[linrad] LinRad running de KJ9I

["Dave Schmocker" <kj9i@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all:
Thank you to SM5BSZ, Aaron Hanisko (helped me through my first ever Linux
install), W3SZ, and G0RUZ for helping me very much along the way.   I have
LinRad running and have sound coming through LinRad DSP for first time
(yesterday night)!  Computer configuration is not my strong suit; I am a
humble telecom guy. :-)

My 144 MHz EME antenna consists of 8 x 2MXP28 cross-polarity yagis on 144
MHz EME, although I wanted to start simple.   So currently I use just my
single rx LDF7-50A feedline which I manually (from operating position) relay
switch (center of array) from vertical (V) to horizontal (H) elements fed
single-channel into LinRad (and I have a separate dedicated LDF7-50A tx
feedline to the array).   I use the Japan Radio Company JRC JST-245 HF
(160m-6m) transceiver on 28 MHz CW-wide position (approx. 2.4kHz passband)
behind an SSB Electronics LT2S: Mark 2  144 MHz transverter  for both my rx
and tx.   So obviously my bandwidth is currently limited.   But now that it
is running, I hope to get settings for simple single channel mode figured
out so I can hear weak CW sigs better than naked ear (what I used 100%
before LinRad).

I believe one of keys to success is hardware selection (Linux compatibility)
so toward that end, here is what Aaron recommended (and all worked great):
I wanted a dedicated PC just for LinRad:

Motherboard is Pentium III 1.13 GHz PC133, PCI bus equipped with 256MB RAM
(Crucial Technology)
Hard Drive is Maxtor IDE 6L020J1 20GB
CD-ROM is ASUS 52X max ATAPI-enhanced IDE interface
Mouse is a standard 2-button PS2 mouse (type 5)
Video Card is on-board on the above motherboard
Modem is ActionTEC 56K internal PCI call-waiting modem
Sound Card is Creative Sound Blaster Live! (used for both input and output),
common sampling rate chosen: 8kHz initially)
Monitor is a re-used Compaq Presario V400 15", nothing fancy 640-480
resolution, although I
was able to get 800x600 to work also in LinRad.

Operating system is Linux RedHat 7.0 using GNOME and running LinRad in GNOME
terminal emulation program ("GNOME terminal": at lower left near "Main Menu"
button).  I referenced the book "Linux for Dummies, (3rd edition)"  (ISBN
0-7645-0744-3) to step me through the Red Hat install, although it really
was not very difficult.  Note: This book includes CD set with licensed
version of Red Hat Linux.   To Red Hat, I added SVGAlib, and NASM by very
easy to follow Leif's step-by-step directions at his web page.   And the
Linux radio (LinRad) program: LinRad 00-48.

Initially we tried operating system: Linux Slackware and while that worked
generally OK, I could not get the mouse to behave properly in LinRad under
Slackware so in the interest of being on common platform with many other
users, I changed to Red Hat 7.0 and now it is working great.  I will only
upgrade to Red Hat newer version if one of you convinces me why that would
be a good idea to disturb a system that is working well.

Thanks again everyone.  Now to learn how to be effective in using/operating
LinRad.


Dave Schmocker KJ9I

P.S. My future plan is when the SM5BSZ all-stages 144 MHz receiver is ready,
I will convert rx to that full system and then use full V/H separate feeds
into LinRad DSP for optimum benefit of LinRad V/H and wide-band receive
capabilities.  I still need to design the complex T/R relay scheme for this.

LINRADDARNIL