Chris,

You say you ordered a built "shield", I'm assuming that is the TNC board.? Where did you get it from?

How far are you from KJ4RUS in Clearwater/Largo area?

There are a number of things that could go wrong to prevent your packet connection.? First, what model of radio are you using and where did you get the interface cable from?? Or did you make it yourself?? Please don't say you're trying to use a Baofeng!? :) :)

If you are using a cable that goes to the mic jack for TX audio and the headphone jack for RX audio, you need to make sure the RX volume is not too loud.? Normally, a volume setting where you can just hear the audio and then increase it a little bit is good, but radios are difference and may require some adjustments.

The timeout message just means what it says, you tried to make a connection to an RMS station and was not able to before the timeout period, which I believe is set for 30 seconds, maybe 60, I don't remember offhand.? :)

The address in use error just comes from a poll failing, and then you push the button right away to try again and the AX.25 software stack in the OS kernel has not yet released the port.? This can sometimes take a little longer in the case of a timeout.? This is part of the OS level AX.25 software which the PiGate uses.

I can't tell for sure from your screen shots, but it looks like you are using version 2.0 of the PiGate software.? You should upgrade, but the PiGate software download site made some changes recently and broke the automated upgrade.? Below is a link to the latest software which may help.

David Ranch mentioned getting a log of the packet level events, which would be useful to help locate your problem.

Please let me know if I can help further.

Mark

KD0QYN

On Sunday, September 5, 2021, 02:02:15 PM CDT, Chris Clement <chris@...> wrote:

I ordered a built/tested PiGate shield and put it on a RPi 3 and added a GPS sensor. I am getting "time out" and "address in use" log messages and nothing else from two different RMS stations. Monitoring with a separate radio sounds like clean packets sent and received. What do these messages say? TIA?

Hello Chris,

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:30:12.301181

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:30:32.274964

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

^Cpi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:32:57.421067

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:33:17.051743

Both of these look wrong as there aren't any retries on the connection attempts.

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:38.938783

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:49.261103

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:34:08.941603

This looks more like what I would expect but it's still not showing the expected connection retry attempt at 22:33:58 timestamp.? Very strange.? Regardless, your station is also not decoding any responses from the remote station so if you're confident the remote side is responding with a clear strong signal, there is a receive issue on the TNC side.

This is what I ordered, assembled and tested fron WVCARC

I am using a TYT radio and I made the mic, spkr, ptt connections myself.

My #1 suspicion is your connection to the radio and the cable.? You need to make sure you're getting the audio from radio into the TNC as you expect.? You might try connecting a scope or even a soundcard microphone input to the correct testpoint on the TNC9k6 to confirm the expected audio is making it.? If not, check the plug connection on the TYT (hopefully these radios offer more reliable connections than the almost-always-terrible Baofeng radios).? For the audio output from your radio (I'm assuming your using a TYT HT.. not a mobile), you'll need to make sure the volume setting is fairly LOW as it's far easier to decode weak signals than it is to decode overdriven / distorted signals.


Next, have you confirmed the TNC's RX level (think of this as the input microphone level setting)?

??

There doesn't seem to be much built-in audio level tuning support in the PI9k6 firmware so you might have to determine these levels externally using a scope or other method.

I am 12 miles from one station and 15 from the other (with roof antenna) but I drove to within a mile of each (with mag mount). I was careful to match frequency on the radio (no CAT).

Since you're troubleshooting receive levels, consider changing the frequency to your APRS frequency (144.390 here in the US) so you can hear more incoming 1200bps AFSK packets to tune things sooner.

--David
KI6ZHD

Hi David - Here are photos of my connections. The TYT 8600 is a mobile dual bander about 50w. I used 4 #24 wires to connect.

PiGate data in 11 o'clock? green? ? ? to TYT mic in 11 o'clock? ?(might be inverted in pic)

PiGate ptt? ? ? ? ?9 o'clock? red? ? ? ? to TYT ptt 5 o'clock?

PiGate gnd? ? ? ? 1 o'clock? black? ? ? to TYT speaker gnd gray? ? ? ? ? ?black clip lead to speaker -

PiGate data out 3 o'clock? blue? ? ? ?to TYT speaker out? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? yellow?clip lead to speaker?+??

I would assume the sensitivity would have a proper default for normal speaker voltage. I tried different volume settings with and without squelch.

TIA de ka4upc

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 12:23 PM David Ranch <rpi4hamradio-groupsio@...> wrote:

Hello Chris,

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:30:12.301181

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:30:32.274964

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

^Cpi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:32:57.421067

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:33:17.051743

Both of these look wrong as there aren't any retries on the connection attempts.

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:38.938783

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:49.261103

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:34:08.941603

This looks more like what I would expect but it's still not showing the expected connection retry attempt at 22:33:58 timestamp.? Very strange.? Regardless, your station is also not decoding any responses from the remote station so if you're confident the remote side is responding with a clear strong signal, there is a receive issue on the TNC side.

This is what I ordered, assembled and tested fron WVCARC

I am using a TYT radio and I made the mic, spkr, ptt connections myself.

My #1 suspicion is your connection to the radio and the cable.? You need to make sure you're getting the audio from radio into the TNC as you expect.? You might try connecting a scope or even a soundcard microphone input to the correct testpoint on the TNC9k6 to confirm the expected audio is making it.? If not, check the plug connection on the TYT (hopefully these radios offer more reliable connections than the almost-always-terrible Baofeng radios).? For the audio output from your radio (I'm assuming your using a TYT HT.. not a mobile), you'll need to make sure the volume setting is fairly LOW as it's far easier to decode weak signals than it is to decode overdriven / distorted signals.


Next, have you confirmed the TNC's RX level (think of this as the input microphone level setting)?

??

There doesn't seem to be much built-in audio level tuning support in the PI9k6 firmware so you might have to determine these levels externally using a scope or other method.

I am 12 miles from one station and 15 from the other (with roof antenna) but I drove to within a mile of each (with mag mount). I was careful to match frequency on the radio (no CAT).

Since you're troubleshooting receive levels, consider changing the frequency to your APRS frequency (144.390 here in the US) so you can hear more incoming 1200bps AFSK packets to tune things sooner.

--David
KI6ZHD

Hi David - Here are photos of my connections. The TYT 8600 is a mobile dual bander about 50w. I used 4 #24 wires to connect.

PiGate data in 11 o'clock? green? ? ? to TYT mic in 11 o'clock? ?(might be inverted in pic)

PiGate ptt? ? ? ? ?9 o'clock? red? ? ? ? to TYT ptt 5 o'clock?

PiGate gnd? ? ? ? 1 o'clock? black? ? ? to TYT speaker gnd gray? ? ? ? ? ?black clip lead to speaker -

PiGate data out 3 o'clock? blue? ? ? ?to TYT speaker out? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? yellow?clip lead to speaker?+??

I would assume the sensitivity would have a proper default for normal speaker voltage. I tried different volume settings with and without squelch.

TIA de ka4upc

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 12:23 PM David Ranch <rpi4hamradio-groupsio@...> wrote:

Hello Chris,

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:30:12.301181

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:30:32.274964

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

^Cpi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:32:57.421067

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:33:17.051743

Both of these look wrong as there aren't any retries on the connection attempts.

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:38.938783

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:49.261103

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:34:08.941603

This looks more like what I would expect but it's still not showing the expected connection retry attempt at 22:33:58 timestamp.? Very strange.? Regardless, your station is also not decoding any responses from the remote station so if you're confident the remote side is responding with a clear strong signal, there is a receive issue on the TNC side.

This is what I ordered, assembled and tested fron WVCARC

I am using a TYT radio and I made the mic, spkr, ptt connections myself.

My #1 suspicion is your connection to the radio and the cable.? You need to make sure you're getting the audio from radio into the TNC as you expect.? You might try connecting a scope or even a soundcard microphone input to the correct testpoint on the TNC9k6 to confirm the expected audio is making it.? If not, check the plug connection on the TYT (hopefully these radios offer more reliable connections than the almost-always-terrible Baofeng radios).? For the audio output from your radio (I'm assuming your using a TYT HT.. not a mobile), you'll need to make sure the volume setting is fairly LOW as it's far easier to decode weak signals than it is to decode overdriven / distorted signals.


Next, have you confirmed the TNC's RX level (think of this as the input microphone level setting)?

??

There doesn't seem to be much built-in audio level tuning support in the PI9k6 firmware so you might have to determine these levels externally using a scope or other method.

I am 12 miles from one station and 15 from the other (with roof antenna) but I drove to within a mile of each (with mag mount). I was careful to match frequency on the radio (no CAT).

Since you're troubleshooting receive levels, consider changing the frequency to your APRS frequency (144.390 here in the US) so you can hear more incoming 1200bps AFSK packets to tune things sooner.

--David
KI6ZHD

When I hear packets on 144.39, should I see leds flashing on the PiGate? I am not seeing activity.

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 2:35 PM Chris Clement <chris@...> wrote:

Hi David - Here are photos of my connections. The TYT 8600 is a mobile dual bander about 50w. I used 4 #24 wires to connect.

PiGate data in 11 o'clock? green? ? ? to TYT mic in 11 o'clock? ?(might be inverted in pic)

PiGate ptt? ? ? ? ?9 o'clock? red? ? ? ? to TYT ptt 5 o'clock?

PiGate gnd? ? ? ? 1 o'clock? black? ? ? to TYT speaker gnd gray? ? ? ? ? ?black clip lead to speaker -

PiGate data out 3 o'clock? blue? ? ? ?to TYT speaker out? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? yellow?clip lead to speaker?+??

I would assume the sensitivity would have a proper default for normal speaker voltage. I tried different volume settings with and without squelch.

TIA de ka4upc

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 12:23 PM David Ranch <rpi4hamradio-groupsio@...> wrote:

Hello Chris,

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:30:12.301181

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:30:32.274964

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

^Cpi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:32:57.421067

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:33:17.051743

Both of these look wrong as there aren't any retries on the connection attempts.

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:38.938783

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:49.261103

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:34:08.941603

This looks more like what I would expect but it's still not showing the expected connection retry attempt at 22:33:58 timestamp.? Very strange.? Regardless, your station is also not decoding any responses from the remote station so if you're confident the remote side is responding with a clear strong signal, there is a receive issue on the TNC side.

This is what I ordered, assembled and tested fron WVCARC

I am using a TYT radio and I made the mic, spkr, ptt connections myself.

My #1 suspicion is your connection to the radio and the cable.? You need to make sure you're getting the audio from radio into the TNC as you expect.? You might try connecting a scope or even a soundcard microphone input to the correct testpoint on the TNC9k6 to confirm the expected audio is making it.? If not, check the plug connection on the TYT (hopefully these radios offer more reliable connections than the almost-always-terrible Baofeng radios).? For the audio output from your radio (I'm assuming your using a TYT HT.. not a mobile), you'll need to make sure the volume setting is fairly LOW as it's far easier to decode weak signals than it is to decode overdriven / distorted signals.


Next, have you confirmed the TNC's RX level (think of this as the input microphone level setting)?

??

There doesn't seem to be much built-in audio level tuning support in the PI9k6 firmware so you might have to determine these levels externally using a scope or other method.

I am 12 miles from one station and 15 from the other (with roof antenna) but I drove to within a mile of each (with mag mount). I was careful to match frequency on the radio (no CAT).

Since you're troubleshooting receive levels, consider changing the frequency to your APRS frequency (144.390 here in the US) so you can hear more incoming 1200bps AFSK packets to tune things sooner.

--David
KI6ZHD

I moved speaker?+ to the db9 and got yellow led flashing!!!

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 3:00 PM Chris Clement <chris@...> wrote:

When I hear packets on 144.39, should I see leds flashing on the PiGate? I am not seeing activity.

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 2:35 PM Chris Clement <chris@...> wrote:

Hi David - Here are photos of my connections. The TYT 8600 is a mobile dual bander about 50w. I used 4 #24 wires to connect.

PiGate data in 11 o'clock? green? ? ? to TYT mic in 11 o'clock? ?(might be inverted in pic)

PiGate ptt? ? ? ? ?9 o'clock? red? ? ? ? to TYT ptt 5 o'clock?

PiGate gnd? ? ? ? 1 o'clock? black? ? ? to TYT speaker gnd gray? ? ? ? ? ?black clip lead to speaker -

PiGate data out 3 o'clock? blue? ? ? ?to TYT speaker out? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? yellow?clip lead to speaker?+??

I would assume the sensitivity would have a proper default for normal speaker voltage. I tried different volume settings with and without squelch.

TIA de ka4upc

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 12:23 PM David Ranch <rpi4hamradio-groupsio@...> wrote:

Hello Chris,

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:30:12.301181

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:30:32.274964

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

^Cpi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:32:57.421067

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:33:17.051743

Both of these look wrong as there aren't any retries on the connection attempts.

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:38.938783

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:49.261103

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:34:08.941603

This looks more like what I would expect but it's still not showing the expected connection retry attempt at 22:33:58 timestamp.? Very strange.? Regardless, your station is also not decoding any responses from the remote station so if you're confident the remote side is responding with a clear strong signal, there is a receive issue on the TNC side.

This is what I ordered, assembled and tested fron WVCARC

I am using a TYT radio and I made the mic, spkr, ptt connections myself.

My #1 suspicion is your connection to the radio and the cable.? You need to make sure you're getting the audio from radio into the TNC as you expect.? You might try connecting a scope or even a soundcard microphone input to the correct testpoint on the TNC9k6 to confirm the expected audio is making it.? If not, check the plug connection on the TYT (hopefully these radios offer more reliable connections than the almost-always-terrible Baofeng radios).? For the audio output from your radio (I'm assuming your using a TYT HT.. not a mobile), you'll need to make sure the volume setting is fairly LOW as it's far easier to decode weak signals than it is to decode overdriven / distorted signals.


Next, have you confirmed the TNC's RX level (think of this as the input microphone level setting)?

??

There doesn't seem to be much built-in audio level tuning support in the PI9k6 firmware so you might have to determine these levels externally using a scope or other method.

I am 12 miles from one station and 15 from the other (with roof antenna) but I drove to within a mile of each (with mag mount). I was careful to match frequency on the radio (no CAT).

Since you're troubleshooting receive levels, consider changing the frequency to your APRS frequency (144.390 here in the US) so you can hear more incoming 1200bps AFSK packets to tune things sooner.

--David
KI6ZHD

Chris

listen -8ar. What does your output say now?? Please post. I am interested now

73, Vince

On 09/06/21 1:15 PM, Chris Clement via wrote:

got connected! it was not hearing the radio but it seems to be an internal connection problem. Thanks for help!!

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 3:05 PM Chris Clement <chris@...> wrote:

I moved speaker?+ to the db9 and got yellow led flashing!!!

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 3:00 PM Chris Clement <chris@...> wrote:

When I hear packets on 144.39, should I see leds flashing on the PiGate? I am not seeing activity.

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 2:35 PM Chris Clement <chris@...> wrote:

Hi David - Here are photos of my connections. The TYT 8600 is a mobile dual bander about 50w. I used 4 #24 wires to connect.

PiGate data in 11 o'clock? green? ? ? to TYT mic in 11 o'clock? ?(might be inverted in pic)

PiGate ptt? ? ? ? ?9 o'clock? red? ? ? ? to TYT ptt 5 o'clock?

PiGate gnd? ? ? ? 1 o'clock? black? ? ? to TYT speaker gnd gray? ? ? ? ? ?black clip lead to speaker -

PiGate data out 3 o'clock? blue? ? ? ?to TYT speaker out? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? yellow?clip lead to speaker?+??

I would assume the sensitivity would have a proper default for normal speaker voltage. I tried different volume settings with and without squelch.

TIA de ka4upc

On Mon, Sep 6, 2021 at 12:23 PM David Ranch <rpi4hamradio-groupsio@...> wrote:

Hello Chris,

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:30:12.301181

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:30:32.274964

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

^Cpi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:32:57.421067

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:33:17.051743

Both of these look wrong as there aren't any retries on the connection attempts.

pi@PiGate:~ $ sudo listen -8ar

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:38.938783

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl SABM+ 23:33:49.261103

tnc: fm KA4UPC to KJ4RUS-10 ctl DISC+ 23:34:08.941603

This looks more like what I would expect but it's still not showing the expected connection retry attempt at 22:33:58 timestamp.? Very strange.? Regardless, your station is also not decoding any responses from the remote station so if you're confident the remote side is responding with a clear strong signal, there is a receive issue on the TNC side.

This is what I ordered, assembled and tested fron WVCARC

I am using a TYT radio and I made the mic, spkr, ptt connections myself.

My #1 suspicion is your connection to the radio and the cable.? You need to make sure you're getting the audio from radio into the TNC as you expect.? You might try connecting a scope or even a soundcard microphone input to the correct testpoint on the TNC9k6 to confirm the expected audio is making it.? If not, check the plug connection on the TYT (hopefully these radios offer more reliable connections than the almost-always-terrible Baofeng radios).? For the audio output from your radio (I'm assuming your using a TYT HT.. not a mobile), you'll need to make sure the volume setting is fairly LOW as it's far easier to decode weak signals than it is to decode overdriven / distorted signals.


Next, have you confirmed the TNC's RX level (think of this as the input microphone level setting)?

??

There doesn't seem to be much built-in audio level tuning support in the PI9k6 firmware so you might have to determine these levels externally using a scope or other method.

I am 12 miles from one station and 15 from the other (with roof antenna) but I drove to within a mile of each (with mag mount). I was careful to match frequency on the radio (no CAT).

Since you're troubleshooting receive levels, consider changing the frequency to your APRS frequency (144.390 here in the US) so you can hear more incoming 1200bps AFSK packets to tune things sooner.

--David
KI6ZHD

-- 
73, de Vince KD7TWW
In what year did the FCC mandate the 1500 Watt PEP limit for amateur radio station
power output? - Motorola Corp was formally named
"Galvin Manufacturing Corporation" (1928–1947)