Getting Started with Andy's Ham Radio Linux (AHRL)
==================================================
Please don't deviate from the instructions below.
Other Linux distributions which are based on Ubuntu *might* work.
These are the currently tested configurations
=============================================
* 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS version 5.2
* Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB memory)
* Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB memory but IMHO sluggish performance)
* Ubuntu Desktop 24.04.1 LTS 64-bit - on Virtualbox - 8GB of memory
* I had to hack /etc/shadow so I could login
* Xubuntu 24.04.1 (Desktop) - on Virtualbox - 2GB memory
- XFCE supports the multitiered menu structure preferred by AHRL
* Kubuntu 24.04.1 (normal installation) - on Virtualbox - 2GB memory
* Linux Mint 21.3 (Cinnamon) - on Virtualbox - 8GB memory - supported in version 26
* Linux Mint 22 (Cinnamon) - on Virtualbox - 2GB memory - supported in version 26a and beyond
* Debian 12.7.0 (XFCE) - on Virtualbox - 2GB of memory
* Some of the tested configurations don't have the multitiered menus found in XFCE.
Thus, the AHRL menu will be one giant flat menu with many entries (not very nice IMHO).
If you have suggestions for improvement, please send them to the author.
* Sometimes a program will work on one flavor of Linux but not another. For example,
some programs don't work on the Raspberry Pi but work fine on other computers. In these
cases, it likely isn't a bug in AHRL, but please report this so I can check.
Storage requirements on Raspberry Pi (OS plus AHRL files)
=========================================================
* 8GB - not enough storage
* 16GB - adequate storage
* 32GB - plenty of storage!
* 64GB - plenty of storage!
The installation requires about 9.0GB of storage and is checked by the installation script
in a function called check_storage().
Memory requirements - all systems
=================================
* 2GB - AHRL installation works but more is recommended for better performance
* 4GB - this is enough!
* 8GB - this is more than enough!
* 16GB - even more is better :-)
The installation has been successful with a mere 2GB of memory, but more is recommended.
This is checked by the installation script in a function called check_memory().
An informative message is printed, but no other action is taken.
Additional Notes
================
The ability to install the software is only one consideration. Does your computer
have enough memory and a sufficiently fast CPU to execute that software to your
satisfaction?
In theory, this script SHOULD work on any Ubuntu based Linux distribution.
Some distributions have been tested and are listed above. If you try something
different, please let me know the result so I can update the list of working
distributions. If things don't work, please let me know. It may be possible for
me to fix it to work on your favorite Ubuntu based Linux distribution.
The preference is to run this script on a clean copy of your favorite Ubuntu
based Linux distribution. That said, you can run it on your current
setup and it should work fine. Further, it works if you run the script today,
and then again 3 months from now to get any updated software.
On the author's computer, it takes about 1.5 hours to install the software when
using 1 CPU. In the /usr/local/bin/install_ahrl script, there's a variable called NUM_CPUS.
The following setting for NUM_CPUS *should* work for you and thus speed up the
installation time. NUM_CPUS=1 is very conservative but works in every case so far.
If you're unsure, leave it alone.
Recommended settings which SHOULD work:
- 2GB memory -> NUM_CPUS=1 (not enough memory to push it harder)
- 4GB memory -> NUM_CPUS=2
- 8GB memory -> NUM_CPUS=4
- more than 8GB of memory -> NUM_CPUS=`nproc` (go for it!)
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
=========================
The network (wired or wireless) MUST be working properly or the installation will fail.
One might optionally install xosview prior to running the installation script:
* sudo apt install xosview
* xosview & (or this on Raspberry Pi: xosview -font 6x13 &)
* Note that the load average has been measured as high as 5.0 while compiling source code.
Ensure that your cooling fan it up to the task (especially Raspberry Pi)!
* If not, edit the install_ahrl script and reduce NUM_CPUS.
Download the file from Sourceforge:
* andy_VER.tar.gz (replacing VER with the actual version information)
* move the file to /root (e.g. sudo mv andy_VER.tar.gz /root)
Install the AHRL files thus:
* sudo -i
* cd /usr/local
* tar xzvf /root/andy_VER.tar.gz (again, replacing VER with the actual version information)
Run the installation script:
* cd /usr/local/bin
* ./install_ahrl 2>&1 | tee out.txt
* While it is running, in another terminal, you can optionally do the following
to watch the progress of the installation:
* sudo -i
* cd /usr/local/bin
* tail -f out.txt | grep AHRL
Useful debug info will be in the file "out.txt".
Some software will ask questions during the installation:
- When asked "What is the username of the default user?", enter the account
where ham radio software will be run. For example, if your
user name is "andy", enter "andy" (without the double quotes).
- For dump1099, the recommended answer is "no"
- For xastir, the recommended answer is "yes"
Once the installation completes, if everything has gone well, check the menus
and see if there is an entry called "Andy_Ham_Radio_Linux" with many submenus.
On some systems, there won't be a menu called "Andy_Ham_Radio_Linux", but each
program will have its own menu.
It is strongly recommended that the user reboot the computer after the installation
completes.
Please have patience and a sense of humor if you encounter any issues.
CUSTOMIZING THE PROGRAMS TO BE INSTALLED
========================================
The user might wish to have more control over the software that is installed.
For example, if one is involved with EMCOMM and uses the NBEMS software, one
might not want AHRL to overwrite the installation of flmsg.
To accomplish this task, open the /usr/local/bin/install_ahrl script with a text
editor and notice the following lines:
INSTALL_FLMOXGEN=1
INSTALL_FLMSG=1
INSTALL_FLNET=1
These lines are of the general format: INSTALL_<name_of_software>={0,1}
For every program that is understood by the AHRL installation script, there is one
such line. If it is set to 1 (one), the software will be installed. If the user
edits the file and sets it to 0 (zero), then AHRL will NOT install that piece of software.
For example:
INSTALL_FLMSG=1 means that AHRL will install the FLMSG software.
INSTALL_FLMSG=0 means that AHRL will NOT install the FLMSG software.
FILING A BUG REPORT
===================
If you need to file a bug report, here's what I need. I will try to duplicate the
issue in VirtualBox.
* the name and version of your Linux distribution
* the version of AHRL (either from the tar file or the version command)
* the out.txt file
* Please post the info on Sourceforge in the bugs module
POST INSTALLATION STEPS
=======================
On the Raspberry Pi only, WSJT-X will not display its boarder and decorations
when running Wayland.
- One solution is to switch from Wayland to X11. That is done as follows:
- sudo raspi-config
- Choose menu option 6: advanced options
- Then choose menu option A6: wayland
- Finally, choose menu option W1: Openbox with X11 backend
- Reboot
CHANGING THE BACKGROUND
=======================
Background files live here: /usr/local/share/ahrl/backdrops
- Right-click on the background and select "Desktop Settings".
- Folder -> Other and select the aforementioned directory.
- Pick the desired background.
WORKAROUNDS
===========
No audio, only the Dummy Output
- /usr/local/bin/fix_sound
- Unfortunately, this must be done after EVERY reboot, and EXACTLY one time
AMS 30-Sept-2024
