The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial port.

Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It basically
just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Steve

"Jack Twilley" wrote

I've looked over the West Mountain website and I can't see anything
about how to make the RigBlaster run on FreeBSD. It's something I'd
need to know before buying one, obviously. Anyone here have any
experience with something like this?

/*
* repeater.c
*
* This module controls the RTS pin 5 signal of the DB-25,
* or pin 7 of the DB-9 connector, and the DCD pin 8 of the
* DB-25, or pin 1 of the DB-9.
*
* The RTS signal is used to control the Push-To-Talk (PTT),
* and the DCD signal is used to detect the Carrier Operated
* Squelch (COS) of a Radio Repeater.
*
* Tested with Red Hat Linux 6.2 (Kernel 2.2.14)
*
* Compile with: cc -O -s repeater.c -o repeater
*/

/* Includes */

#include stdio.h
#include unistd.h
#include fcntl.h
#include sys/ioctl.h /* TIO stuff in bits/ioctl.h and asm/ioctl.h */
#include sys/time.h
#include sys/types.h
#include termios.h
#include errno.h
#include string.h
#include signal.h

/* Defines */

typedef unsigned char BYTE;

#define FALSE (0)
#define TRUE (!FALSE)

/* Globals */

int fd;
int terminate = FALSE;
int port_signal;
int state_tx;
char portname[16];

/* Subroutines */

void intHandler(int signum)
{
terminate = TRUE;
}

void killHandler(int signum)
{
exit(0);
}

/*
* Wait up to sec seconds for file descriptor fd
* to become readable
*
* if sec is 0, returns immediately
*
* returns:
*
* 0 if descriptor is readable
* 0 if error (errno set by select())
* == 0 if timeout
*/

int timeout(int fd, int sec)
{
struct timeval tv;
fd_set rset;

FD_ZERO(&rset);
FD_SET(fd, &rset);

tv.tv_sec = sec;
tv.tv_usec = 0;

return (select(fd+1, &rset, NULL, NULL, &tv));
}

/* Main Program */

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
struct timeval tv;
int port;
pid_t pid;

if (argc != 2)
{
fprintf(stderr, "Usage: repeater port\n");
fprintf(stderr, "Where ports 1 through 4 are valid\n");
exit(1);
}

port = atoi(argv[1]) - 1;

if (port 0 || port 3)
{
fprintf(stderr, "Valid ports are 1 through 4\n");
exit(2);
}

sprintf(portname, "/dev/ttyS%d", port);

if ((fd = open(portname, O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK)) 0)
{
perror(portname);
exit(3);
}

/*
* Don't need these anymore
*/

close(0);close(1);close(2);

port_signal = TIOCM_RTS;

/*
* Bail out on Terminate Signal (kill -15)
*/

signal(SIGTERM, intHandler);

/*
* Daemonize
*/

if ((pid = fork()) 0) /* Error */
{
perror("daemonize");
exit(5);
}

if (pid != 0) {
/*
* Parent Process, so Exit
*/

exit(0);
}

/*
* Child process continues
*
* Fork a second time into control and timer
*/

if ((pid = fork()) 0) /* Error */
{
perror("repeater fork");
exit(6);
}

if (pid == 0) /* Child Process */
{
/*
* Timer process
*
* Set 9 minute, 3 minute, and 30 sec timers
*/

strcpy(argv[0], "Repeater Timer");

signal(SIGTERM, killHandler);

for (;
{
}
}

if (pid != 0 ) /* Parent Process */
{
/*
* While the COS signal on the DCD line is true
* enable the PTT signal on the RTS line.
*/

strcpy(argv[0], "Repeater Control");

for (;
{
int status;

if (terminate) {
state_tx = 0;
ioctl(fd, TIOCMBIC, &port_signal); /* clear */
kill(pid, SIGTERM);
sleep(1);
close(fd);
exit(0);
}

ioctl(fd, TIOCMGET, &status); /* get Modem bits */

if ((status & TIOCM_CAR) && !state_tx)
{
state_tx = 1;
ioctl(fd, TIOCMBIS, &port_signal); /* set */
}

if (!(status & TIOCM_CAR) && state_tx)
{
state_tx = 0;
ioctl(fd, TIOCMBIC, &port_signal); /* clear */
}
}
}
}
/* EOF */

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Steve The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial
Steve port. Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It
Steve basically just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

Steve Steve

Jack.
- --
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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Jack Twilley wrote on 27/01/2004 09:14:

Steve The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial
Steve port. Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It
Steve basically just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

It's nothing like a TNC - it's basically just a switch / cable connecter
for use with sound card modem programs. (It tells you that on the web page.)

--
Roger Barker, G4IDE -
For UI-View go to - http://www.UI-View.com
For WinPack go to - http://www.peaksys.co.uk

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 01:14:17 -0800, Jack Twilley wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Steve The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial
Steve port. Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It
Steve basically just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

I think you're severely confused about what the rigblaster is...
it's a serial interface, used primarily to assert PTT and do
some audio level management for digital modes. It has
absolutely nothing even REMOTELY close to having TNC
functionality.

"Jack Twilley" wrote

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

No. The rigblaster (and the rascal--I own both) are merely soundcard
interfaces. That is, they have transformers to isolate the audio circuits, and relays
to operate the PTT. The rigblaster is popular for its professional look
and adjustments, while the rascal is popular because it is cheap and can be
thrown behind the table. Both are just audio and relay devices, and there is
no TNC in them. The TNC is the Linux/FreeBSD computer.

I haven't messed with TNC's since I ran JNOS on a linux box (about 10 years
ago), and now pretty much have my rascal on my windows box with either
AGWPE for my APRS soundcard interface, or the various soundcard digital
modes (MT63, PSK31, etc). As a matter of fact I took all my TNC's to a
swap meet and sold the whole box for $5 (and it took about 2 hours to find a
buyer). About the only stuff I have left is a couple of 19k baud Kantronics
Radios and DRSI modems that were crap when they were new :-)

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Jack Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong
Jack question.

Jack Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can
Jack do, and what modifications need to be made to programs that
Jack expect a standard TNC?

Steve No. The rigblaster (and the rascal--I own both) are merely
Steve soundcard interfaces. That is, they have transformers to
Steve isolate the audio circuits, and relays to operate the PTT. The
Steve rigblaster is popular for its professional look and
Steve adjustments, while the rascal is popular because it is cheap
Steve and can be thrown behind the table. Both are just audio and
Steve relay devices, and there is no TNC in them. The TNC is the
Steve Linux/FreeBSD computer.

That explains a lot. I understand a little more now. What Unix
software do you use for TNC purposes? I see a bunch of Windows
support, but there's no obvious documentation or example code for Unix
boxes. I have read that the RigBlaster comes with CDs of software,
but there's no specifications out there that I can see.

Steve I haven't messed with TNC's since I ran JNOS on a linux box
Steve (about 10 years ago), and now pretty much have my rascal on my
Steve windows box with either AGWPE for my APRS soundcard interface,
Steve or the various soundcard digital modes (MT63, PSK31, etc). As
Steve a matter of fact I took all my TNC's to a swap meet and sold
Steve the whole box for $5 (and it took about 2 hours to find a
Steve buyer). About the only stuff I have left is a couple of 19k
Steve baud Kantronics Radios and DRSI modems that were crap when they
Steve were new :-)

I'm happy with my PK232 at the moment, but it'd be nice to lower the
startup cost for packet radio for Unix users.

Jack.
- --
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Jack Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong
Jack question.

Jack Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can
Jack do, and what modifications need to be made to programs that
Jack expect a standard TNC?

Steve No. The rigblaster (and the rascal--I own both) are merely
Steve soundcard interfaces. That is, they have transformers to
Steve isolate the audio circuits, and relays to operate the PTT. The
Steve rigblaster is popular for its professional look and
Steve adjustments, while the rascal is popular because it is cheap
Steve and can be thrown behind the table. Both are just audio and
Steve relay devices, and there is no TNC in them. The TNC is the
Steve Linux/FreeBSD computer.

That explains a lot. I understand a little more now. What Unix
software do you use for TNC purposes? I see a bunch of Windows
support, but there's no obvious documentation or example code for Unix
boxes. I have read that the RigBlaster comes with CDs of software,
but there's no specifications out there that I can see.

Steve I haven't messed with TNC's since I ran JNOS on a linux box
Steve (about 10 years ago), and now pretty much have my rascal on my
Steve windows box with either AGWPE for my APRS soundcard interface,
Steve or the various soundcard digital modes (MT63, PSK31, etc). As
Steve a matter of fact I took all my TNC's to a swap meet and sold
Steve the whole box for $5 (and it took about 2 hours to find a
Steve buyer). About the only stuff I have left is a couple of 19k
Steve baud Kantronics Radios and DRSI modems that were crap when they
Steve were new :-)

I'm happy with my PK232 at the moment, but it'd be nice to lower the
startup cost for packet radio for Unix users.

Jack.
- --
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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iD8DBQFAFsVfGPFSfAB/ezgRAq/HAJ9M2mA05TmGfp4EbCIxELhTiW+r+wCgzsir
2g6fArU7+2dnxOMINNDthVc=
=shJm
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

Jack Twilley wrote on 27/01/2004 09:14:

Steve The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial
Steve port. Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It
Steve basically just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

It's nothing like a TNC - it's basically just a switch / cable connecter
for use with sound card modem programs. (It tells you that on the web page.)

--
Roger Barker, G4IDE -
For UI-View go to - http://www.UI-View.com
For WinPack go to - http://www.peaksys.co.uk

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 01:14:17 -0800, Jack Twilley wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Steve The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial
Steve port. Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It
Steve basically just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

I think you're severely confused about what the rigblaster is...
it's a serial interface, used primarily to assert PTT and do
some audio level management for digital modes. It has
absolutely nothing even REMOTELY close to having TNC
functionality.

"Jack Twilley" wrote

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

No. The rigblaster (and the rascal--I own both) are merely soundcard
interfaces. That is, they have transformers to isolate the audio circuits, and relays
to operate the PTT. The rigblaster is popular for its professional look
and adjustments, while the rascal is popular because it is cheap and can be
thrown behind the table. Both are just audio and relay devices, and there is
no TNC in them. The TNC is the Linux/FreeBSD computer.

I haven't messed with TNC's since I ran JNOS on a linux box (about 10 years
ago), and now pretty much have my rascal on my windows box with either
AGWPE for my APRS soundcard interface, or the various soundcard digital
modes (MT63, PSK31, etc). As a matter of fact I took all my TNC's to a
swap meet and sold the whole box for $5 (and it took about 2 hours to find a
buyer). About the only stuff I have left is a couple of 19k baud Kantronics
Radios and DRSI modems that were crap when they were new :-)