[Xastir] Xastir Digest, Vol 798, Issue 1

[David Ranch]

Hello Robert,

Ok, I hear what you're saying.  All I can recommend at this point is to 
enable the logging and debugging and see what those log files say.  If 
they don't say anything useful, I don't think I will have anything else 
to offer here but maybe someone else could chime in with advanced 
troubleshooting steps.

--David
KI6ZHD


On 04/25/2023 12:33 PM, ROBERT SWITZER wrote:
> David,
>
> This usb cable is fine. This exact setup was working fine before I had to rebuild the rpi and reinstall xastir.
>
> Yes fully understand about using one interface entry at a time and yes the script was setup using the TC command ( if I remember correctly) to switch between the aprs12 and packet12 modes for one interface entry vs the other.
>
>
> It all worked. I have examined stdout msgs and
> Every log I can find. I will check dmesg as I’ve never done that before but what I am asking is specially what and how does xastir use ( and what )to drive an interface from UP state ( which it goes to on startup ) to ERROR state ?
>
> When it is in UP state I am getting messages to xastir correctly ( I’m only trying the read only /aprs12 mode for now). But it only stays up for about 1-2 minutes. Then goes to ERROR with nothing in any log or output that I can see that would explain why it goes to ERROR state.
>
> It is extremely frustrating. The other interface I have up is the aprs-is interface which works well
>
> Robert KA2CZU
>
> Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
> ________________________________
> From: Xastir <xastir-bounces at lists.xastir.org> on behalf of David Ranch <xastir at trinnet.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2023 2:45:28 PM
> To: Xastir - APRS client software discussion <xastir at xastir.org>
> Subject: Re: [Xastir] Xastir Digest, Vol 798, Issue 1
>
>
> Hello Robert,
>
>> I have the D72A connected to a RPi 4 via USB and have setup two interfaces in Xastir,
>>
>> One for read-only: where the D72A runs in normal APRS12 mode and one for read-write
>> where the D72A runs in KISS mode (packet12)
> Ok.. and I assume you understand you can only use one interface at a
> time right?
>
>
>> The interface type is "Serial TNC w/GPS on AUX port /dev/ttyUSB0"
> This Xastir setting would probably be the correct one to use when the
> D72 TNC is in "APRS12" mode
>
>
>> When I start the interface, the link status on the Interface Control page/window will go to UP, then
>> something happens (a timeout or ??) and it goes to ERROR.
> So this "ERROR" output shows on Xastir (please confirm that).  That
> said, try doing a few things:
>
>      1. Try running a serial terminal program connecting to /dev/ttyUSB0
> .  Once connected and running at the matching serial port speed on your
> D72 (probably 9600/n/8/1), next make sure the D72 has APRS --> COM port:
> Output: ON.  Once that's enabled, cycle the D72's TNC from PACKET12 to
> APRS12 and see if you start seeing incoming text.  This NEEDS to work so
> don't go past this until you get things sorted.  Once sorted, exit the
> terminal program.
>
>      2. Back in Xastir, try
>         2.a. Enabling File --> TNC Logging and then then see what the
> resulting log file shows
>         2.b. Try viewing the incoming TNC data via View --> Incoming data
>
>
>
>
>> I can't find any log message that will tell me why the interface status changed.
> The Xastir logs go in $HOME/.xastir/logs
>
>
>> I've been using startup/stop scripts that I found out on the 'net for the d72a
> Are you using scripts that put the D72 into KISS mode?  If so, then the
> correct Xastir interface type should be "Serial KISS TNC" and not the
> others.
>
>
>> and been playing around
>> to try to understand all the commands to the d72a, but point is when the the link status is UP
>> everything seems to work, I see incoming data fine and likely could send out messages as well (though
>> the link errors out so quickly I've not really tried, it seems irrelevant to tracing down whatever is causing
>> the link status to go to ERROR)
> What kind of USB to serial cable do you have?  Is it NEW or have you had
> it for a while?  I ask because there are an absolute TON of terrible
> Prolific knockoff cables out there.  While many of them seem to work
> with Linux, Microsoft has outright banned the their driver to support
> them.  I mention all this as these knockoff chips are also known to have
> short lives.  Maybe yours is on it's way out.  Do you have another cable
> you can try?
>
>
>> Just not sure how to trace the ERROR, nor what settings might affect this.
> You might try running Xastir from a terminal window and see if any
> errors are shown from the STDOUT.  You also might want to look at the
> end of dmesg to see if there are serial driver issues being reported too.
>
> --David
> KI6ZHD
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