On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 02:30 PM, WB6GJE Mike wrote:
FYI, Jeff Geerling covers the use of USB and PCIe booting for Raspberry Pis in great detail on his blog (; for example - ) and on YouTube ().
I definitely love Jeff's work and watch every video as they come out.? The only caution I would raise is that he tends to be working on the bleeding edge with Pi, so some of his older articles don't age too well, because once the stuff he is working with becomes mainstreamed usually easier ways to do things have been invented or discovered.? This is not the case for PCIe right now, it is still "bleeding edge" and his stuff is still the best reference IMO.? For USB I posted the Tom's Hardware link because I think it's easier for most people to follow.? In particular Imager can be used to do some things Jeff did manually. ? -- Regards, Dave, N1AI
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FYI, Jeff Geerling covers the use of USB and PCIe booting for Raspberry Pis in great detail on his blog (; for example - ) and on YouTube ().
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On Jan 22, 2024, at 8:56?AM, Jeff Kelly via groups.io <jkelly@...> wrote:
?Mint Sbitx v3 with all that comes from HF Signals.
Used for receive.
$350 plus ship. Conus only.
Jeff
K2SDR
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Re: An update to the sbitx software - v 3.02
Can you share the contents of your build file?
Otherwise - recommend renaming the sbitx application to sbitx.orig then executing the build script again.
73, Steve, N3SB?
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My interesting cases today in pictures. In the picture you can see that saving to the LOG file was done twice, while in reality it was once. The program does not allow you to save the same thing again in the log file within two minutes. So it can be seen from this that at first he only wrote to the screen, but did not save. For the second one, I pressed the SAVE button manually, then the saving was done. The interesting thing is that when I turn on the device, it does this the first time. The subsequent qso is saved to the log file.  With the sbitx (rf output 10W) and the vertical loop antenna, this would have been my first South American qso. It failed to confirm during the past 6 minutes, but it was automatically saved to the log file three times. This happened because of the logic of saving to a log file.   -- Gyula HA3HZ
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test message from WW8LA.tom
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On Jan 22, 2024, at 12:03?PM, Dave, N1AI <n1ai@...> wrote:
?On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 11:41 AM, test message from WW8LA.tom wrote:
Where is the ¡°BOOT_ORDER¡± parameter within the code.
It is stored in EEPROM.? shows how to access it: <dummyfile.0.part> You will need the right firmware on the Pi 4 for this to be operative.
I would like to try booting from external media but am not that familiar with where to find it.?
?is a user-friendly guide for how to get things set up. ? -- Regards, Dave, N1AI
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Re: Introducing sBITX Scanner and All-In-One Installer for my apps
#sBitx
#sBITX_v3
Thanks for writing these programs JJ, they very useful!
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On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 11:41 AM, test message from WW8LA.tom wrote:
Where is the ¡°BOOT_ORDER¡± parameter within the code.
It is stored in EEPROM.? shows how to access it:  You will need the right firmware on the Pi 4 for this to be operative.
I would like to try booting from external media but am not that familiar with where to find it.?
?is a user-friendly guide for how to get things set up. ? -- Regards, Dave, N1AI
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Re: An update to the sbitx software - v 3.02
My case, what is the solution?
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Re: V3 versus V2 SBITX Board - What are the differences?
Hi Mike,
The problem of the diode LPF switch current comes up when measuring the spurious content for 80 meters.? The variations of Diodes and other filter components will come into play.? I would guess that most will not have the issue.? I do not have a V2 to test the assumption.? As far as I know, the change does not impact any of the other parameters.? If I had a V2 board, I would make the change.
This also points out that since the sBitx is sold as a kit, it is up to the Ham to verify conformance to local signal purity standards.? The purchaser should test the kit to ensure conformance.
73
Evan
AC9TU
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Re: An update to the sbitx software - v 3.02
Hi - can you share the contents of your build script?? The build script that's been part of the distribution does not call the make program.
When the make program does not find any source files that need to be built, it will report "Nothing to be done for 'all'. " This is only for information - it does not imply that an error has occurred.
73; Steve, N3SB
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test message from WW8LA.tom
Dave, Where is the ¡°BOOT_ORDER¡± parameter within the code. I would like to try booting from external media but am not that familiar with where to find it.? --Tom WW8LA
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On Jan 22, 2024, at 10:59?AM, Dave, N1AI <n1ai@...> wrote:
?On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 10:16 AM, Ken N2VIP wrote:
Also, Dave mentioned it, but I want to highlight the need to remove the microSD card from the RPi 4 - I suspect (but do not know for certain) that the RPi 4 boot order will have the RPi 4 boot from the microSD no mater what is attached to the USB ports.
All good points, and more on the topic of booting: There is a boot order variable the Pi firmware supports.? Its documentation is?.? You can google BOOT_ORDER to learn more about it.? I don't know what the resulting boot order will be by following the Tom's Hardware procedure I linked earlier, maybe someone will report it. You can see it via the command 'rpi-eeprom-config'. Some of my non-sbitx Pi devices have a NVMe board that is buried under the Pi and I don't want to open the box and disconnect it so I let the other things have priority in the boot order: <dummyfile.0.part> Note the hex digits are read low-order first so '1' is the first thing it tries not 'f'. For the factory sbitx box the sdcard is buried inside the box by default and it's a pain to get to, so you probably want any external devices to have priority. That makes booting slower since it takes it time to look for USB devices but IMO it's worth the tradeoff of not having to pry open the box. Someone here posted??for a sdcard extension and ran the ribbon cable to the outside of the box and taped down the card holder. I haven't tried that, but I plan to. I have been USB-booting my Pi 5 with a USB hub then a USB-to-NVMe adapter.? I often see timeouts during reboot.? One 'fix' is to power-cycle the Pi and the hub together which is easy for me since they are on the same power strip.? ?The same document above describes some bootloader USB settings that can be used to make the timeouts longer, but I haven't messed with these since I intend to replace that USB-to-NVMe adapter with PCIe direct.? Yet the odd thing to me is that the same USB-to-NVMe adapter and the same NVMe device worked without timeouts on the Pi 4 so I suspect they have changed something on the Pi 5 with regard to USB timeouts.? It'd be interesting to know if others notice something similar. ? -- Regards, Dave, N1AI
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Mike,
I understand. A few things work interestingly with ft8 autosave.
When I turn on the device, the first connection says twice that it has been logged. Actually once.
If the double logging is not visible on the display, it is worth pressing the manual log entry, because it is not in the log.
It only does this the first time you turn it on.
Before that, I look at the log file, close it, and then leave until the data is in the LOG window on the GTK screen.
It happens that you end the connection earlier and then delete it from the LOG window. You have to pay attention to the operation.
So for the first QSO, I always press a PrtSc i.e. Print Screen button, you can find the picture in the /home/pi folder.
Because if you don't save it in the log file, then I have data for later input.
I'm writing these things because that's what I'm currently doing in order to function well.
There are more things, but so far no one has responded to my entries. Everything remains the same.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
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On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 10:16 AM, Ken N2VIP wrote:
Also, Dave mentioned it, but I want to highlight the need to remove the microSD card from the RPi 4 - I suspect (but do not know for certain) that the RPi 4 boot order will have the RPi 4 boot from the microSD no mater what is attached to the USB ports.
All good points, and more on the topic of booting: There is a boot order variable the Pi firmware supports.? Its documentation is?.? You can google BOOT_ORDER to learn more about it.? I don't know what the resulting boot order will be by following the Tom's Hardware procedure I linked earlier, maybe someone will report it. You can see it via the command 'rpi-eeprom-config'. Some of my non-sbitx Pi devices have a NVMe board that is buried under the Pi and I don't want to open the box and disconnect it so I let the other things have priority in the boot order:  Note the hex digits are read low-order first so '1' is the first thing it tries not 'f'. For the factory sbitx box the sdcard is buried inside the box by default and it's a pain to get to, so you probably want any external devices to have priority. That makes booting slower since it takes it time to look for USB devices but IMO it's worth the tradeoff of not having to pry open the box. Someone here posted??for a sdcard extension and ran the ribbon cable to the outside of the box and taped down the card holder. I haven't tried that, but I plan to. I have been USB-booting my Pi 5 with a USB hub then a USB-to-NVMe adapter.? I often see timeouts during reboot.? One 'fix' is to power-cycle the Pi and the hub together which is easy for me since they are on the same power strip.? ?The same document above describes some bootloader USB settings that can be used to make the timeouts longer, but I haven't messed with these since I intend to replace that USB-to-NVMe adapter with PCIe direct.? Yet the odd thing to me is that the same USB-to-NVMe adapter and the same NVMe device worked without timeouts on the Pi 4 so I suspect they have changed something on the Pi 5 with regard to USB timeouts.? It'd be interesting to know if others notice something similar. ? -- Regards, Dave, N1AI
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Re: V3 versus V2 SBITX Board - What are the differences?
Re-reading over the "sbitxv3 PA changes and measurements" doc* I see this item, but I don't recall reading of anyone making the changes (nor the other 2 changes preceding this).
3. The standing current in the diodes that switch the LPFs was found insufficient on 3.5 MHz, hence, the resistors R201, R202, R203 and R204 are changed from 470 ohms to 330 ohms.
Just how "insufficient" was the current, and is it recommended? I have V2 hardware.
Thanks,
Mike
*
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David Saylors WK4DS recently offered to make available for sale working SDs with versions 2 and 3.01 software on them.? They are copies of his operating system.? He did mention that some of the macros had been changed, as he apparently does quite a bit of POTA & some of his macros reflect this.? (I will be ordering some.)? For those who have seen FLDIGI, you know that it is possible to set up 4 banks of messages and select any bank of 12 messages at any time.? Is there any interest in something like this for the standard sBIT software?? Alternatively, make the macros a separate file, and have separate files with the ability to select the desired macro set from multiple files at run time. I haven't actually used my sBIT yet, and don't know if I would use this feature, but perhaps it's something to think about.
Gerry Sherman
Sent by the Windows 11 Thunderbird
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Hi Gyula,? I did a reinstall after upgrading my v2 folder to v3.02.? I had v3 operating fine in a separate folder.? The problem was with FT-8 and some repeat transmits the macros as well as showing "logged" twice.?? I did a clean install again last night and ran ./build.? So far on my tests this morning it is operating normally again.? I did foece a few manual log entries too so that may have started the autologging up again.
--
Mike WB5LLI
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Re: An update to the sbitx software - v 3.02
?
I would like to get a sd-card with version 3.0
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73, Jens / HB9JOI
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From: WK4DS
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2024 12:05 AM
Subject: Re: [BITX20] An update to the sbitx software - v
3.02
?
With all this talk about pull requests and stable versions and so on, I
want to offer the following. I have my original v2 card that came with my radio,
then I made a spare of that and now a spare of the v3.01. The card currently in
my radio is also version 3.01 at this time so all these in the photo are my
spares.
?
If anyone needs any of these versions let me know and for the cost of the
memory card and mailing it to you, I will copy any one of these for you. Cards
seem to ran about 8$ and it will fit in an envelope so freight will be cheap.
?
All of these are tested cards so I know they all work and they are made
with the disk copy program on the sBitx. You will get my custom macro I made for
POTA and it will have my callsign and grid by default since I copied my radio
(these are easy to change).
?
Just wanted to offer it upto the group.
?
de WK4DS
David
?
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On Sun, Jan 21, 2024 at 17:28 Jeff Duce
<jefe_de_estado@...> wrote:
I
tried to run an update by running ./update and ran into this error:
Sun 21 Jan 2024 03:25:06 PM MST Updating 7abd77d..a60313c error: Your
local changes to the following files would be overwritten by
merge:???????? sbitx Please commit
your changes or stash them before you merge. Aborting
I also tried sudo
./update, and same result.? I'm running v3.0
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Re: #sBitx Using Raspberry OS ARM64-bit (Debian 12)
#sBitx
On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 09:56 AM, JerryP wrote:
It would be nice if the Raspberry Pi Org put these things on their documentation.
I agree.? It would also be nice if the sbitx software was more mature and robust.? The config.txt change is not a solution, it is a workaround.? It's not like wanting to attach a HDMI monitor with speakers to a sbitx is a crazy idea.? You can't do that now because the sbitx code will crash if you do.? The problem has been described on this forum for months if not years already.? If we had a useful bug tracker and a community of developers updating it and the software, maybe this would have been fixed months ago.? If it had, maybe other people's concerns would also get addressed sooner.? I am hopeful that we will see an increase in the pace of improvement of the sbitx software in the near future.? ?We shall see if that happens or not. ? -- Regards, Dave, N1AI
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Dave makes many good comments, but I want to point out a couple things:
The need to update the RPi 4 firmware to support USB booting is an issue that impacts only very early RPi 4 boards as I recall. Indeed, the article from TomsHardware goes back to 2021, when an editor's note at the top of the article indicated they added info on booting the RPi 400 (The RPi in a keyboard model). No harm doing the update to be sure, but it may not be necessary.
Also, Dave mentioned it, but I want to highlight the need to remove the microSD card from the RPi 4 - I suspect (but do not know for certain) that the RPi 4 boot order will have the RPi 4 boot from the microSD no mater what is attached to the USB ports.
And just a note on the PCI Express interface on the RPi 5 - it is a PCI Gen 2.0 speed interface that is one lane (1X) wide. It's speed is 500 MB/sec (that's Megabyte, not Megabit per second) [1], and USB 3.0 is about the same speed, 5,000 Mb/second (that is megabits/second, not megabytes) [2], but the technical specification is the fastest it can theoretically handle, real-world results are typically lower when you factor in the reality/limitations of the USB 3.0 implementation on the computer, any cabling and hubs, the USB 3.0 to SATA or other storage interface chip and finally the actual speed of the storage device attached to the USB 3.0 adapter. By comparison, a PCI NVMe drive attached to a PCI Express port has no intervening devices to slow down the data transfer - the NVMe drive is limited only by its native access speed and the transfer speed of the interface it is attached to.
Bottom line - the NVMe board while having similar specs on paper to USB 3.0, in the real world the PCI Express Gen 2.0 1X interface will perform better.
[1]?
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On Jan 22, 2024, at 08:41, Dave, N1AI <n1ai@...> wrote:
?On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 05:27 AM, Gerald Sherman wrote:
Apparently it is possible to boot the Pi from a USB stick instead of the uSD card.? How is this done?? Sorry for my ignorance.
?is a user-friendly guide. These instructions show you how to use Imager (from the Pi itself or another computer) to write a bootable program to a spare sdcard that will update the Pi 4's firmware (in particular, its Bootloader) and its configuration so it can support USB boot, then boot that sdcard and it will silently update the firmware. Then you return to booting from the original Pi sdcard and get back to the Desktop which will take a bit longer because the Pi now searches for USB drives (which you have not yet added). Next, attach the new USB drive then use SD Card Copier to copy the contents of the sdcard onto the USB drive.? It will use all available space on the USB drive, which is what you typically want. Then when it finishes, shut down the Pi, take out the sdcard so it isn't used for booting, power up, and you should be running from the USB drive. Some important warnings first: 1) Make a backup of the sdcard first and put that backup aside.? You definitely want a way to go back to the old system if something goes wrong!? I typically use SD Card Copier to do this. 2) Be aware that many USB storage adapters (like USB-to-SATA and USB-to-NVMe devices) draw more power than the Pi can reliably provide.? When a Pi doesn't get enough power it just crashes and reboots with no warning at all and no log file entry to help you figure out what happened.? In the case of sbitx I find that it is worse than other Pi boards I've used because the Pi is drawing power from the sbitx motherboard via GPIO pins and the regulator on the sbitx seems to be limited.? Maybe this is because it doesn't want to abuse the GPIO pins by delivering too much current, I don't know.? Bottom line: if the sbitx Pi crashes a lot when booting from USB storage, make sure to use a powered USB hub between the Pi and the device.??? In general I've had to use a powered hub for any USB storage adapter other than a USB-to-sdcard adapter, because sooner or later it gets crashy, especially under load such as installing OS upgrades or building software.? Random crashes can corrupt the data on the device(s) so it really should be avoided.? In short I recommend you use a powered hub if you have any doubts.Having said all this, IMO using a USB to NVMe adapter with powered hub for sbitx makes so many things go much faster and is worth the effort.? I have a Pi 5 setup (which I'm not using in sbitx, yet) and am getting a PCIe to NVMe board today according to the delivery status updates, and I bet that thing will fly!? Unfortunately Pi 5 only has one lane PCIe.? Hopefully the next Pi will have more lanes for external PCIe devices. -- Regards, Dave, N1AI
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Dave, N1AI
Jeff Kelly
HA3HZ
Jens/HB9JOI