I'm still pretty new to the whole Build-A-Pi world, but are people installing BAP to Raspberry Pi Zeroes?

I have a Pi in the ham shack but I'm building one to carry with me for POTA.? It got me curious if BAP will install and run properly on a Pi Zero.?

I used BAP on my RPi-zero, but only installed the hotspot tools, Conky and WSJT-X. It appeared to lock up trying to install Fldigi, so I found LinPSK as an alternative for PSK and RTTY modes. Since then another user said he successfully installed Fldigi on a zero, but it took many hours (I think he said 24!) and I haven't gone back and tried that yet. I also found I needed to shut Conky down after the initial start up that got the clock correctly and identified the grid square set as the added processor load slowed the other programs too much.? That processor speed is the real issue, as there is plenty of memory available, but it does work and I use VNC to link to a tablet even off the grid using the automatic hotspot. It makes for a very compact and lightweight battery-powered setup that I have used portable a number of times.

=Vic=

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Thanks guys, I'm a fan of doing more with less, so may give it a go.

Vic -- Good afternoon (from France)
I've just completed a KX3 GoBox that uses an internal Raspi 4 running BAP.
It works well but I could do without the extra heat generated by the Pi inside the small Pelican case! (Take a look at my Youtube video to get an idea of the size etc?)

I'm interested in the lowest power Raspi version that BAP will run on?
Did you get everything working on the Pi-Zero or is the 3B the smallest power consuming version that I should consider?

73
Bruce G4ABX

On Sun, Aug 8, 2021 at 08:52 AM, g4abx wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVrtoxec524

Bruce, I really like your video intro bumper. Nice job!!? I know this is a side issue but I have to give you a pat on the back as a one who produces videos and live events for a living.? 73'


?
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Anthony - W8APP

Thanks Anthony .
I've just republished it as I didn't like the level of audio compression.?https://youtu.be/S-XLRBsN_qM
This is all new to me and I wasn't aware that Youtube post-process any uploads.

On the subject of BAP, any idea which is the lowest powered currently available Pi on which BAP will run? I'm leaning toward the 3B+

Running a RASPi 4 in the case pushes temperatures up too high. I like to keep my Pi under 50c and my KX3 to circa 45c under Digital mode operation.

73
Bruce G4ABX

Nice looking Go-Box, Bruce. I did not have any trouble running BAP on a RPi-zero, but it is a bit slow when it comes to compiling or running some complexprograms. For example, the decode time in FT-8 is right at the cycle time so you get repeats sometimes, but it does work. No such issues with LinPSK, but that is not a time-sensitive program. The RPi-zero is so cheap that it might be worth just trying in your application and there is a competitive board with something like 4X the processing speed that has the same footprint and connection layout that might be worth trying. I don't see any heat issue from mine and I monitored it from the Conky display early on to be sure it wasn't getting hot in its little sealed case.

=Vic=

Thanks Vic
At my time of life, if I am going to invest building anything, it has to be right!
-- and thanks for the suggestion re an alternative to the Raspi zero.
I'll take a look.
The Pi-0 form factor is also of interest -- as there is not exactly oodles of space inside the pelican 1200 case!
73
Bruce G4ABX

The alternative device is a Banana Pi M2-zero which should even fit a RPi-zero case, but has a quad-core processor. I keep meaning to look further into that option.

=Vic=

Morning Vic.
I've ordered a pi-zero and the banana pi isn't available until mid September here in France -- so I'll try the pi zero first.
73
Bruce G4ABX

Morning all
The Pi-Zero arrived and I loaded a minimal set of applications using BAP 3.08
FL-Rig loads and runs and works fine with a number of my rigs.
FL-Digi does not install (or run)
HMRS does not install (or run)
WSJT-X does not install (or run)
JS8-Call installs and runs fine. (This is the only useable application so far)?

I've not tried the other BAP applications yet.

I was hoping I could get FL-DIgi to run but so far, after 4 attempts, it won't even install from BAP
I will also try loading the applications directly without the BAP installation and see if I can persuade the tiny processor to run a bit more stuff.

More investigation will be done over the next week -- !

73
Bruce G4ABX

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I had no luck with Fldigi on mine, so I never loaded nor tried Flrig after the first attempt, but I was able to load and run WSJT-X. Although it is slow to decode, I still use it and had several FT8 contacts just yesterday operating remote with only an Android tablet back to a uBitX in the shack. I think I installed WSJT-X via BAP, but it is possible I installed it directly from the Pi menu, so do try that. I never tried HMRS nor JS8-call.

=Vic=

Good afternoon Terry/Vic
My usecase is to install the Pi inside my KX3 GoBox. There isn't much space and heat build up is a problem with my Pi4. The two fans on the front are pretty noisy so I would prefer not to need them running flat out all the time I to use the Pi :-)

It's the low power consumption of the Pi-zero that attracted me - which is why I will persevere.

If I could get FLdigi running, that together with JS8Call and a logging program would make it a viable install.
As I couldn't get HAMMRS to install I'm going to try a couple of other logging programs -- but logging is not a deal breaker as HAMMRS is working fine on my tablet.

I use JS8Call quite a lot -- but I'm definitely in the minority with that!

If Pi zero won't play, I'll try Banana pi -- but they are not available here in europe yet so I'll have to wait.
73
Bruce G4ABX

On Mon, Aug 16, 2021 at 08:34 AM, g4abx wrote:

Good afternoon Terry/Vic
My usecase is to install the Pi inside my KX3 GoBox. There isn't much space and heat build up is a problem with my Pi4. The two fans on the front are pretty noisy so I would prefer not to need them running flat out all the time I to use the Pi :-)

It's the low power consumption of the Pi-zero that attracted me - which is why I will persevere.

If I could get FLdigi running, that together with JS8Call and a logging program would make it a viable install.
As I couldn't get HAMMRS to install I'm going to try a couple of other logging programs -- but logging is not a deal breaker as HAMMRS is working fine on my tablet.

I use JS8Call quite a lot -- but I'm definitely in the minority with that!

If Pi zero won't play, I'll try Banana pi -- but they are not available here in europe yet so I'll have to wait.
73
Bruce G4ABX

I haven't tried installing HAMRS on the zero. FLDIGI will be a real challenge to compile due to the limited RAM on the zero. BAP increases the swap memory on the Pi 3 so it can be built there but I don't think BAP will work for the zero. You might try installing from the package manager. This will give you an older version but it should work.

sudo apt install fldigi
?
--

Thanks for the tip Jason.
FLdigi is installed!
I left BAP as it was and just implemented the commands you suggested.

Now I need to rig up my sound card and serial connection to talk to the Pi and see if I can get it all to operate.
73
Bruce G4ABX

What commands allowed Fldigi to load on the Pi-zero, Bruce? I would be interested in doing that on mine. And I used BAP on my Pi-zero, Jason, with no problems, but I only loaded a very few programs with it.

=Vic=

Hi Vic
Very simple:
sudo apt install fldigi

It installed and runs.
Now I have to figure out how to extend the zero's USB ports so I have at lease 2 to connect my KX3 Sound Card and Serial link.

By the way, I've had a go at overclocking the zero -- and it works well and speeds up the operations.
Its only a minor overclock and again is easy to do and remove.
You need to edit one text file and reboot -- and that's it!
I used arm freq of 1100 and gpu freq of 550.
I found a small heatsink to fix to the zero.
I'm running? 'Conky' and the max temp with FLrig and FLdigi running is 47c -- which is well below the max I would consider operating.
Then add in the file: 73
Bruce G4ABX

Thanks for the tip Jason.
FLdigi is installed!
I left BAP as it was and just implemented the commands you suggested.

Now I need to rig up my sound card and serial connection to talk to the Pi and see if I can get it all to operate.
73
Bruce G4ABX

Just remember that BAP is always going to show you need an update for FLDIGI. Don't try to update FLDIGI through BAP.

And I used BAP on my Pi-zero, Jason, with no problems, but I only loaded a very few programs with it.

Something things may load and work as expected. Others like FLDIGI may have a suitable workaround. My only point was BAP wasn't designed to be run on the zero. I don't discourage experimenting as each operator's needs are different.

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