[Xastir] New user...

[Tom Robson]

> Tom, any chance you could point me in the right direction with the ax25
> stuff?  I've read various HOWTOs about a dozen times and I'm still
> confused about where to start.  What's your config like?  Are you
> actually using a TNC?  Using a soundcard modem?  The HOWTO talks about
> getting an IP address and all sorts of other stuff.  If you have some
> time and could give me some pointers, I would really appreciate it.

I'll see if I can get this right...  

1. I am using a tnc and it MUST be in kiss mode. An old PK-88
You can use minicom or some other terminal program to do this.

2. You must have the 3 ax25 libraries installed  They are probably with your 
distribution or may already be installed.  If neither, get from the net.  
Mine were on the distribution disks (slackware 8.0)
libax25.xxxx
ax25_tools-0.xxx
ax25_apps-0.xxxx
Untar and install them with whatever you have.

3. There must be a file called /etc/ax25/axports
It may or may not be already installed, but probably nothing in it.
See in the ax25 howto, creating the axports file for info.
Mine looks like this, but could vary depending on what you want to call the 
portname

kisstnc ve7did 9600 255 2 144.390

4.  See the creating a kiss device in the ax25 howto
I put this in /etc/rc.d/rc.local

# Add AX25 modules for use by Xastir
insmod ax25
insmod mkiss

# Add the kissattach command to configure the ax25 port
# and use a fictitious ip address for the port
/usr/sbin/kissattach /dev/ttyS0 kisstnc 192.168.100.100
# Set up the radio & tnc parameters
/usr/sbin/kissparms -p kisstnc -t 250 -s 100 -r 25

5.  I had the ax25 installed as a module so had to use the insmod command to 
get the ax25 to work.  As I recall the kissattach would not work without the 
mkiss, so had to use that as well.

6.  I think that is it

7.  If all goes ok, when starting xastir, on the interface function, call the 
ax25 device whatever you named it in /etc/ax25/axports

There may be many other ways to do this, but it worked for me.

...73 Tom