Random Wire Review 112: November 1, 2024
Updating AllScan on a variety of AllStarLink nodes. Some Meshtastic platforms still having problems. A very interesting HF SDR platform to consider. A note about artificial intelligence.
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Contents for RWR issue 112
1. Why the UCI120 AllStarLink Audio Interface?
2. AllStarLink
2.1 Updating AllScan
2.2 Change log for AllScan
2.3 Node 57945 “node-in-the-cloud”
2.4 ClearNode 57849
2.5 Node 588411 on virtual machine
2.6 Node 588417 SHARI node
2.7 Echolink on AllStarLink
3. Meshtastic
3.1 Heltec T114 board updated, problems solved?
3.2 Meshtastic trials continue
4. RF
4.1 I Found My Yaesu VX-3R
4.2 Very interesting HF SDR radio platform
4.3 I’m liking the TD-H3 handie talkie
4.4 ATS-100 Si4732 mini-SSB pocket receiver
5. Other
5.1 Making notes while driving
5.2 Trying a different approach to running WIRES-X
5.2.1 WIRES-X on Dell OptiPlex 3050
5.2.2 AllStarLink node on Dell Wyse 5070 thin client
5.3 Interesting developments in the content/knowledge management space
5.3.1 Dokuwiki flat-file CMS
5.3.2 WordPress CMS
5.3.3 Notion
5.3.4 Alternatives that function like personal information managers
5.4 Artificial intelligence has improved
6. Closing Thoughts
6.1 Election season grace
6.2 George Bernard Shaw on service
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Focus
The storyline for this issue of the Random Wire Review is internet-connected radio systems, including AllStarLink, Meshtastic, and WIRES-X. I also include a few radio frequency (RF) items.
I use a variety of systems to access the AllStarLink network. I’ve published quite a lot about AllStarLink; there are only a few of us on Substack that touch on this topic.
I have purchased pre-built nodes and hotspots. I have built hotspots. I’ve experimented with several devices and I’ve shared a lot of that information over the past couple of years. I’ve made mistakes so you don’t have to make the same ones.
My “go to” AllStarLink nodes are the following:
Node 57945 is my “node in the cloud” that runs on a Vultr.com server in Seattle. Node 57945 operates as a hub, meaning it is used to connect other nodes together.
Node 588411 is an experimental desktop node. I’m operating this one to prove that an AllStarLink node can work when running inside a virtual machine. This node interfaces with my Cisco SIP desk phone.
Node 588412 is my always-on desktop node, consisting of an ANR100 audio interface device running AllStarLink 2 (ASL2) on a Dell Wyse 3040 thin client platform. I have a Kenwood MC-60A microphone for audio input and a big Heathkit HS-1661 speaker for audio output. In issue 111, I described a change to this node where I replaced the ANR100 interface with a new UCI120 audio interface. More on the UCI120 in a few moments. No RF is used in my 588412 node setup.
Node 588417 is a SHARI node that runs on a PiZero platform. For node 588417, I use a handie talkie on a UHF frequency to connect. Node 588417 is my favorite travel node.
I suppose you might be wondering why I spend so much time talking about AllStarLink. For me, it’s about clear audio. I live in an RF-rich environment. All of my RF-based nodes are audibly affected by radio frequency interference (RFI). The exceptions are my fully digital nodes. AllStarLink gives me worldwide coverage without my transmissions being affected by RFI (well, except for node 588417 and more on that later). If your environment is impacted by RFI, consider adding a DMR or Yaesu System Fusion hotspot . . . or, as I’ve done, take a journey into AllStarLink. With AllStarLink, you can use your existing analog VHF or UHF radios, or you can go radio-free as with my nodes 588411 and 588412.
I also enjoy working the computer side of things. An interesting take on all this is a recent article in Hackaday titled Ham Radio in The Internet Age. The author offers some conclusions (and I’ve shortened this a bit for brevity):
Some old hams say the Internet is ruining ham radio. I say it is changing ham radio just like it has changed virtually everything else. Some of those changes aren’t that drastic anyway. For years, people chasing awards, trying to work long distances, or participating in contests have very short contacts. …What’s more is that you don’t have to use any of this if you don’t want to. …Hams work with advanced signal processing software, satellites, moon bounce, support communities, design antennas, foster school education, work during disasters, and push the envelope on microwave communication. No matter what your interests, there’s something you’ll enjoy doing. …In many ways, hams were the original hackers, and you might be surprised by how many hackers you know who are hams already. I don’t know what ham radio will look like in the year 2100, but I know it will be pushing the limits of technology, somehow.
With that as background, let’s dive into the meat of this newsletter!
1. Why the UCI120 AllStarLink Audio Interface?
As I noted in issue 111, I recently purchased a new audio interface, the UCI120. Last week, I asked the creator of the UCI120, David Gleason NR9V: Why did you decide to design a printed circuit board (PCB) audio interface (the UCI120) for AllStarLink?
David’s reply is interesting:
Well, the truth is that often what makes an exceptional engineer is the avoidance of manual labor, i.e., creating more efficient ways to do things or automate things. After building about 50 ANR100-A's last year it was time to think bigger and avoid the tedium of modifying and soldering various modules together (over one hour per node). Makes a lot more sense to design a PCB, leverage highly automated manufacturing technology, and make the product work exactly how I'd like with a custom enclosure, nicer LEDs, more I/O options, etc. There's nothing else that does what the UCI120 does and I knew it would be very popular so it was just something that had to be done. I'm continuing to make small improvements and will keep at it until it's as solid as can be. There are a lot of subtle design details, different use cases, cost trade-offs, and potential issues and it is a lot of work to continue to refine the design. The whole process has been very educational and has enabled me to start branching into other new products, such as the URI100 which I should have some prototypes of in the next week and which should be an exciting, low-cost but high-performance URI for use with HTs or mobile radios.
In my nonprofit work, we use the phrase “continual improvement” a lot. David puts this concept into practice. His work to improve the audio quality of AllStarLlink nodes, and make it easier for people to use ASL, is exceptional. I use his AllScan program regularly, preferring it over Allmon and Supermon.
So what is the UCI120 audio interface?
The AllScan UCI120 USB Communications Interface replaces the ANR100-A Radio-less Node Audio Module, putting all parts on one PCB, adding more status LEDs, making the mic gain controls and additional Line Out jack standard features, and adding additional interior controls to fine-tune audio and mic AGC parameters. The UCI120 is a professional-grade yet low-cost USB Audio/PTT communications interface that sets a new standard for AllStar and other PTT communications applications. The UCI120 is designed and optimized for use with communications microphones, speakers and other audio equipment, and is not intended to directly interface to radio transmitters or receivers.
Currently, my UCI120 is being used for my desktop node 588412, connected to a Dell Wyse 3040 thin client machine, a Kenwood MC-60A desk microphone, and a Heathkit HS-1661 speaker. It integrated into my system very easily and sounds great. The front panel LEDs provide helpful information and are not too bright. Overall, the UCI120 is simply a great device. I’m impressed.
(I’ll be experimenting with some alternatives to the 3040 platform in the near future, not because there is anything wrong with the 3040, but simply because I like to try new things. One of those things will be installing ASL3 on the new platform.)
If you’re interested in AllStarLink and want to see several different ways you can obtain or build a node, I encourage you to visit https://allscan.info. I have benefited greatly from David’s work and appreciate his continued contributions to AllStarLink.
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2. AllStarLink
2.1 Updating AllScan
I have several AllStarLink nodes, probably too many! David Gleason NR9V — the creator of AllScan for AllStarLink — has been updating his code these past few weeks. When I saw his change log, I realized it was time to update my nodes.
Visit https://allscan.info/ for all things AllScan.
How to install AllScan or update your node is explained well at https://github.com/davidgsd/AllScan?tab=readme-ov-file#automatic-install--update
The updating process went smoothly for me on all of my nodes. (I note that I violated a long-held personal rule: never update software on a Friday afternoon. If it goes badly, your weekend can get consumed making things right again.) David did a great job of scripting.
2.2 Change log for AllScan
David has been keeping up with AllStarLink and HamVOIP software changes. It’s instructive to look at the last several release notes for AllScan:
v0.87 2024-10-18
Fix bug where on new installs on nodes with no existing favorites files the main page would not fully load. Other minor optimizations.v0.86 2024-10-15
Simplify entry of node Call Sign, Location and Title configs for installs that do not have a Supermon global.inc file from which these can be imported. In this case a form is now shown where these settings can be easily entered.v0.85 2024-10-15
Add Favorites File Management functions to the Cfgs Tab, and a Favorites File Select control to the main page. These functions support viewing, downloading, copying, deleting, renaming and uploading favorites files, and enable simple switching between them.v0.83 2024-09-12
Improve detection of enabled ASL channel driver and RxAudioStats support.v0.82 2024-09-08
Show additional messages in the log window at startup including which ASL channel driver is enabled, audio gain settings, and ASL RxAudioStats support.v0.81 2024-08-26
Updates to AMI parser to auto-detect Asterisk version and support differences in some commands in ASL2/3. Restart Asterisk button now works with ASL3. Display ASL version in messages window at startup. Fix issue where in ASL3 after Asterisk restart AMI stats error messages could repeat indefinitely, in this event AllScan will now reload. Update default favorites.ini file. Fix some php log warning messages.v0.78 2024-08-11
Update install script for ASL3 to make a readable copy of the allmon3.ini file (outside of the web server root folder with 660 permissions) to ensure AMI credentials are available to AllScan. Note: Be sure you have Allmon3 fully working before installing/updating AllScan. This update is not needed for ASL2/HV nodes.v0.77 2024-07-01
Updates to support use of ASL3, and Allmon3 .ini file. If you do not have Allmon2 or Supermon installed, AllScan will now also check /etc/allmon3/allmon3.ini for the AMI credentials (note: may be necessary to execute "sudo chmod o+r /etc/allmon3/allmon3.ini" so the file is readable).
You can tell that David has been keeping up with changes to AllStarLink as it moved from version 2 to version 3. I very much appreciate the level of support for AllScan he has been providing. If I haven’t mentioned it lately, AllScan makes it ever so much easier to use AllStarLink, especially at my desk with my computer handy. AllStarLink is useful without AllScan, but AllScan makes it a better experience. I can see when nodes in my Favorites are active, and switching from node to node is fast and easy.
2.3 Node 57945 “node-in-the-cloud”
My public node-in-the-cloud is ASL2 on Debian 12, running in a Vultr.com server instance. Node 57945 operates as a hub. I encountered no problems whatsoever with updating to AllScan release 0.87:
The latest version of AllScan adds some Favorites management capabilities. Since I have more than one Favorites file on the 57945 machine, a dropdown selector included in AllScan 0.86 gives me the opportunity to select the file I want to use for a particular session. Clicking Cfgs in the top menu opens a page that allows me to download my current favorites.ini file and upload a new one. Very nice.
While I was in my Vultr.com instance, I noticed I needed to add some funds. Node 57945 costs me about $7.60/month. My actual invoices have been higher because I was using some object storage on Vultr for another project but I’ve backed out of that.
I incur extra cost at $0.05/GB per month for stored snapshots. I have four snapshots stored so I can always roll back to a working version and I have done that several times. I also have weekly backups enabled. While these services add a bit of cost, it’s not much and it gives me substantial peace of mind. Overall, I’ve had a very good experience with Vultr.com. If you choose to give them a try, please consider using my Vultr link: https://www.vultr.com/?ref=9261098
2.4 ClearNode 57849
I continue to have some RF problems with my ClearNode but I keep it because it’s such a great little device. Upgrading AllScan on the ClearNode was uneventful.
AllScan installed without any hiccups. However, you might note my Allstar version is a bit behind the times. I reached out to the vendor at https://www.node-ventures.com/ for a script he offers to upgrade to ASL3.
The upgrade process to move to ASL3 is a bit more complicated for the ClearNode. After letting the vendor know you want to upgrade, he remotely enables the ability to upgrade. You backup your ClearNode settings and remove the microSD card, setting it aside (I like to put it in an envelope I can label and file). The vendor supplies an image file that you then flash to a new microSD card. (I used Balena Etcher for this.) When flashing the image is completed, insert the microSD card into the ClearNode, plug it in, and wait patiently for the process to complete. Several reboots will occur if the process goes normally. And if it does go well, your ClearNode will be running ASL3 with your previous settings. The vendor provides more detailed instructions than contained in this summary.
This did not go well for me. I spent hours making fresh images and trying the automatic install script. My node never did update completely to ASL3 so eventually I put the original microSD card back in. ASL3 will have to come at a later time.
2.5 Node 588411 on virtual machine
Unlike my other nodes, 588411 does run ASL3. Before upgrading AllScan, I ran sudo apt update and sudo apt upgrade to bring the operating system packages up to date. Then I ran the AllScan update script. The update completed without any problems.
I have a bit more to say about node 588411 on a virtual machine in section 5.2 below.
2.6 Node 588417 SHARI node
I also updated my SHARI node which is a Kits4Hams SHARI PiZero build. I’m less familiar with how the SHARI nodes work so I was a little more nervous about updating AllScan on this platform, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about. It went very smoothly indeed.
I do get a bit of radio frequency interference (RFI) when I transmit from my handie talkie through node 588417, but it is greatly subdued compared to what my ClearNode picks up. I tend to keep the ClearNode turned off and the SHARI PiZero turned on.
2.7 Echolink on AllStarLink
As long as I was SSH’ing into my nodes to run updates, I configured my virtual machine node 588411 to allow Echolink connections. I could get AllStarLink (ASL) to connect to Echolink nodes but I never could hear audio. Node 588411 audio runs through my SIP phone. Eventually, I disabled Echolink in modules.conf and rebooted the node.
Then I did the same thing on my SHARI node 588417 and encountered the same issue: I can make a connection, but I don’t hear audio. Node 588417 is accessed via a handie talkie.
By the way, I configured /etc/asterisk/echolink.conf in both nodes with my Echolink sysop address of KJ7T-L (Echolink node 185127) which I made sure was validated through echolink.org.
Node 588411 has a firewall and I made sure to allow ports 5198, 5199, and 5200. I also added port forwarding for those ports. I forwarded the same ports to the IP address for SHARI node 588417. I did not find a firewall on the SHARI node.
This is all a bit of a mystery to me. There are some nets on Echolink that I enjoy listening to so I was hoping to accomplish this through one of my ASL interfaces. Web searches did not reveal any particularly helpful information so no joy on this so far. Echolink would be a convenience; it’s not a requirement.
But then I saw this note posted by David NR9V on October 24th:
Confirmed yesterday that the EchoLink Windows app fully supports the UCI120 (enable SysOp mode, RX Ctrl -> Carrier Detect set to "URI", and "Invert Sense" Checkbox checked). An EchoLink update was needed to support the UCI120's newer CM108B IC but once I had contacted them about that they had a new version of the program out within hours.
Based on that, I think I’ll have to give Echolink another shot.
The upshot from all these different nodes is simply this: there are a lot of ways to connect to, and use, AllStarLink. You can spend a little or a lot. Many people have already blazed these trails for you. Dive in if you are interested!
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3. Meshtastic
I include Meshtastic in this grouping of “internet-connected radio systems” because in my experience, most Meshtastic nodes are linked to the internet through user smartphones. The real beauty of Meshtastic is that it does not have to use the internet to communicate with other nearby nodes.
3.1 Heltec T114 board updated, problems solved?
Heltec has announced that the first version of their T114 development board has been updated to revision 2.0.
Key changes from rev 1.0 to rev 2.0 include:
The circuit board was changed from 4 layers to 6 layers so that both the RF part and the crystal oscillator part can obtain a more complete ground;
The circuit was changed from lead-free to immersion gold process, which is more friendly to signal transmission;
The position of some components was adjusted;
The RF path was optimized according to the six-layer board structure;
The direction of the 2.4GHz Bluetooth antenna and IPEX LoRa antenna interface was changed to make them farther away.
The new board is available directly from Heltec and through AliExpress:
I took advantage of my 20% discount at Heltec to order a new board with display and case. Details on how to get your discount code are at the end of the Heltec announcement. Spoiler: you need to flash a bit of firmware to your affected T114 device to obtain the board identifier.
The battery I had ordered on Amazon is no longer available so I’ll try this one:
The dimensions are similar to what I used before so I’m hoping it fits. The first battery barely fit into the tiny case!
3.2 Meshtastic trials continue
I’m still having trouble with my Meshtastic devices. Arrrggghhh!
The ones based on the Heltec T114 board are unstable. The WisMesh Pocket, based on the RAK4631 board, is also proving to be unstable.
I can’t update the T114 units because Heltec pulled the firmware from the Meshtastic flasher utility (https://flasher.meshtastic.org). As of Saturday, October 26th, the firmware was still not available in the flasher utility. (EDIT: As of Friday, November 1st, Heltec T114 firmware is once again available in the Flasher.)
The display and the Bluetooth connection for my RAK4631 devices die after a few days of operating. This has now happened with several replacement units. My guess is there is a hardware issue that has not yet been adequately resolved through firmware updates.
To update the WisMesh Pocket, I’m finding the method that had worked most of the time is to erase the firmware and install a fresh copy. I usually have to go backward to an older firmware in order to get the display back. Once I see the display, I can install the newest available firmware. However, this no longer works. The vendor suggested installing a fresh bootloader. That is a more involved process and I haven’t gone down that rabbit hole yet.
It seems to me these newer Meshtastic devices are getting rolled out to consumers before they have been thoroughly tested. I’m not a big fan of letting paying customers be your product testers. Meshtastic has become a popular topic so there is undoubtedly a lot of competition for consumer dollars right now. And I know I’ve contributed to the problem by eagerly snapping up new devices. I think we need to slow down a bit so these units can be tested more thoroughly.
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4. RF
4.1 I Found My Yaesu VX-3R
Stored safely in a box buried under other boxes was my old, tiny, and trusty, Yaesu VX-3R handie-talkie. This was one of my favorite shirt-pocket radios when near my home club’s repeater. I carried it in my pocket or on my belt whenever I was in downtown Shelton, Washington. The VX-3R is easy to carry and the audio clarity is good enough for repeater work.
However, I did not find the charger for it. Not to worry, Amazon has a solution for only $18 that converts 5V USB to the proper input voltage for the radio. After I got the battery charged, I discovered that the memory in the radio was not volatile, meaning it still had my repeater frequencies stored in memory.
Several months ago, when I was sure my VX-3R was lost forever, I bought a couple of Baofeng UV-3R radios. I have not gotten around to fiddling with them yet. (Too many projects!)
The Baofeng is a little bigger in all dimensions. I assume I’ll be able to use CHIRP to program it but it has been a side project for so long that I’ve forgotten that detail. What I haven’t forgotten is how much I like the little Yaesu radio. It’s a shame something in this size and modernized a bit is not offered by the major radio manufacturers. (There is one used VX-3R on eBay right now if you’re interested: https://www.ebay.com/itm/276705116147!)
4.2 Very interesting HF SDR radio platform
I am learning about a software-defined radio platform that seems like a winner. I’m talking about the Hermes Lite 2. If you lean toward open source “stuff” like I do, this may be worth checking out. From the website:
The Hermes-Lite is a low-cost direct down/up conversion software defined amateur radio HF transceiver based on a broadband modem chip and the Hermes SDR project. It is entirely open source and open hardware, including the tools used for design and fabrication files. Over 500 Hermes-Lite 2.0 units have been successfully built.
Claude VE2DPE has a good write-up about the Hermes Lite 2: SDR Ham Radio Transceiver Hermes Lite 2 (HL2) for "pure" SSB operation. Larry WR9R adds an automatic antenna tuner to the HL2: The Hermes Lite 2 With An ATU? eHam users give the HL2 4.9 stars.
It looks like the two most popular control interfaces are PowerSDR and Thetis. SDR Radio publishes helpful setup hints and examples at https://www.sdr-radio.com/hermes-lite-2
The version that looks particularly attractive to me is the Hermes Lite 2+. This is creating by adding the AK4951 Companion Board Kit to the Hermes Lite 2. The companion board adds several features to the Hermes Lite 2:
Adds a headphone "PHONES" jack to the front panel, with sidetone in CW mode
Adds a microphone "MIC" jack with PTT to the front panel
Adds an IAMBIC keyer to the "KEY" jack, a straight or external keyer usage is preserved, and there is even an electronic bug mode
Adds a dedicated Hardrock-50 Power Amplifier control interface with band switching and PTT which follows the transceiver
Adds a dedicated ICOM AH4 antenna tuner control interface (with a user-built interface cable)
Adds a local speaker output, with sidetone in CW mode
Greatly reduces latency in both CW and SSB modes
Clearly, the Hermes Lite 2 is not a plug-and-play appliance. The assembly steps don’t look difficult, but configuring the device to operate the way you want is going to take some familiarity with computer networking. If you’re comfortable with computers (like me!), the HL2 could be a great choice for your home high-frequency station.
I’ve purposefully not included pricing in this write-up. If you’ve priced other high-quality SDR radios, I think you’ll be shocked at how inexpensive an HL2 station might be. I’m not seeing anything that dissuades me from exploring this platform.
Hat tip to Jeff W7NEE for tuning me into the Hermes information!
4.3 I’m liking the TD-H3 handie talkie
I am liking the TIDRADIO TD-H3 handheld radio.
This is perhaps the best $36 I’ve spent on a radio.
I’m using it with a couple of my AllStarLink nodes. While the audio isn’t “Kenwood quality” it seems good enough for me. The ability to recharge the battery with a USB-C cable is a great convenience. And if I break it or lose it? It’s not like damaging a several-hundred-dollar radio!
If you’re considering this radio, spend a few minutes with this introduction to the TD-H3 on YouTube. This video provides a good foundation for the TD-H3.
4.4 ATS-100 Si4732 mini-SSB pocket receiver
I pulled out a receiver I picked up from Aliexpress several months ago to make sure I remembered how to use it. This video helped:
The radio construction is a bit iffy. The telescoping antenna fits loosely through the top of the case and some users have reported that the telescoping antenna was not attached inside the radio.
To turn it on, you hold down the rotary power switch for about four seconds. Do the same to turn it off. To change bands and settings quick-press the switch. For example, to change the volume, quick press the switch, rotate the control to Vol, then quick press to select volume control, then rotate the control to raise or lower the volume. The best way to understand this is to think of the switch as a multi-function switch/selector.
The radio does work. I can pick up clean FM broadcast signals and hear shortwave signals, subject to the capture ability of the antenna. Charging is via a USB-C connector. There are audible clicks or pops when the radio is activated.
If I was going to do this again, I might spring for a Tecsun PL365 pocket receiver which received good marks in a review on SWLing.com. On eBay, the PL365 is not much more money the ATS100. Find the ATS100 on AliExpress.
Of course, if I was thinking of going for the Tecsun PL365, I’d probably upgrade to the PL365 replacement, the PL368. Replacing the rotary controls of the PL365 is a keypad for direct frequency entry on the PL368. The PL368 is available on Amazon. It’s even cheaper if you want to purchase through AliExpress. A few issues were identified in a SWLing.com review. A later firmware update for the PL368 may, or may not, have resolved some issues. Still, the convenient form factor (pocket sized) and front-panel keypad entry make me lean toward the PL368. I’ll be watching for deals on the PL368.
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5. Other
5.1 Making notes while driving
I discovered something that is going to help me remember what I want to write about. When driving with Android Auto operating, I can simply say: “Hey Google, make a note.” Google asks me what I want to capture and I state it. The note is transcribed into Google Keep for later retrieval.
For example, while driving from Portland toward Pendleton on I-84, I heard a call on 146.52 MHz. I answered and ended up having a long conversation with Jed KK7IRI. The note I made says:
Had a nice long QSO with KK7IRI who likes old stuff so I turned him on to the Ham Radio Workbench podcast since he likes to build
Yes, I could have made that sound a bit more grammatically correct but the essence is there, enough to remind me what I was thinking of when I made the note.
I have been using a handheld pocket digital voice recorder but that hasn’t worked as well as I thought it would. I’d forget to charge it or forget to listen to my notes. Capturing notes in Google Keep while driving is proving to be a great tool for me. It is handy (and safer) to initiate a note by voice rather than pull out a device and glance down to find the right buttons to push.
The digital recorder works for long-form notes. For short notes and ideas, using Google Keep works very nicely.
5.2 Trying a different approach to running WIRES-X
I do love my big Xeon-powered server. It just doesn’t seem to care how much I throw at it — it just keeps on chugging away. The thing is a tank. However, the platform was built for an environment in which power consumption was not a concern. At home, it consumes more energy than I’d like.
5.2.1 WIRES-X on Dell OptiPlex 3050
I’m going to try a different approach for my WIRES-X Portable Digital Node (PDN). I’ve purchased a Dell OptiPlex 3050 mini-PC. At 13.8” x 6.1” x 4”, it’s not quite as mini as I’d like, but I have a spot beside the PDN where I can stand the computer on its side. Weighing in at 17.49 pounds, this platform is pretty beefy.
Setting it up this way means I can power down my big server most of the time (well, with one more change I’ll describe in a moment). Powering it up for weekly backups would consume a lot less electricity than keeping it running 24x7.
The OptiPlex has plenty of juice to handle WIRES-X. In the piece I wrote in June 2024, I included links to the SCU-58 cable set, the WIRES-X software, and more. I think this will work and I’ll be able to reduce my power consumption.
One of the issues with the OptiPlex 3050 is running it in headless mode, i.e., without a monitor and keyboard. A solution for this is changing a setting in the computer’s BIOS so that it won’t stop booting if it doesn’t detect the monitor or keyboard. I’ll use Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to control the device from another computer.
I see that several drivers for the OptiPlex 3050 have been updated recently. I’ll need to spend some time bringing the system up to speed before installing WIRES-X. I’ll also need to figure out how to run the 3050 in headless mode (that is, without a monitor or keyboard attached). Usually, the settings to do this are found in the BIOS, sometimes simply amounting to ignoring all POST (power on self test) warnings.
I was going to use a Dell Wyse 5070 thin client machine running Windows 10 Pro, but the clock speed does not meet the minimum 2.0 GHz speed stated by Yaesu as a minimum requirement.
Being a bit of a contrarian, though, I went ahead and did a test installation of WIRES-X on the 5070…and it seems to work fine. I’ve since removed it from the 5070. Next week, I’ll upgrade the memory in the 5070 to 32 Gb (the max capacity is 32 Gb).
5.2.2 AllStarLink node on Dell Wyse 5070 thin client
And what is the “one more change I’ll describe in a moment” bit? The other key piece of software running on the big server is AllStarLink (ASL) for my node 588411 which runs in a VirtualBox virtual machine on the ThinkStation P510 server. I mainly use node 588411 to monitor nets while I’m working at my desk.
I selected VirtualBox for three reasons: I’ve used it before, it runs on a variety of platforms, and it’s free. TechRadar has a good review of VirtualBox if this sounds interesting, concluding:
VirtualBox is one of the best virtualization software that you can get your hands on for free. Most other virtualization tools offering similar features charge substantial sums. We like that VirtualBox is compatible with the three most popular desktop operating systems and gives access to unique features like Guest Additions.
(However, I’m going to be experimenting with Proxmox as a virtual hosting platform as it seems to need less resources than VirtualBox.)
My experiment with ASL in a virtual machine was successful. Will it run on the more limited Dell Wyse 5070? The answer is: yes, it does!
I installed VirtualBox on the 5070 that is running Windows 10 Pro. Then I exported a copy of my 588411 node virtual machine (VM) from the ThinkStation server and imported it into VirtualBox on the 5070. The VM runs Debian 12 Linux. I did have to adjust the memory allocations a little bit for the VM to run smoothly on the 5070, and I also had to adjust the networking settings. Those are the only settings changed in the imported VM. After updating the settings for my Cisco SIP phone, I find I can use the phone to access the node just as I was doing before. To be clear, node 588411 has moved from the big ThinkStation P510 server to the little Dell Wyse 5070 thin client, running on Windows 10 Pro in a Debian 12 virtual machine.
(By the way, if you want to know how to set up a Windows 10 Pro machine for automatic login and a bunch of other settings you’ll need to run WIRES-X, check out this informative PDF: https://www.hamoperator.com/Fusion/FusionFiles/K9EQ-FUSION-PDF-0021-Win10_Setup.pdf.)
For WIRES-X, I will wait for the OptiPlex to arrive. It will have more speed and capacity than the 5070. I expect that I’ll install VirtualBox on the OptiPlex and then move the node 588411 virtual machine to the OptiPlex once the WIRES-X node is running there. These changes will allow me to keep the ThinkStation server off most of the time. Local backups will go to the Synology DS220+ machine, and I’ll crank up the big server once every week or two to synchronize backups. Fingers crossed as I move things around!
5.3 Interesting developments in the content/knowledge management space
I’m a bit of a content management system (CMS) junkie. I’ve used Joomla, Drupal, Plone, and several other systems. In recent years, I’ve settled on using WordPress to create and manage several websites.
(For me, this journey started in the mid-1990s when I built my first website by hand. Then when I went to work for the State of Washington, I created my own home-built CMS. An example from October 2000 is viewable at https://web.archive.org/web/20001019033006/http://www.conserver.org/. When my homebrew system had security problems, I started experimenting with commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) software.)
5.3.1 Dokuwiki flat-file CMS
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with a flat-file CMS called Dokuwiki. (Flat-file means it uses the computer’s file system, not a database, for page content and structure.) This is open-source software. I like the flat-file approach. For most, our website content is light enough that a flat-file system will work very nicely. However, if you have hundreds of pages of content, a system that holds content in an SQL database may be faster.
I opened up a Dokuwiki test installation running on the XAMPP development environment. Wow, it has been quite some time since I ran this instance of Dokuwiki! The software was significantly out of date. Upgrading did not take long, but I had to remind myself how to do it.
I want to try to use Dokuwiki more, but hold the phone because new systems are developing and maturing now.
5.3.2 WordPress CMS
There has been some brinkmanship and legal wrangling happening in the WordPress world. If you run a website using the open-source version of WordPress, you might want to read up on this. If the conflict between WordPress.org and WPEngine.com does not end well, quite a few websites and hosting services could be affected. I’m watching this situation because in my personal and work lives, I host several websites on WordPress. I’m thinking about different website platforms just in case I need to move content to a different system.
5.3.3 Notion
One of the more interesting offerings is a service called Notion. It’s kind of hard to explain what Notion is. You can use it to capture notes or to write research papers. You can use it to build websites. You can manage projects, create calendars, track goals, and build a journal. And you can collaborate with others on all or part of what is in your Notion space.
I’ve tried Notion a few times and find it to be overly complicated. It comes across as too unstructured to be usable. I like to understand how a system captures and indexes information and find Notion just too obscure to be comfortable.
5.3.4 Alternatives that function like personal information managers
And this is where this discussion about content management system takes a bit of a left turn. Dokuwiki, WordPress, and Notion can all present your data via web pages. Next I take a jump to apps that lean toward personal information management rather than publishing content on the web.
Somewhat more structured (translation: it’s a little easier for me to understand) is a product called xTiles. It does much of what Notion does seems easier. Here’s a minute-and-a-half demo:
The free version is certainly powerful enough for most people, I would think. I’m going to give xTiles a deeper look very soon, especially as it might work well for my small team at work. (However, as my employees settle into using the Microsoft 365 suite of applications, I will also take a look at Microsoft Loop as a way for my team to coordinate better.)
As a simple test, I created a few lists of tasks in xTiles. I did that without reading any instructions. You can see the lists at: https://xtiles.app/671c0f312c0642106a9ac982. Many templates are available, from project planning and goals lists to journaling, brain dumps, and trip planning. A gallery of templates is viewable at https://xtiles.app/en/template-category/xtiles-template-gallery/. If you think of a database as a list of lists, then xTiles is going to make a lot of sense.
The xTiles folks have been sending me helpful suggestions and examples every day. For a new user of the system, this is very helpful. I’ll close this bit about xTiles by noting that a mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices.
Capacities also looks powerful and a bit simpler than Notion. The free version has plenty of capacity. And there is appflowy which claims to “bring projects, wikis, and teams together with AI.” appflowy has a free tier.
There are several other alternatives to Notion but xTiles, Capacities, and appflowy rise to the top for me because they appear relatively easy to use and offer free accounts to help you get started.
5.4 Artificial intelligence has improved
A few years ago, I shared my thoughts about artificial intelligence (AI) in amateur radio. This week, I asked Google Gemini: What is the best amateur radio for a newly licensed operator?
Here’s what Gemini had to say:
The "best" amateur radio for a newly licensed operator depends on your specific needs and budget. Here are a few popular options to consider:
Handheld Radios:
Yaesu FT-65R: A popular choice for its durability, ease of use, and good audio quality. It's great for mobile or portable operation.
Baofeng UV-5R: A more affordable option, but it may require some technical knowledge to configure. It's a good choice for experimenting and learning the basics.
Mobile Radios:
Retevis RT95: A dual-band mobile radio with a large display and good features. It's a great choice for installing in a vehicle.
Icom IC-7300: A high-performance HF transceiver with a touchscreen display and many advanced features. It's a great choice for serious enthusiasts.
Other Considerations:
Your interests: If you're interested in digital modes, you may want to consider a radio with built-in digital modes.
Your budget: Handheld radios are generally more affordable than mobile radios.
Your operating style: If you plan to operate mostly mobile, a handheld radio is a good choice. If you plan to operate from a fixed location, a mobile radio is a better option.
Ultimately, the best way to choose a radio is to do some research and talk to other hams. You can also visit a local ham radio store to see different radios in person.
Here are some additional tips for choosing a radio:
Look for a radio with good reviews.
Make sure the radio is compatible with your antenna.
Consider the radio's warranty.
Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Then I asked Rytr (another AI engine) this question: Is Amateur Radio Still Meaningful and Useful Today? I gave Rytr these keywords/phrases — amateur radio, radio frequency, high frequency, data, packets, emergency communications, cellular networks, satellite phones — and asked it to write in a thoughtful tone. Here’s what Rytr produced:
Amateur radio, often referred to as ham radio, continues to hold significant meaning and utility in today's fast-paced, technology-driven world. Despite the proliferation of cellular networks and satellite phones, the unique capabilities of amateur radio remain relevant. It operates on various frequencies—particularly high frequency (HF)—allowing for long-distance communication that can surpass the limitations of traditional communication methods.
One of the most compelling aspects of amateur radio is its role in emergency communications. In times of crisis when cellular networks may become overloaded or fail entirely, amateur radio operators can step in to provide critical communication links. They utilize data packets to relay information efficiently, ensuring that vital messages reach their intended recipients even when other systems are down.
Moreover, the community surrounding amateur radio fosters a spirit of collaboration and learning among enthusiasts. Operators constantly experiment with new technologies and techniques, contributing to a rich reservoir of knowledge that benefits both individual users and society at large. In this light, amateur radio is not just a hobby; it is a meaningful tool for connection and resilience in an ever-evolving landscape of communication technologies.
Gemini’s response isn’t too far off base, even if it is quite general. Rytr’s response is pretty good.
Based on these responses, and comparing back to what I was seeing when I stuck my toe in these waters two years ago, AI capabilities seem to have improved. Most of us have heard about ChatGPT but there are many alternatives in the AI space. I look forward to testing some other AI services with amateur radio questions!
Note: I will always identify sections that were produced by an AI tool!
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6. Closing Thoughts
6.1 Election season grace
Please consider giving each other some extra grace in November. With every election, there are winners and losers. Sometimes after election day, some of your amateur radio friends are going to be doing a happy dance and others will be downcast, maybe even angry. Fortunately, our radio hobby is so diverse and enjoyable it can help take our minds off the election outcomes.
In my experience, radio amateurs tend to be good people. Maybe we can each be a little more patient than usual when one of our friends needs to vent for a few minutes. Then we can get back to talking / thinking / building / improving radio!
6.2 George Bernard Shaw on service
My other closing thought is a quote from George Bernard Shaw that touches on the idea of service to others. I like this quote a lot.
This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no “brief candle” for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
Powerful stuff!
