Posted: 3/7/2015 11:36:07 PM EDT
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What would be a good, cheap computer for radio programming and perhaps other functions in the future?
I have other computers at home and don't need it for gaming or anything intensive. Just something small, lightweight, cheap and functional. |
It might not be the solution for everyone but this will be mine. Linux Mint in a Mini box. Somewhere about a month or so out.
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Quoted:
What would be a good, cheap computer for radio programming and perhaps other functions in the future? I have other computers at home and don't need it for gaming or anything intensive. Just something small, lightweight, cheap and functional. No specific recommendations other than: If you're on a budget, make sure it has a "DB9" Serial Port on the back - don't confuse this for the 15 pin VGA monitor connection. A real serial port makes a few common tasks easier. |
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Raspberry Pi 2. Add a good serial adapter, keyboard, mouse, and monitor and you've got something that will run every ham radio application on Linux.
And they're only like $40 shipped. Add $15 for a micro SD card, case, and USB micro power supply and you're still under 75. |
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Quoted:
Raspberry Pi 2. Add a good serial adapter, keyboard, mouse, and monitor and you've got something that will run every ham radio application on Linux. And they're only like $40 shipped. Add $15 for a micro SD card, case, and USB micro power supply and you're still under 75. This. And if you get a VESA adaptor, the pi will mount to the back of a standard flat monitor. Perfect little compact package! |
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I think you're better off going to office max or meglomart and buying a $300 toshiba or HP, than a linux box that won't work for many ham radio applications.
Ham Radio Deluxe G4HFQ Software WSJT etc seems to me most ham radio software is made to run on MSwindows |
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I think you're better off going to office max or meglomart and buying a $300 toshiba or HP, than a linux box that won't work for many ham radio applications. Ham Radio Deluxe FLDIGI and FLRIG G4HFQ Software Chirp or most others using wine WSJT WSJTX etc seems to me most ham radio software is made to run on MSwindows So I guess the last 3 or 4 years I have had to sit out 
I can do anything a windows user can and then some. I don't have to pay for a license, the software is mine to do with what I want, there is a packaging system that keeps me from going to 1980s FTP servers to download what I hope is a clean exe, etc etc |
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Hmmm...I never could get it to run worth a damn in ubuntu years ago.
I could start it in wine, and after a while it went batshit. I'm not seeing rig control in your screenshot. ? If you can get it to run, with rig control, soundcard RX/TX etc., I'll probably install MINT on a spare HD and try it too. please let me know if you can make it stable 
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That is because it is not hooked up to my radio att. I am in the living room messing around on my laptop.
You know how they say don't ask how a magic trick is done because you will be disappointed? Same here. It runs 100% stable but violates the request the OP had. |
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Quoted:
I think you're better off going to office max or meglomart and buying a $300 toshiba or HP, than a linux box that won't work for many ham radio applications. Ham Radio Deluxe G4HFQ Software WSJT etc seems to me most ham radio software is made to run on MSwindows Nearly all the software runs under MS Windows. I have an old laptop that is XP that I use for programming my Reef Tank controller. I have another that I'm considering setting up for programming radios. |
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Quoted:
That is because it is not hooked up to my radio att. I am in the living room messing around on my laptop. You know how they say don't ask how a magic trick is done because you will be disappointed? Same here. It runs 100% stable but violates the request the OP had. maybe you can start a new thread about linux & HRD ? |
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What are we looking at programming?
Nearly all the Icom CS will run under Wine (you have to learn how to symbolically link the Wine's com ports to /dev/tty*). None of the Motorola RSS or CPS will. If you want to program DOS based radios, DOSBox would work fine on stuff like Kenwood software...Icom and Motorola software there is still a glitch that requires a real serial port and a Windows base (due to the chips used in the Icom cables and the Motorola RIB) but otherwise software runs just fine. If everything you are looking at programming runs in Chirp, go Linux (it's easier to keep Chirp up to date in Linux and by easier I mean it's pretty much automated). USB to serial adapters go bad occasionally...my Tripplite adapter kicked the bucked in the middle of writing a codeplug to my PM400 after two years of heavy use. What I'd do, is hold off for a P4 or Centrino Toughbook (I saw a guy at Belton selling /\/\ stamped toughbooks with XP for $200). I'm holding out for a Core 2 Duo or i3 refurbed toughbook myself. Toughbooks are some of the only laptops you can order from the factory that ship with serial ports still. |
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If any of the gurus with linux want a part time job make windows stuff run on linux that used a properitary bitlock I may be intereseted depending on which job I decide to keep, especially if you get make a bitlock interface thru linux to work with a windows based program. Company has thrown > $100k in consulting fees at it and had no luck. |