[Xastir] Remote headless server options for use with Xastir?

[Tom Russo]

On Sun, Nov 18, 2012 at 08:53:02PM -0500, we recorded a bogon-computron collision of the <mloebl at gmail.com> flavor, containing:
> We moved from our condo to a bigger house a few months ago, and finally
> starting to catch up with projects.  I have a dedicated box I use for
> Xastir/ham related stuff in the server rack in the basement, with a D700
> using the built-in TNC for 144.39 (wx and igate) and TNC-X for 145.825
> igating.  At the condo, I had a pretty straight shot from the basement to
> the attic where I had the antenna set up.  Not quite the same options at
> the house, so was looking at other options...
> 
> What I want to do is keep my Xastir server in the basement in the server
> rack, however in the attic have a Beaglebone (similar to Rasp Pi) running
> Ubuntu 12.10 connecting to the TNC.  Ideally I'd use it to gate traffic as
> I had before, with the D700 connected locally to it, then have Xastir (or
> other network boxes in the house) connect thru that to gate to RF(or
> vice-versa).  In the next couple weeks I'll be running network cable up to
> the attic and already have plenty of power jacks in there (it's partially
> finished.)
> 
> I know Xastir could do this to a certain extent (i.e. I used to have
> other Linux boxes in the house with Xastir connect and gate thru the Xastir
> server.)  But I would think it's a bit of overhead and space to install
> Xwindows etc on the embedded device just for Xastir to be headless.  Are
> there any APRS server apps out there that fit with this?  I loaded up
> Dixprs on a Beaglebone connect to the TNC-X/D700 to play with, but not sure
> it has this ability from what I can tell.
> 
> I'd appreciate ideas.. thank you!

Don't use Xastir for the remote, headless system, it's the wrong tool for the
job.  What you want to do is use tools that are headless by nature on the
Beaglebone, and then have servers running on the Beaglebone to share the TNCs.

Set up your TNCs with kernel AX.25 networking on the Beaglebone.  For igating
use an igate program that talks AX.25 (not sure of other options, I use 
javAPRSSrvr on my Sheevaplug, but I'm sure there will be a number of suggestions
posted almost immediately after I hit send on this --- there *ARE* choices
for headless Linux digipeater and igate software).  

Then get ldsped (you'll have to write to its author to get the source, because
he currently distributes only x86 binaries even though the code is ostensibly
GPLed, and you'll need to build an ARM version).  ldsped sits on your 
Beaglebone and talks on the same ax.25 ports you use for gating, providing an 
AGWPE-compatible server that you can connect your Xastir instances to.

I've been running this way for about 3 or 4 years now.  
http://www.bogodyn.org/blog/ for a few details (you'll have to page back
a few entries, the most recent few aren't APRS related).

-- 
Tom Russo    KM5VY   SAR502   DM64ux          http://www.swcp.com/~russo/
Tijeras, NM  QRPL#1592 K2#398  SOC#236        http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?DDTNM
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