Our weekly group uses a nice Icom repeater stack for D-Rats practice weekly. We have found chat is fine, but file transfers are slower and less reliable over the repeater than simplex. We suspect a timing issue with the repeater with ACK/NAK D-Rats stuff. Anybody have suggested settings for D-Rats to account for the slight repeater timing delay??

I had the same issue with my 7100 via USB. I called Icom and got a guy who knew the whole story. The USB cable sends out serial in packet format, so it sends it in bursts of data. A short "chat" line can take 3-4 keys of transmit. The data cable (I use orange RT Systems) sends a continuous serial data stream. Makes sense and those have been my results. I do not have this issue with bluetooth, FWIW. On either my 5100 or my 4100. Works exactly like the data cable.?

Has anyone been able to successfully use D-RATS with the 9700 using just a USB cable? I'm able to get the radio to TX when I start D-RATS, but it TXs multiple times non-stop until it eventually stops. After it stops, I try sending a message in chat, but nothing happens.

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

?

Someone posted the following in another thread. I've tried these settings, but no luck other than the radio TXing multiple times when starting D-RATS

?

On 11/26/2022 11:48 AM, Ralph Barbakoff wrote:

Need 64 bit machine for testing these John??

The MSYS2 distribution for Microsoft Windows no longer supports 32 bit machines, and will be dropping Windows 7 support sometime this year, if they have hot yet done so.

I have not tested on a 32 bit machine.

I did not create pre-built 32 bit LZHUF packages for the few Debian packages that I created.

For 32 bit Linux, you just need to build a 32 bit lzhuf from the lzhuf repository for winlink support, otherwise everything except Winlink should work with out it.

73,
-John, wb8tyw

Need 64 bit machine for testing these John??

Ralph Barbakoff (WA9LKZ)

Updated tarball and wheel files uploaded.

This fixes the pip install on Ubuntu 20.04 and with a small additional fix gets the pip install working on AntiX-21 Linux.

On AntiX-21 Linux, and this may work for other platforms where an initial attempt of a pip install fails, issue while the virtual environment the command 'pip install -U pip' to upgrade to the current version of pip.

We still need volunteers to test this pip install of the tarball, and help update the Wiki and provide feedback to help other hams with this.

73,
-John, wb8tyw

Hello All,

I have added to the ham-radio-software WIKI information on how to install the Python3 based D-Rats on Microsoft Windows.



Currently the only available install is for a pre-release that I am in the process of getting reviewed and merged into the main D-Rats repository.

I will leave it up to someone else to add the instructions to the Wiki for various Linux and Mac OS-X releases. Please read the notes below and try to use the pip installable tarball first before resorting to using a checkout of the repository.

The process for Linux and Mac OS-X is similar, however I only have pre-built LZHUF binaries for Microsoft Windows 7 and later, and some Ubuntu and Debian releases.

Everyone else will need to build their own binary and D-Rats will expect it to be placed in "/usr/local/bin". And the new binary will work on big-endian systems if anyone here is still running one.

If you can contribute a pre-built lzhuf binary for a different platform, and you do not know how or have the time to create an installable package for your platform, just use gzip on the binary and create a new directory for your platform in the d-rats directory. Please also upload a file with some type of checksum for the binary that can be checked on the target platform.

As the lzhuf program is now separate from D-Rats, the PIP installable tarball is now common to all platforms.

Pip installs of D-Rats are currently broken for AntiX-21 Linux and Ubuntu 20.04, so D-Rats must be run from a checkout of the source repository on those platforms. The people on the python forums that I am asking for help on seem to have a working theory that something is broken on some Debian based platforms. The workaround being discussed seems to be far more work than just running D-Rats from a checkout of the repository.

At this time, the current master is at least two merges behind what is in the pre-release tarball that I have put out for testing, but the only things missing are the new tarball build procedure and a fix to version.py, so it should be good enough for testing.

If we can get the end user installation procedures documented, then I and others can start tackling the other bugs and misfeatures in D-Rats.

73,
-John
wb8tyw

Hi Glen!

I seem to have it working...

• First, an SMTP server must be configured in Preferences/Outgoing mail, a a POP mail address must be configured and enabled using SSL in Preferences/Email Accounts, The POP address must be given access to BOTH under Email Access, and POP3 and SMTP servers must be configured under Preferences/Messages. POP email has to be working.
• The POP email address you are using must be Whitelisted in your Winlink.org account.
• Source Callsign is my callsign only, but my callsign is automatically routed through my POP email address to Winlink.org.
• Destination Callsign only worked when "@winlink.org was added to the callsign. It would not work without the full destination information.
• Using these settings, it did work to send an email to myself from myself after adding "@winlink.org".
• Subject Line prefix had to be "//WL2K" in order for it to work.

At least I got an email to go through to Winlink using these settings!

Thanks for your input!

Carl

Thanks. I have already tried sending to regular email. That works, but Winlink does not. I'll try sending to a different Winlink account,??and I'll try your suggested changes.

Carl

开云体育

Hi All!

D-Rats newbie here. I have managed to get D-Rats to send messages to my Winlink Express email address. The Debug Log and the Event Log both show that it is successfully sent, but I never receive them via a Telnet connection in Winlink. Internet email to my Gmail address works fine. Is there something I need to whitelist in Winlink? I do have the Gmail address I use with D-Rats whitelisted in Winlink.

When sending WL2K mail from D-Rats...

• WL2K Network Server = server.winlink.org
• Port = 8772
• Password = my Winlink account password
• My Winlink SSID = have tried various
• In Email, Source Call Sign = my Call Sign
• Destination Call Sign = WL2K:KC3KFW@...
• Subject = //WL2k Test
• Body = D-Rats Test

Thanks in advance!

Carl
KC3KFW

Further info.... Chat from phone app to DRats is visible when RAW Text is checked. Today I exchanged email with Ray Novak at Icom and it looks as though he is going to request an update to RSMS1 app to have its own raw text mode so some form of uncorrected text can exchange with Drats allowing mobile phone only users to communicate via Text with PC running Drats. We shall see what happens. You have to respect Icom for listening to our community.?

Thanks for the explanation, John.

I don't keep anything on my shack PC that I would not want exposed or lost, other than maybe my logbook.? I'll try to remember to back that up to a USB stick, just in case. That's true of any failure of course, not just Drats.

--
Dave (G0DJA)
Bolsover, UK

On 10/19/2022 11:22 AM, David Ackrill wrote:

On Wed, Oct 19, 2022 at 07:02 AM, John E. Malmberg wrote:

In my previous message, I meant not using a commercial Python for creating
a single windows package containing Python, Gtk+, D-Rats, and lzhuf.

I'm going to expose my ignorance here, but what does that mean for ordinary Windows users that don't use Python or even know what Gtk+ means, please?

In order to use D-Rats, you need a python interpreter with the GTK+ library, or it does work.

GTK+ is the graphics library that is used on Linux and was available for almost all platforms. It currently is only available on Microsoft Windows pre-built as part of the Msys2 package, not as a native package.

The older D-Rats for Microsoft Windows used a bundling procedure to bundle that all together in to an easy to install executable.

Now none of those components are supported anymore, and are no longer even available on newer Linux distribution.

So we can not run the old d-rats on most of the current Linux distros.

So I did a significant re-work of D-Rats so that it would run on a current Linux distribution. It was not practical to make it compatible with the older python environment.

The current problem is that there are currently too many missing pieces to creating the single Microsoft Windows package with the newer D-Rats.

There are many sites on the internet that claim to provide components, but you really only want to install programs form trusted locations if possible.

So far I have found only three trusted ways that for free, you can get the components needed to run D-Rats on Microsoft Windows.

1. Windows Subsystem for Linux if you are running 64 bit Windows 10 new enough to support it.

2. Cygwin. This has a bit of a learning curve

3. Msys2 mingw64. This is what I am using on Windows 7.

It may be possible to build a single Windows package using Msys2 mingw64. I do not know yet if the resulting package will work, and really do not have the time to spend on it, because there are other fixes and enhancements that D-Rats needs.

There may be other options, but again, I have already spent too much time looking for them.

If someone can start doing that research and testing, that would be great.

Does it mean that we won't be able to use Drats if we have an older
version of Windows than version 10, or just that we won't be able to
instal updates?

What it means that if you do not have some type of Linux emulation with graphics on Windows 7 or Windows 8 now, you may not be able to install it later as the third party packages needed by D-Rats may be removed from the trusted distribution sites. And I do not know if it is already too late.

PS - I'm using Windows 10 pro myself, but I guess that one day that
will be obsolete as well.

I plan to run Windows 7 on my testing laptop as long as the hardware supports it. At some point I may install Linux on it.

Just be prepared to be able to do a complete re-image of the system from recovery media if it gets something nasty, and you do not keep anything that you can not afford to lose or get revealed on your systems.

What is really the difference between something nasty encrypting your files, or the hard drive just dying? Pretty much the same risk and same things needed for recovery.

73,
-John

On Wed, Oct 19, 2022 at 07:02 AM, John E. Malmberg wrote:

In my previous message, I meant not using a commercial Python for creating a single windows package containing Python, Gtk+, D-Rats, and lzhuf.

I'm going to expose my ignorance here, but what does that mean for ordinary Windows users that don't use Python or even know what Gtk+ means, please?

Does it mean that we won't be able to use Drats if we have an older version of Windows than version 10, or just that we won't be able to instal updates?

Thanks - Dave (G0DJA)

PS - I'm using Windows 10 pro myself, but I guess that one day that will be obsolete as well.
?
--
Dave (G0DJA)
Bolsover, UK

In my previous message, I meant not using a commercial Python for creating a single windows package containing Python, Gtk+, D-Rats, and lzhuf.

73,
-John

Hello all,

I intend to put this in a Wiki:

The Python2 D-Rats is pretty much frozen, no more updates, and it does not have bug fixes that are in the Python3 version.

If you want to run Python3 D-Rats on Microsoft Windows, these are going to be the options:

* Use a WSL and one of the Unix subsystems. Currently I am not setup to test in this environment. If you go this route, I think Ubuntu 22.04 would be the best option, followed by Ubuntu 22.04.
Only Windows 10/11 64 bit have this option.

* Use the MSYS2 environment to install Python3 and packages, and optionally a python virtualenv.
This will be the only option for Windows 7, and if you want to run on Windows 7, you will need to download and setup MSYS2 *NOW* as they are dropping support for Windows 7 this year and may have already dropped it. Once they drop support for Windows 7, I do not know if they will keep the last version to support Windows 7 online for download.

* Use a commercial Python. Even though some are free for personal use, I will not be installing or testing on a Commercial Python. If someone wants to do that support, feel free to contribute instructions on how to use.

* Currently building a single Windows package for Simple installing is not practical. On Windows 7, I can not get the GTK 3 stuff to just build and install with the Python.org Python distribution. All articles I have found online about it so far do hot have a fix, but recommend using msys2 instead, and that is where the treads stop. I have determined that it would take too much of my time, to figure this out, and there are more fixes/updates I would like to get into D-Rats soon. If someone else can figure this out with out using a commercial Linux, feel free to contribute.

* Use a Linux based system.

Future distributions are going to require installing two packages.

For winlink support, an optional lzhuf package, currently available in the files section for group members pre-packaged for Windows 7 and later and some Ubuntu and Debian distributions. For other platforms, you will need to download the source and build it, until someone contributes a pre-built package or tarball for that platform.

The D-Rats will be packaged in the future in a generic PIP installable tarball at first. This is planned to be followed up with Ubuntu and Debian packages. It will no longer contain the lzhuf binary as it makes it too complex to package it in a way supported by Python.

Generally if you have the Python3 and GTK-3 environment setup it will install with Pip. The Ubuntu/Debian packages will not need PIP to install.

73,
-John

I started out using the orange cable from RT Systems, but that cable went bad on me.? I ended up ordering data cables directly from Icom which has worked well.? I am not familiar with the older ID-2820 radio, but there seems to be several different types listed on a Google Search.? The ones I use are the Icom OPC-2350LU data cable for the ID-4100 and the OPC-2218LU data cable for the ID-5100.? Both are USB to the D-Star radio's plug-in data port.? Some of the older radios used serial connectors to connect to the radio, but if the 2820 can be programmed with the Orange RT systems cable, that should theoretically work for D-Rats.

The use of D-Rats in a high-noise atmosphere is an ideal use for this mode.? As far as ratflectors, the original RAT had been set up by Dan Smith who originally wrote the D-Rats software.? He moved on and stopped supporting the software and eventually shut down his ratflector.?? One station asked to be considered as a replacement for RAT and that is KB8PMY.net set up as a network connection on port 9000.? Looking today, he is offline.? At a guess, his computer either caught a software update or there was an issue with his IP address changing from his Internet provider.?

Right now, there probably is not one ratflector that could be considered as super reliable.? I operate StTammany.ratflector.com using a Raspberry Pi 3.? I sometimes run into problems myself with Internet or local router issues.? I recently had to move in with my sister.? I retired on disability and she is a widow now with the two of us both on Social Security.? I'm 67 and she just turned 65.? We live in the rural community of Pearl River, Louisiana, and have periodic power outages and weather issues beyond just the occasional hurricanes.? St. Tammany Parish is across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans.? During an emergency, a ratflector is only useful so long as you have Internet access.? It can be used for practice with other guys who are just linking to the ratflector instead of going RF, or during an emergency, it can act as a bridge between stations in the field and Internet-connected stations if a radio is connected to the ratflector computer.

There are a number of ratflectors that are trying to maintain relevance for their local areas and one or two that had regional objectives when they were started.? SEWX.ratflector.com was set up for use with the Southeast D-Star Weather Net.? The net ceased operations a while back because they felt that not enough people were stepping up to volunteer to be net controls.? Because many feel that the Internet cannot be relied upon during severe storms, since power, phone and Internet services very often go down during those events, they would not even activate a net during incoming hurricanes.

Since D-Star/D-rats can operate either through the Internet, an available repeater or reflector, or simplex station-to-station with no other infrastructure, it can be used in many situations.? It just depends on what resources you still have available as to how far your reach can extend.? Any D-rats operator who has Internet available to him can bring up a ratflector since the "reflector" software is included in the package.? To allow others to connect to it, the operator would have to publish his IP address and make sure that the router or mode he is using has been configured to allow traffic through ports 9000 and 9500.? Our area is rather flat and we have been successful in running simplex connections from station-to-station over a distance of about 10 miles.? You might get more or less depending on the type of stations and the antenna heights involved.? Remember though that you can relay messages through a station you can reach if he can also contact the guy you are targeting but cannot reach.? Any station, including a ratflector that is also running the client software on the same computer, can act as a relay.

When you ask D-Rats to print a message, it will open your default browser to display it.? From there you have the browser software send it to the printer.? If no printers are immediately available, you could direct it to print the message to a PDF file for later retrieval.? A printer might be available at an EOC or a mobile command post, but would probably not be available to some field stations.

Right now, nationally, there just does not seem to be too many ratflectors worth monitoring on a full-time basis as lately there is not much activity.? Since I try to keep an eye on mine, I have seen stations from Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the U.S. periodically linking.? WX4QZ, Daryl, a ham from Little Rock, AR who calls several nets uses it on his net nights as an alternate way for some stations to check into the nets.? Other than that, you don't see much chatter unless one of them is hosting a net.? SEWX is located in Georgia near Atlanta where there is a pretty large group of D-Star users.? I am down in Louisiana.? They have one up in PA and one or two in Texas, Florida and Alabama.? I don't know how accurate the lists are but there are D-Rats ratflectors listed on dstarinfo.com and in the Database section of the Groups.io drats group here.? As far as I can see, there is no one running a ratflector in California at present.? You might consider setting up your own ratflector for the state or local area.? The easiest would be to find a Raspberry Pi that no one is using and set that up.? You would need a location with either wifi or an ethernet connection to get the Pi on the Internet.? Instructions on installing one can be found in the files section here or I have several instruction sets in my ratflector's Shared Files folder that can be downloaded.? Hint, it's much faster to pick them up from the Group.?

Cordially,

Glen Strecker - KG5CEN
ARES Asst. Emergency Coordinator for St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana

The following files and folders have been uploaded to the Files area of the [email protected] group.

• /D-Rats/debian/bullseye/lzhuf_2022.10.08-1_amd64.deb
• /D-Rats/debian/bullseye/lzhuf_md5sum.txt

By: John E. Malmberg <wb8tyw@...>

---

The following files and folders have been uploaded to the Files area of the [email protected] group.

• /D-Rats/debian/buster/lzhuf_2022.10.08-1_amd64.deb
• /D-Rats/debian/buster/lzhuf_md5sum.txt

By: John E. Malmberg <wb8tyw@...>

---

The following files and folders have been uploaded to the Files area of the [email protected] group.

• /D-Rats/Ubuntu/bionic/lzhuf_2022.10.08-1_amd64.deb
• /D-Rats/Ubuntu/bionic/lzhuf_md5sum.txt

By: John E. Malmberg <wb8tyw@...>

---

The following files and folders have been uploaded to the Files area of the [email protected] group.

• /D-Rats/Ubuntu/focal/lzhuf_2022.10.08-1_amd64.deb
• /D-Rats/Ubuntu/focal/lzhuf_md5sum.txt

By: John E. Malmberg <wb8tyw@...>

Description:
lzhuf for Ubuntu 20.04 (focal)

---

The following files and folders have been uploaded to the Files area of the [email protected] group.

• /D-Rats/Ubuntu/jammy/lzhuf_2022.10.08-1_amd64.deb
• /D-Rats/Ubuntu/jammy/lzhuf_md5sum.txt

By: John E. Malmberg <wb8tyw@...>

Description:
lzhuf for Ubuntu Jammy (22.04)

The following files and folders have been uploaded to the Files area of the [email protected] group.

• /D-Rats/windows/lzhuf_md5.txt
• /D-Rats/windows/lzhuf_x64.msi
• /D-Rats/windows/lzhuf_x86.msi

By: John E. Malmberg <wb8tyw@...>