Winlink and VARA on Linux :: Evolve Maestro

[@mcmichaeltube]

Thanks so much for posting this information! I am resurrecting a old Intel iMac with Ubuntu and was trying to get Pat Winlink to work. Your video and script gave me the information I needed to fight my way through it. Now have Pat Winlink, Rig Control and VARA running. I've spent hours trying to get ARDOP working, but none of the tips have been effective so far. I appreciate the effort you put into all your videos!

[@GhostRider1974]

Thanks Jason! I switched to Linux on several of my main machines at home that I use for ham radio... been wanting to get Winlink working on those for a while... this is a fantastic service to the ham community. Thank you sir!

[@timbookedtwo2375]

I just configured my Ubuntu 20.04 laptop according to the past three or four videos, hoping to work out the kinks in my system. I did it wihout backing up beforehand. Hey, no risk, no fun. I am happy to report I had fun. Jason's instructions were as usual impeccable. Thank you. One little difference I noted. When installing direwolf the direwolf.conf file did not land in my home directory but rather in ~/direwolf/build. I copied it to my home directory, if that is important. Tomorrow I will try the whole shebang out on my HF radios (FT-891, IC-7200). I don't do UHF/VHF because there are almost no stations to contact, so I can't try out direwolf. GPS and GPS-time were already configured, so I expect to be good to go. I really appreciate all the work Jason and his assistants have put into this project. I would not have been able to do this on my own. Thank you. 73! SV0SGS

[@jesi1619]

Thanks Jason for your suberb work 👍. All is working as expected on an old Panasonic Laptop 👏

[@Kevitivity]

This is a very helpful video. Wanted to mention to any Ubuntu users out there that most of these software mentioned here can be installed via apt.

[@steveshelton5884]

Thanks Jason I was able to get two Evolve III laptops converted over to LInux and working with all the tools that you presented. 73 Steve KE0VCD

[@rong8955]

This is an awesome set of work. Thanks for sharing all this info. I may give it a try on my sub-$100 Asus.

[@KC3WHJ]

I'm trying not to happy cry right now KM4ACK... I've been struggling with getting digital modes set up - mainly being able to send email without using the Internet. Literally wiped Windows off of a laptop, installed Ubuntu and used several of your videos to set things up. About 10 minutes ago, I FINALLY sent a Pat Winlink message over VARA HF and received 2 I'd created in my Webmail!!! Idk if you drink but I got a bottle for you if you are ever near Philly! 73!!!

[@chesty1369]

great video as usually Jason....I am hoping one day i can get my Winlink gateway over to Linux,,,

[@RonMurray-t6g]

Hi Jason, I've been trying for days to make this work on Mint 21. VARA and VARAFM will not launch. The problem seems to be that "vbrun6" does not download/install using wine tricks in your script. Is there a work around for this ? thanks, KA7RLM

[@cbjessee]

In PAT MENU/Find Winlink Gateways/Download Gateway List I'm getting YAD "Grid square not set in Pat Configure File. Run 'pat configure' to fix. I do see where I've correctly entered my grid square in line 4 as "locator": "FN42fx", I tried Repair Pat Config again but no go.

[@swisschiguy]

I get to where VARA HF and VARA FM install successfully, then try to run them and all I get is a spinning icon for about 30 secs and then nothing. Any ideas?

[@neosentry]

So, Jason, what's the recomended practice when the "a new version is available for download" button pops up in Vara HF on Wine? How does one go about properly updating to a new version of Vara on Linux?

[@erikyater2215]

Came here looking for the same answer. I tried changing the filename in the vara-on-debian script, but that file must not be in the dropbox, yet. Although maybe I should leave well enough alone, patmenu2 and VARA HF have been working great for me. Looking forward to new information about this, thanks for posting James.

[@Scaliad]

​@@erikyater2215 I don't know, but for peace of mind, you can turn off "Allow VARA check for updates via internet" in Settings... VARA Setup...

[@anthonygannon5461]

Help...I am getting an error message that states to rebuild direwolf with hamlib support. I am new to Linux and do not know how to do this. Also in FlRig while configuring it for the X6100 I get an error message stating to PRESS the Update button but nothing happens and I do not know what to select.

[@kd6aaj]

I'm running Linux Mint on an old Dell Latitude D820. I managed to "install" Pat and Patmenu2, but I can't find the Patmenu2 shortcut in the startup so I just copied it to the desktop. Unfortunately I have a small HDD so Wine won't run because I haven't installed Windows on it, so no VARA. I already have Direwolf on here. For some reason I can't find the Pat install anywhere on the HDD (I'm a little rusty with Linux), but I can start Pat in the terminal but it want's to use USB instead of serial? How do we get Pat to work with a good old fashioned TNC in Linux. I am pretty sure it works on my windows PC and the old TNC (its a PacComm Handi Packet TNC with an DE-9 RS-232 port). Thanks! July29 2024

[@jdotson41041]

I did find the setup programs and wine kicked in when I clicked on them, however they will not open.

[@ke7uia]

Jason, I am trying to install Vara FM. I get the message " The VARA Modem FAILED to Start'. What am I missing. ths

[@Eduar-d-o]

May I modify your VARA on Debian script to pull the latest VARA modem version from the site? I know that will change in the future, but, just for the sake of installing the latest version from the start. I will keep your callsign in the script as credit to you is due. Thank you.

[@KM4ACK]

You bet. All of my code is open source. Feel free to modify for your use case.

[@hitechfl]

Note for others.. When enabling and starting the pat service, use your username for your computer (that you use to login to your computer with)... If it's different than your call sign you won't get it to run without doing this. I made this mistake by replacing KM4ACK with mine everywhere.. but on the systemctl commands it's different.

[@darknoizeNL]

i am trying to get Direwolf to work with my CM108 usb soundcard with PTT for my Baofeng UV-5R. I know direwolf supports CM108 and i have the config and all working. Except in linux mint 21.1 vera, when i open up pavucontrol, i can see the levels, but direwolf refuses to start the usb device. if i close pulseaudo and replug the device direwolf will see it eventually and start normally. i think because direwolf is using ALSA, rather than Pulseaudio. Any fix for that perhaps?

[@nonokodog622]

I've been learning how to set this up for normal Ubuntu install on x64 machine. Appreciate the Dire Wolf walk through ! I'm curious why you use flrig and not just rigctld ?

[@KM4ACK]

If you configure FLRIG for the radio and then point all of the apps (ie JS8Call, WSJTX, etc) to use FLRIG, you only need to change the FLRIG config if you swap radios. For me, that's the easiest way if you have two or more rigs.

[@waldemarmarkduszyk2756]

Hi, I have ICOM M803 (a newer version of M802). This transciver has a serial port for connection with computer USB port. I dont know how to set SIGNALINK. Do I need to connect its Radio port with the microphone port of the radio and Singalink USB with another USB on my linux box? If someone knows how to do that - please respond. Thanks MarkD

[@berndkonemann5049]

I have an "ardop TNC initialization failed" error. It tells me that set gridsquare failed. Syntax error. However, looking at the pat menu conf file, it is clearly there. Where do I go wrong (have used patmenu to repair pat config, no improvement). What do I need to do ? Thank you.

[@curryconsult]

Any thoughts of creating a Build-a-Pi version for x86 cpus like your Evolve?

[@KM4ACK]

I have toyed with the idea - github.com/km4ack/73Linux

[@jdotson41041]

Jason running Linux Mint 21.3 all worked fine until the Vara install, and the setup wizard never opened for me and thoughts?

[@KM4ACK]

Maybe try running though the install steps again.

[@CWO4Mann]

Hello Neighbor, glad to see your channel and this Pat Winlink video is outstanding. 73's de N4CVX

[@KM4ACK]

Thanks David. Glad you found the channel 😀👍

[@Siskiyous6]

So Jason how did you know the localhost number for flrig?

[@KM4ACK]

The short answer is it is the default port. The long answer deserves a video :-0

[@KC3WHJ]

Now if I could only get all of this to work on Ubuntu 22.04 with my G90 and Digirig... Now THAT'S a project! ;-)

[@uns3cur3]

I seem to have missed the PTT for VaraHF. I have the vara software installed but I haven't run all of the pat menu steps ( which I suspect install some pat winlink cfgs) because I have a working VHF pat setup. How is PTT done for Vara? I am bailing on ardopc as I just can't get it to decode,

[@KM4ACK]

Depends on your setup. Here's one example for VARA FM kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4q8g4era9KsiMU. In VARA HF, I have it set to VOX and PTT set to True in the Pat Config file. FLRIG is configured for the radio so Pat handles the PTT through FLRIG. VOX isn't actually used on the radio. The VOX setting in VARA is more of a "dummy" setting so VARA doesn't attempt PTT.

[@uns3cur3]

@@KM4ACK I forgot that I removed the used vara stanzas from my config so I put them back and then I set rigctld -v -m 4 and it all works!! awesome content!!

[@uns3cur3]

@@KM4ACK I just sent a message via KC8ZKI!!

[@ke7uia]

Jason, I completed all these steps again and found that the Patmenu2 will not start VARA-FM or VARA. Yet I am able to start VARA from the START: menu.

[@KM4ACK]

Take a look at the quick stats in pat menu and verify that the pat server is running

[@bobsegrest9444]

I get a "No such file or directory" error when I start the ARDOP modem with PatMenu2. Isn't there something that has to be configured in Pat to make this work? You probably covered this in another program, if so a pointer would be appreciated. KO2F

[@BernardLelectricien]

Hello there, PatMenu... I get an error message when trying to download the gateway list. ...Grid Square not set in Pat configure file... gave my grid square in manually but still fails. How is this fixed ? Thank you

[@KM4ACK]

You may have discovered a bug. I'll look into it

[@BernardLelectricien]

@@KM4ACK I think it may have to do with the initialization of the grid info. set grid square failed. Maybe that may send you in the right direction, as it happens also when I am on the internet, trying the same via the patmenu. Best of luck

[@TheRanger53]

Jason are there other programs that should be installed before Winlink and Vara such as hamlib. I keep getting messages that direwolf will not configure. This is one of the messages, Config file line 185: PTT is only available when hamlib support is enabled. You must rebuild direwolf with hamlib support

[@KM4ACK]

Yes. Some apps do need to be installed in the correct order. If you follow the series from the beginning, everything will be in the correct order. You can also just back up and install hamlib and then rebuild direwolf.

[@calvinkutemeier393]

Is there a BAP version for use on a 32bit Lenovo S12 laptop? I thought I saw something but now cannot find it. I run LMDE on the 32 bit S12.

[@KM4ACK]

I recently released 73Linux to work with x86 machines. Details in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/pF7GlH5tp9ilarc

[@luckyjoe1670]

I am in the process of setting up Winlink. I am at the point where I run sudo systemctl start pat@kc3vqt. I get the following error message: failed to start [e-mail]: Unit [e-mail] not found. Thanks for your assistance.

[@phildurall7466]

Jason, you just made my morning cup of coffee interesting Sir! Tnx, 73 - KF6IF

[@theodoreboyer2275]

Man I am so frustrated. I get to the pat mailbox at the end, and try to connect with telnet, and it says password does not match. When I go back to the pat configure command, my password has been changed. so I fix it and ctrl s ctrl x and it still doesn't work. It is automatically changing my password.

[@KM4ACK]

That's odd. Never seen it get changed in the config file. When you change it next, try ctrl+x, then "y " which will also save and exit the nano editor. Go right back in and confirm the change saved before trying another connection.

[@theodoreboyer2275]

@@KM4ACK I think I figured it out. When I exit pat configure and go straight back in, it is fine. It's the step in the video where we are in Pat Menu and click Repair Pat Config. Even though I'm putting my password in correctly, it changes it in the configure file. I just need to skip the repair config step. Also, if I try to use the Pat Login-Logout button, then firefox cannot connect. I'll just stay away from those areas and use Start Modems. Thank you so much for answering. 73 👍👍

[@GhostRider1974]

Everything went smoothly until the VARAFM / VARA part. I did not get the windows-like setup dialogue boxes after running the vara-on-debian script. It just finishes and takes me back to the terminal command prompt. Any ideas?

[@KM4ACK]

Try running the script again.

[@GhostRider1974]

@@KM4ACK Thx. I did that and it still doesn’t have the windows-like install dialogues. Will investigate further.

[@williamholtman7172]

@@GhostRider1974 I experienced the same result. Did you find the issue?

[@williamholtman7172]

My install is awaiting a response (see below): "unzipping VARA files Archive: VARA FM v4.2.3 Setup.zip replace VARA FM setup (Run as Administrator).exe? [y]es, [n]o, [A]ll, [N]one, [r]ename: Archive: VARA HF v4.6.3 Setup.zip replace VARA setup (Run as Administrator).exe? [y]es, [n]o, [A]ll, [N]one, [r]ename: "

[@GhostRider1974]

@@williamholtman7172 Yeah, that’s what I get. I just selected A for all and tried again. Will try again tonight.

[@kenithmiller2475]

I am trying to do this installation on a chromebook with no success to date. Can you help?

[@KM4ACK]

Sorry. I don't have experience with a Chromebook

[@charlesliebow413]

whereis ardopc_64: not on john wiseman??

[@KM4ACK]

www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Downloads/Beta/

[@on2mvh937]

Hi, would this work on ubuntu mate? Doesn´t seem to have many options for ham radio in the program shop...

[@KM4ACK]

It should since Ubuntu is also Debian based.

[@on2mvh937]

@@KM4ACK my thought also. Will have to dive deeper into it. But in the default software shop it´s a no go. And in the software app has only some ham apps available

[@dgcasteel]

Jason, thanks for putting these videos out. This is a great help. I started with a clean install of Linux Mint 21 and followed all your videos to this point. Everything works except PAT will not start. I get an "Unable to load/write config: unexpected end of JSON input" error. Could not get it to start as a service so I tried "pat http" and saw this error. Any thoughts? Thanks again. David KX8U

[@KM4ACK]

Sounds like the config file is corrupt. Open Pat Menu->Manage Pat Winlink->Repair Config File.

[@dgcasteel]

@@KM4ACK thanks for the reply. I did try that but did not work. Seems Patmenu could not find the config.json. I had manually update the file. Got Pat working.

[@lw3dtr]

Hi it is possibel to do all of this but using an KPC3 PLus TNC on linux ? instead of Direwolf ?

[@KM4ACK]

VARA won’t work with a TNC.

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

$USER is an option when typing those shell commands where you need to specify your username.

[@KB5WCK_Radio]

How do I add a HamRadio menu group? I downloaded alacarte but it won't add the menu.

[@KM4ACK]

sudo apt install -y extra-xdg-menus

[@KentuckyWinlink]

Any chance of adding VARA HF P2P Modem to PatMenu2?

[@KM4ACK]

It's already in PatMenu. You just need to set the listen mode for either vara hf or vara fm. Pat Menu->Manage Pat Winlink->Set Listen Mode

[@lobosolitario8407]

doesnt work on 64bit system

[@KM4ACK]

I'm running Mint 22 64bit without issue here

[@charlesliebow413]

found it..just dumb i guess

[@johnblaisdell2179]

As usual nothing linux ever works as simple as the video does. I got as far as "cmake .." and then got a whole screen of red error. These how to videos never work for me. I'm running Linux Mint same as this video. Oh Well!

[@muisudad]

I am trying to install on ubuntu 2204. When I do the cmake I get the same 2 error you also got. One is Make Warning (dev) at /usr/share/cmake-3.22/Modules/FindPackageHandleStandardArgs.cmake:438 (message): The package name passed to `find_package_handle_standard_args` (HAMLIB) does not match the name of the calling package (hamlib). This can lead to problems in calling code that expects `find_package` result variables (e.g., `_FOUND`) to follow a certain pattern. Call Stack (most recent call first): cmake/modules/Findhamlib.cmake:55 (find_package_handle_standard_args) CMakeLists.txt:260 (find_package) This warning is for project developers. Use -Wno-dev to suppress it. When I run direwolf -p I get Dire Wolf version 1.6 Includes optional support for: cm108-ptt Reading config file direwolf.conf Config file line 185: PTT with RIG is only available when hamlib support is enabled. You must rebuild direwolf with hamlib support. See User Guide for details. Any suggestions ?? What should I try. Thanks for your get information. PTT works fine in my wsjtx config using either flrig or Hamlib Net rigctl KD9JQR

[@TheRanger53]

Jason when running the cmake in the direwolf/build directory I get the following error; CM error at CMakelists.txt:3 (project): No CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER could be found. Tell CMake where to find the compiler by setting either the environment variable "CXX" or the CMake cache entry CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER to the full path to the compiler, or th the compiler name if it is in the PATH. No idea what this wants.

[@TheRanger53]

I failed to include that this is on an old HP laptop that I loaded the latest version of Mint on. Here is the error log. Scratch that I guess it is too large to paste in here.

[@KM4ACK]

try running "sudo apt install build-essential" and then try the build again.

[@russharmon6635]

Jason. trying to follow your steps and when installing direwolf i am fine up to the point: "/direwolf/build$ make -j 4 error of make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop." this happened for the sudo make install also .

[@KM4ACK]

double check your work. it sounds like you might not be in the direwolf directory. There's also a direwolf forum that can be helpful groups.io/g/direwolf/topics and their documentation is pretty good as well - github.com/wb2osz/direwolf/tree/master/doc

[@artolson118]

Jason GOT A FAR AS VARA install however the gui doesnt present from the windows key. Here is the error 0108:err:richedit:ReadStyleSheet skipping optional destination 0108:err:richedit:ReadStyleSheet skipping optional destination 0118:err:module:import_dll Library MSVBVM60.DLL (which is needed by L"c:\\VARA FM\\VARA Install.exe") not found 0118:err:module:LdrInitializeThunk Importing dlls for L"c:\\VARA FM\\VARA Install.exe" failed, status c0000135 ^C0150:err:richedit:ReadStyleSheet skipping optional destination 0150:err:richedit:ReadStyleSheet skipping optional destination Art N2AJO

[@KM4ACK]

Try running the VARA install script again.

[@ki5exydanny104]

I ran 73 linux on my Ubuntu install and got the following "mv: cannot move 'pdh.dll' to '/home/danny-harber/.wine/drive_c/windows/system32': No such file or directory Installation done

[@KM4ACK]

sounds like vara didn't install correctly. might try installing it again.

[@curryconsult]

I've been following along with this series, enjoying it immensely, and busily installing everything. I'm using an HP EliteBook 840 running Debian-based ElememtaryOS. Everything was installing perfectly until VARA. Everything installed but the VARA setups don't run. Any suggestions? de VE1GU

[@KM4ACK]

Try running the vara install script again. It was written for Mint but it should run on any debian based system. Also, if you take a look at the script itself, there's a link to the website that I used for reference when writing the script. That page might be useful. github.com/km4ack/pi-scripts/blob/master/vara-on-debian#L7