Mobilinkd APRS Digipeater Setup

How to setup an APRS digipeater/igate with Mobilinkd TNC
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[@KE8KIL]

When I connected to my Mobilink TNC3 via bluetooth, I had an issue wherein /dev/rfcomm0 could not be opened. The YAAC application threw a 'permission denied' error. I am running Linux Mint v21.2 on a fresh install on an old HP Elitebook laptop. The problem was that my user was not a member of the 'dialout' group. I added my user to the 'dialout' group then rebooted the PC. I am able to move on from this point. I found a similar error for people trying to open serial ports going back more than 10 years ago. Hope this helps someone else!

[@thuff3207]

Thank you for sharing. It's nice to know a Mobilink can support being a digipeater.

[@jerutley]

One note - if you don't need the GUI of YAAC - APRSd is a simple command line digipeater/igate software that works really well - as I remember it, the Mobilinkd is a simple KISS TNC, so APRSd can support it directly, or also by means of the Linux AX.25 networking stack. I used to run a fill-in digi/i-gate here locally with an old Pi-1B, a TNC-Pi, and APRSd.

[@TheTechPrepper]

Great video, Jason. I've been participating in "APRS Thursday", run by KC8OWL, but do not have any local APRS infrastructure in my area, so I deployed an RF-only fill-in at the house. I opted not to deploy an IGate just to challenge myself. My setup is using a directional antenna (Arrow II Yagi) at 15' pointed at Phoenix (20 miles south); a 5 watt HT connected via the DigiRig mobile, and Dire Wolf. This solution is nice as I can walk around the house and the surrounding area with my VX-8DR using this fill-in. Keep up the good work and thanks for putting this out there. FYI: YAAC is my go-to APRS application.

[@KM4ACK]

Nice setup. I ran xastir for a long time but prefer YAAC these days. Much better offline maps.

[@TheZolon]

I ran a Mobilinkd TNC3 as a digipeater for a few months. Worked very well.

[@KO4FFB]

im building a second nucleo TNC just for this reason i was one of the people who couldn't hit the I-Gate on the mountain!

[@KM4ACK]

Hopefully you could after my digipeater went up on Wednesday afternoon. I kept it on the air until late Sunday.

[@KO4FFB]

@@KM4ACK yes sir i did ! i was able to all weekend after your digipeater went on the air

[@AD6DMDennis]

So *you* were the enabler of all the K8MRD spam at Huntsville. 😜

[@digital.rancher]

Sweet! Good stuff, thank you!

[@thecarys563]

Thanks - another way to use my tnc4!

[@HamRadioCrusader]

Another great video Jason! It was you that taught this old ham APRS and I thank you! 73 DE KD5FMU

[@KM4ACK]

Thanks for sending over the stickers!

[@HamRadioCrusader]

@@KM4ACK My Pleasure Sir 🙂

[@temporarilyoffline]

Once I find room in the trailer for all this ham gear, I'm going to get one setup!

[@ke4est]

Very good tutorial!!!!

[@ghostmandka5498]

Excellent video! Always great to be able to fill a need. Another idea is just grab your trusty D72 haha.

[@KM4ACK]

Don't remind me that I don't own a D72! lol I will be excited to get the D75 in my hands when it is released.

[@ssyoumans]

Which do you prefer? This digipeater using a mobilinkd TNC or the one in your other video with a Pi Zero 2W where you use direwolf as your TNC? I want to tinker with one of these, haven't decided which route to go and if either has an advantage over the other. Which would be easier to also implement as an i-gate??? Love your educational videos.

[@Hjaal904]

Awesome! ,👍👍

[@KM4ACK]

Thanks 👍

[@gigapartslv5320]

Love your videos! now you gave me a reason to use my Mobilinkd 3 again. If you ever get a chance it would be awesome if you could show us in another video how to create a crontab -e script to use with the Raspberry Pi so the Bluetooth connection and Yaac start automatically. I just followed this video and got it to work perfectly fine on my Raspberry Pi3 still running Bullseye with external GPS and your Build-A-Pi app installed.

[@KM4ACK]

It's not simple to start the TNC connection but it can be done. You can see how I did it in this script github.com/km4ack/patmenu2/blob/master/mobilink Personally, I would write a script to do the work and then call the script from crontab at boot.

[@texasprepperprojects]

You can also do a digipeater with Pinpoint aprs on a windows box

[@kevinshumaker3753]

Jason: Although you had me at APRS Digipeater, I was wondering if the same concepts apply to DigiRig, as I looked on mobilink's site, and Amazon, and was unable to locate a mobilinkd 3 device, looks like they are going with the V4 device going forward. I do have a DigiRig 1.9 thatt I've successfully set up with Direwolf, on a Baofeng HT but am always looking for other ways to go...

[@KM4ACK]

Correct. V4 is the only Mobilinkd available now. I have one and it works great. The only difference will be the rfcomm command shown in the video where I point out the differences.

[@laszlokovacs8827]

So you're running Mint 21.1 on the WOWE. Hows that combo working out for you compared to the RPi?

[@KM4ACK]

Let's just say I won't be going back to the Pi for a field computer :-) I still love the Pi for single use application though. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZuYqXmtib2VmLc

[@garylawrence1575]

Can you use the mobilinked NucleoTNC as a budget friendly non-bluetooth version of this setup

[@KM4ACK]

I don't see why it wouldn't work but I haven't personally tried it.

[@Worthy-is-the-Lamb]

Would you mind sharing the clock widget/application you have on your desktop? Waiting for my digirig and TNC 4 to come in the mail, but I have been working on setting up Winlink. The time zone widget seems super useful.

[@KM4ACK]

It’s called Conky

[@Worthy-is-the-Lamb]

@@KM4ACK Thank you!

[@dxporker]

That’s awesome…. I might should have kept my TNC4 😂

[@KM4ACK]

I have the same luck.....as soon as I get rid of something, I find that I could use it.

[@KM4ACK]

APRS Passcode Generator - apps.magicbug.co.uk/passcode/

[@KennyG0512]

I can't get my maps to come up on YAAC program, what could I be missing ? I had it come up when was in Ohio but now that I'm back in Florida no maps. and I live in Florida. BTW I'm running the Linux Mint

[@KM4ACK]

You'll need to download the maps for your current location. In YAAC, File->OpenStreetMap->Download pre-imported tiles

[@Sistema1927]

I am getting "Can't connect RFCOMM socket: Connection timed out" when attempting to connect rfcomm0 with my Mobilink MAC address. When you first execute the connect command a "TNC3 Mibillinkd Connected" message flashes on the screen, but a few moments later this time out message appears in the terminal.

[@Sistema1927]

What is strange is that I can successfully connect to the TNC3 via the Bluetooth manager GUI, and set it up as a serial device that YAAC can use. I cannot do this within terminal.

[@KM4ACK]

See the pinned comment on this video.

[@Sistema1927]

@@KM4ACK I am in the dialup group, as confirmed when attempting to re-add. However, terminal access to connect to rfcomm0 fails, while doing so in the Bluetooth Manager works. Strange indeed.

[@scottlaughlin2447]

Take off your sunglasses!!