mathematically what parts of globe are sunlit and
	which aren't, it seems quite accurate, so long as you assume the
	earth has no atmosphere.

     Where and How to obtain it.
	I haven't seen any precompiled sunclock binaries for Linux
	about, so check your nearest archie server. sunclock compiled
	straight out of the box for me.

     Licensing/Copyright etc.
	Public Domain and may be freely copied as long as the notices at
	the top of sunclock.c remain intact.

-- 
--- Terry Dawson, [email-masked]

--
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