Just wanted to share my success story:
- Raspberry Pi 3 B
- NinoTNO from tarpn.net
- Baofeng UV5R for now, just ordered a better radio as it's too weak/deaf in my area
- KM4ACK Build-a-Pi script to install VHF related software including YAAC
- Using realVNC to access the PI from a laptop/desktop/tablet
- all housed in a small HF/Apache weatherproof case
- The case has a N type bulkhead antenna connector and waterproof power connector. The radio is modified to run on 12V and the Pi has a 12V-5v converter.
- There is room to add a small battery for off-grid operation.
I've had this up for a few weeks and it's been great as a 2-way igate. There is one other RF-IS igate in my town and another 20 miles away in another town.
It was fairly easy to setup entirely through the GUI, no command line required!
I have been using it to message as many stations as I can and have made a few contacts. One is a neighbor running a BBS on 145.010 so I'm interested in adding another TNC/radio for the other frequency as long as I can make sure to direct traffic out the appropriate ports.
For a comparison I tried using Xastir, but didn't like it as much. YAAC is more responsive in map rendering and UI features. I like the messaging capabilities in YAAC better as well
pie-in-the-sky features I'd like to see:
- option to automatically start tracking new (mobile) stations so I don't have to enable it individually
- bring all the individual "chat with station" windows together into a single window with tabs or other way to select who you're chatting with.
- visibility into and/or control over which port data is being sent to (RF, IP, second RF, etc)
