[Xastir] Configure Xastir for use with Kenwood TH-D72A and Garmin Rino 530HCx, Windows XP , Oracle Virtual Box / Debian Squeeze?

[Anthony Mascola]

Dear Xastir users, I apologize if this is a duplicate post.  I don't think
my previous posts are making it through to the message board as they
contained screen shots and links.  I have removed them and reposted.

 

Goal: We are hoping to enable a tactical moving map display for our CERT
incident command post for search and rescue operations and also use this to
coordinate our activities in the field with the Boy Scouts.  We wish to
combine APRS packet data with the proprietary Garmin packet data on the
display as in both organizations (CERT and Scouts) we have a larger number
of less technical team members with GMRS licenses and equipment and a
smaller but not insignificant number of operators who are amateur licensees
with an even small number with the technical experience and equipment to
beacon APRS.  We need every person we can get our hands on and to utilize
whatever equipment available that can send and receive position data and
text where a cellular grid or internet connection might not be available.  I
was pointed here by the folks at the APRSSIG list who indicated that Xastir
is the solution which integrates data from these devices.  I was reluctant
to use Xastir as I have no experience with Linux but there does not seem to
be an easier option.  I have a Kenwood TH-D72A as well as a Kenwood D710.  I
also have several Garmin 530HCx's and 530's.  Below is what I have tried so
far to install Xastir and connect my transceivers to it.  I have been
combining my best guesses from Lee Bengston's kind emails, the help of a
very generous engineer Art Botterel from Carnegie Mellon, information from
the Xastir manual here (link removed) and google searches of various mailing
lists.  Unfortunately the manual does not provide much on how to do this,
and so far no luck.  I appreciate your time and help very much!

 

Installation and hardware:

I have installed Xastir with Lee and Art's help successfully on a Windows XP
machine with an Oracle Virtual Box / Debian Squeeze XFCE desktop virtual
machine that Lee created and posted on the Xastir wiki here: (link removed)

 

I am now able to run Xastir and send and receive APRS data from the internet
connection which displays on the map display of Xastir.  This seems to be
running and I can use the basic functions in the way I am used to
interacting with an internet browser based application like APRS.fi.  I am
having trouble though configuring Xastir to send and receive data from my
Kenwood TH-D72A and Garmin Rino 530HCx as I won't have an internet
connection reliably in the field which is why I am looking for an
application that can run independently of the internet or cell grid.  I am
finding this configuration process to be somewhat challenging.  It's
definitely not "plug and play" and is more like a "dixastir" ;) at this
point.

 

  

I. Kenwood TH-D72A Configuration in Xastir so far: 

In the Oracle virtual box manager under settings:

I have enabled a USB controller which shows the Silicon Labs USB to UART
bridge controller.  I have also enabled a serial port on COM4 as below.
Both the Rino 530HCx and the Kenwood TH-D72A have USB cable connectors.  I
don't know whether to configure this for use via a USB port or as a serial
port for either device. 

 

 

To configure Xastir in the Virtual Machine:

I am following the procedure in the manual on the wiki site as below:

 

"go to Interface -> Interface Control -> Add. A list of interface types will
be displayed. Select "Serial TNC w/GPS on AUX port" and click "Add". This
will bring up a configure screen that allows you to enter in all the
pertinent information about how to connect [my D72A]." DONE

 

A. COM Port: /dev/ttyS3 

The Kenwood d72A is showing in Windows XP as being on COM4 in device manager
as in the screen shot below (removed).  I thus have configured to /dev/ttyS3
as suggested.  

 

Note that I also enabled a connection via  /dev/ttyUSB0  ( The Xaster
Debian6 XCFE Machine / USB / USB Device filters show the Silicon Labs driver
for the USB serial port for the D72A).  

 

B. Port Settings: 9600bps

Used 9600 bps as that is what Kenwood MC_4 software and Outpost both use and
it works there

 

C. Port Style

8-N-1, works in Kenwood software and Outpost

 

D. TNC configuration files

I have changed the start up and shutdown files to the names on the scripts
that Lee sent:

tnc-startup.d72_d710

tnc-stop.d72_d710

 

The Final settings appear as below: (screenshot removed)

 

When I save these settings and try to hit "start" on the Interface control
window below it now changes from the "down" status to "up" for both USB and
com 4 settings.  When I go to view/incoming data/ packet data do see some
basic command communication with the Kenwood there when I use the USB
settings and the Kenwood TNC is in Packet but not in APRS mode.  Nothing
seems to change in terms of the display though to indicate that it is
sending or receiving data despite the configuration above and I don't really
get any indication it is receiving packets from RF at least so far.   

 

The GPS data also does not seem to be updating as it indicates it is greater
than 30 seconds old despite my having a position lock showing on the D72A. I
have read about others having difficulty with this and will ignore this
issue for the moment.

 

 

 

 

II. Garmin Rino 530HCx

 

I am following the section "Enabling Garmin RINO Support" on the Xastir wiki
here (Link removed)

 

"Install GPSMan (and gpsmanshp if you wish normal GPS download support as
well). Configure/compile support for it in Xastir." (Lee appears to have
done this)

"Start up GPSMan separately and configure it for your GPS and serial port."
(I'm not sure how to do this, initially when I hit Interface/Fetch Garmin
Rino Waypoints the GPSMan window would open and I would have an ability to
try to configure GPSMan.  I tried to configure it for my best guess settings
but now can't get it to display anymore except for brief flashes when it
tries to activate the Rino to poll other Rinos for their location but it
then disappears and I can't open it or edit it anymore.

 

"In the "File->Configure->Timing" dialog you'll see an option for "RINO ->
Objects Interval". That sets the interval at which Xastir will download
waypoints from an attached RINO unit. Any waypoints that begin with "APRS"
will have the "APRS" chopped off, and the remaining name will be used to
create APRS(tm) Objects. Those objects will be plotted on the map and
transmitted as well if transmit for objects/items is enabled." (Did this,
set timing interval for 1 minute, set waypoints in Rino position packets to
have 'APRS'prefix but unfortunately nothing is being plotted here, I do see
what I think is GPSMan flashing briefly in a small window every minute and
disappearing but no waypoints from the Rino appear.

 

 

Note that when I plug in the Rino, without the linux running, and look in
Windows XP device manager it does not show up as using a COM port but
instead as being a separate entry as below (screen shot removed):

 

When I right click on properties it shows as being at Location 0 (USB
Device) as below (screenshot removed)

 

When I plug in the Rino with the virtual box/virtual machine running, the
entry above in device manager disappears and under Universal Serial Bus
Controllers an entry for Virtual Box USB appears. 

 

Despite changing the Garmin Rino sentence to NMEA the GPS coordinates still
do not appear onscreen and no data exchange seems to be going on.  

 

If anyone has a working configuration with Xastir with the Kenwood TH-D72A
or the Rino 530HCx models can you post how you got these connected?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Anthony

 

 

Anthony J. Mascola, MD

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Leader 

Varsity Park Neighborhood, Mountain View, CA

Mountain View & Santa Clara County ARES / RACES

GMRS: WQNC420

Amateur: KJ6OKV