XASTIR Manual

From XastirWiki

Contents 1 Preface 2 Introduction 2.1 What is APRS? 2.1.1 How does APRS work? 2.1.2 About XASTIR 2.1.3 For more information 3 Getting started 3.1 Getting the code 3.2 Installation summary 3.3 Specific installation HowTo's 4 Configuring Xastir 5 Getting on the air 5.1 TNC interface 5.1.1 Kenwood TM-D700 with GPS 5.1.2 Kenwood TH-D7A with GPS 5.1.3 Kantronics KPC3+ TNC 5.2 Internet interface 5.2.1 Recommendations 5.3 IGATE capabilities 6 Mapping capabilities 6.1 Where to find maps 6.1.1 USA 6.1.2 Canada 6.2 Installing and using maps 6.3 Managing maps 6.4 Making your own maps 7 Advanced usage 8 Standard appendices 8.1 See Also 8.2 Notes 8.3 References 8.4 Further reading 9 Glossary

[edit] Preface

Much of this documentation is in the process of being edited and updated. If you'd like to see the old versions of the README files, please see the Source Forge Docs page.

Please contribute here! This is documentation is now hosted on a wiki and, as such, can be easily updated by the user community.

[edit] Introduction

  TBD

[edit] What is APRS?

APRS is a trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR. It stands for "Automatic Position Reporting System" (formerly "Automatic Packet Reporting System") and is intended to be a local, real-time tactical communication system. One of its key features is the ability to communicate the positions of stations and other spatially-referenced information between participants.

[edit] How does APRS work?

  TBD

[edit] About XASTIR

Lists major features of Xastir.

  TBD

[edit] For more information

This wiki is intended to be a living version of the Xastir documentation, changing over time as new features are added and old bugs are cleaned up. Try the search feature, browse the pages here and see if you can find what you want. Xastir has an extensive, indexed Help file available under the Help Menu. The Xastir source code also ships with a copious number of README text files, some of which have been the basis of the information here on the wiki. The Xastir source code itself is one of the definitive places for how or why things work or don't work as you might expect.

If you're stuck on a question, one of the fastest ways to get an answer is to check the Xastir mailing lists. Many of the Developers and Contributors are active participants and are generally happy to respond in a timely manner.

[edit] Getting started

[edit] Getting the code

There are multiple ways to get Xastir. The first question you might ask is whether you can just find a binary on the 'net somewhere and install it instead of compiling Xastir from sources. Yes, this is possible -- See: Downloads. However, Xastir changes so often (bug fixes and of course adding new features) that you're really limiting yourself by using pre-compiled binaries. Binaries are typically not updated all that often, if at all, so you'll forever be behind the curve.

The easiest way to have the most up to date version of Xastir is to download the source code. Another reason to compile from sources is to customize it to use all of the features you have available on your system. As you add more libraries that Xastir can use, you can do a quick configure/compile/install, and Xastir will be able to take advantage of them.

For those that really must have the latest-latest: Download the Xastir sources using CVS, then issue the command "cvs update" periodically in order to snag the latest changes. If anything comes down the pipe, just configure/make/install and then use the latest version. This avoids large file downloads (after the initial download) as it just grabs _changes_ to the sources off the 'net each time you issue the "cvs update" command. This is the power-user's method of keeping Xastir up-to-date. See Notes:CVS for details.

[edit] Installation summary

This document will take you through the steps necessary to get Xastir up and running in one of the following configurations:

1. Minimal install which will get you up and running quickly. It's recommended that you try this configuration first then add to it.
2. Typical install including maps, weather alerts, geo-coding files, etc. so that full regular operation is achieved.
3. Maximum install with all configure options enabled and most of the useful maps loaded/enabled. All the bells and whistles.

Note that you can start with either of the first two options and add only the options you wish in order to come up with your own custom configuration of Xastir.

These instructions were originially written for Linux users, and were originally distributed with the source code as text files. This Wiki is a community supported effort to update and extend the Xastir documentation. Please take the time to contribute!

Windows users should refer to the HowTo:Windows. MacOSX/Solaris/FreeBSD users should refer to the README document first, then the Install_Guides pages, and finally the below instructions for further notes.

After the three configuration sections there's a section on operating, which simply talks you through the initial configuration settings and how things work. After that you can refer to the Help menu option in Xastir itself, plus the INSTALL and README.* text files for additional information. Please note that the non-English help files lag severely behind the English help file.

First of all, NEVER RUN XASTIR AS THE ROOT USER! You're risking the security of your system by attempting it. Create another regular user on your system and use that user for all of your normal activity. This goes for any other normal activity on the system as well. Only use the "root" account for maintenance activities, not for regular user activities (see Notes:Sudo). You'll thank me later!

Before we begin, consider subscribing to the Xastir mailing list. That's where everyone is kept up-to-date on the latest features, plus lots of questions are asked/answered there on a weekly or sometimes daily basis. It's a great way to learn and to stay connected with the other Xastir users. See the mailing links on the left of the Xastir home page.

So... Let's get started!

[edit] Specific installation HowTo's

[edit] Configuring Xastir

<<fold in Configuring Xastir>>

[edit] Getting on the air

  TBD

[edit] TNC interface

To connect Xastir to a TNC, you need to define an interface. This is done in the Interface->Interface Control menu. Click Add and chose the type of interface to create. This can be:

• Serial TNC
• Serial TNC with GPS on AUX Port
• Serial TNC with GPS on HSP Cable
• Serial KISS TNC
• Serial Multi-port KISS TNC

You might need to tell xastir to use a specific startup or stop script to get your TNC initialized properly. Some specific examples are listed below.

[edit] Kenwood TM-D700 with GPS

Interfacing Xastir with a D700 couldn't be easier. Once you have Xastir running and you are ready to setup the interface to your D700 go to Interface -> Interface Control -> Add. A list of interface types will be displayed. Select "Serial TNC w/GPS on AUX port" and click "Add". This will bring up a configure screen that allows you to enter in all the pertinent information about how to connect to your D700. The TNC port entry should contain your serial port address (COM1 is /dev/ttyS0, COM2 is /dev/ttyS1, etc). The connection speed between your computer and the D700 should be selected in the Port Settings area (typical setting is 9600 bps). Port style should also be set (typical is 8,N,1). If you are running the D700 as an IGate station the you can select how you want this behavior to function on this interface under the "IGate Options". The path for your station can be set at the "Unproto Paths" area. Not to make everything work... Under your TNC Configuration Files you will have to change the files to "tnc-startup.d700" for the setup filename and "tnc-stop.d700" for the shutdown filename. These files tell Xastir how to setup your D700 to function properly.

If you have interfaced a GPS with your D700 (via the GPS port on the radio), then Xastir will receive this data as well and use it to track you. You can see the status of your GPS data by going to VIEW -> GPS Status.

If you have no GPS attached to your D700, you should select "Serial TNC" instead of "Serial TNC w/GPS on AUX port" --- in that case you'll need to set your station location through the File->Configure->Station menu or with the "Move My Station Here" item on the right-click menu in the map window. If you have no GPS attached and use the "w/GPS" option to set up the interface, Xastir will wait for valid GPS data instead of transmitting the manually entered position, and since you have no GPS it'll just not transmit your position.

[edit] Kenwood TH-D7A with GPS

Interfacing Xastir with a Kenwood D7 handheld is almost the same as connecting it to a D700. For the TNC start-up script, use "tnc-startup.thd7" instead, and for the stop script use "tnc-stop.thd7". Other than that it's the same as for a D700.

[edit] Kantronics KPC3+ TNC

If you have a Kantronics KPC3+ with no GPS attached, set up your interface to be of type "Serial TNC." If you have a GPS attached, choose "Serial TNC with GPS on AUX port." In either case you should use the start-up script "tnc-start.kpc3". There is no associated KPC3-specific tnc-stop script, so you can just leave the default there.

[edit] Internet interface

If you wish to connect Xastir to one of the internet servers you so so by selecting Interface->Interface Control, clicking "Add", and choosing the "Internet Server" option. You will need to enter

• The name of the server you wish to connect to
• The pass-code associated with your call-sign (get it from the "callpass" program that is installed at the same time you install Xastir)
• Any filter parameters you wish to use
• The port number to connect to on the Internet Server

[edit] Recommendations

Servers: if you don't know the name of the closest APRS-IS server to you, try using "rotate.aprs2.net." Look for specific servers to use at http://www.aprs2.net/.

The default port that xastir uses is an unfiltered port on the server, and using it will probably be like drinking from a firehose unless you have a very fast internet connection and want to see world-wide traffic. You are probably better off using port 14580 and specifying a filter string. See examples of what filter strings you can use at http://www.aprs-is.net/javAPRSSrvr/javaprsfilter.htm. Note that this last link will tell you to use the word "filter" at the beginning of the filter string, but that is not correct for xastir. Just leave off that first word and use only the stuff that follows their recommendations. Xastir will put in the filter keyword when it passes your string on to the server.

[edit] IGATE capabilities

  TBD

[edit] Mapping capabilities

  TBD

[edit] Where to find maps

To be filled out. See HowTo:MAPS in the meantime.

[edit] USA

[edit] Canada

Geobase.ca - Road Vector and Landsat 7 scenes of Canada
BC Geological Vector maps - Use Geographic Projection?

[edit] Installing and using maps

See HowTo:MAPS

[edit] Managing maps

  TBD

[edit] Making your own maps

 TBD

[edit] Advanced usage

  TBD

[edit] Standard appendices

[edit] See Also

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

[edit] Glossary