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https://github.com/nonoo/kappanhang

Remotely open audio channels and a serial port to an Icom RS-BA1 server (for ex. Icom IC-705 transceiver).
https://github.com/nonoo/kappanhang

amateur-radio amateurradio ham ham-radio hamradio icom radio remote-control rs-ba1 transceiver

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Remotely open audio channels and a serial port to an Icom RS-BA1 server (for ex. Icom IC-705 transceiver).

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README 

        
# kappanhang



kappanhang remotely opens audio channels and a serial port to an Icom RS-BA1

server. The app is mainly developed for connecting to the Icom IC-705

transceiver, which has built-in Wi-Fi and RS-BA1 server. All features of the

protocol are implemented including packet retransmission on packet loss.






kappanhang currently only supports Linux, but support for other platforms can

be easily added if anyone is interested and has the skills (volunteers

needed, as I'm only developing the Linux version).



Please note that the Icom IC-705 (and also the RS-BA1 protocol) does not

provide GPS data over IP so it's not possible to get the GPS data stream.



## Compatible hardware/software



- Icom RS-BA1 server software

- Icom IC-705

- Icom IC-9700

- Icom IC-7610

- Icom IC-785x



Send me an [email](mailto:[email protected]) if you've tested a new hardware or

software and it is working with kappanhang.



## Compiling



You'll need:



- Go installed on your computer. On Ubuntu-like systems, install a recent

  package `golang`.



- The development package for libpulse installed. On Ubuntu-like systems,

  this is package `libpulse-dev`.



Then:



```

go get github.com/nonoo/kappanhang

go install github.com/nonoo/kappanhang

```



This will typically install `kappanhang` into `$HOME/go/bin`.



## Required settings on the RS-BA1 server (the transceiver)



- Make sure network settings (on the Icom IC-705 in: `Menu -> Set ->

  WLAN set -> Remote settings`) are the following:

  - **Network control** is turned on.

  - **UDP ports** are on their default values:

    - Control port: `50001`

    - Serial port: `50002`

    - Audio port: `50003`

  - **Internet access line** is on the default `FTTH` value.

- Make sure the following settings are set:

  - **DATA MOD** is set to `WLAN` (on the Icom IC-705 in: `Menu -> Set ->

    Connectors -> MOD Input -> DATA MOD`)

  - **CI-V Address** is on the default `A4h` value (on the Icom IC-705 in:

    `Menu -> Set -> Connectors -> CI-V`.



## Running



You can get the available command line parameters with the `-h` command line

argument.



If no command line arguments are set, then the app will try to connect to the

host **ic-705** (ic-705.local or ic-705.localdomain) with the username `beer`

and password `beerbeer`. You can set the username with the `-u` and the

password with the `-p` command line arguments.



Here's a quick video tutorial on how to run kappanhang on a Raspberry Pi:



[![IMAGE ALT TEXT HERE](https://img.youtube.com/vi/93hYhXHCVeU/0.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93hYhXHCVeU)



After it is connected and logged in:



- Creates a virtual PulseAudio **sound card** (48kHz, s16le, mono). This can be

  used to record/play audio from/to the server (the transceiver). You can also

  set this sound card in [WSJT-X](https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html).

- Starts an **internal rigctld** server. This can be used for controlling the

  server (the transceiver) with [Hamlib](https://hamlib.github.io/) (`rigctl`)

  clients. This internal rigctld is needed for more reliable rigctl

  communication, as the original rigctld is very sensitive to timeouts.



  To use this with for example [WSJT-X](https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html),

  open WSJT-X settings, go to the *Radio* tab, set the *rig type* to `Hamlib

  NET rigctl`, and the *Network server* to `localhost`.

- Starts a **TCP server** on port `4531` for exposing the **serial port**.

  This can be used for an externally launched `rigctld` for example.



### Virtual serial port



If the `-s` command line argument is specified, then kappanhang will create a

**virtual serial port**, so other apps which don't support Hamlib can access

the transceiver directly. Look at the app log to find out the name of the

virtual serial port. It will be something like `/tmp/kappanhang-IC-705.pty`

(the server's name appended to the string *kappanhang*). After the virtual

serial port is created, the command specified with `-o` will be ran, which is

`socat /tmp/kappanhang-IC-705.pty /tmp/vmware.pty` by default. Running the

command can be disabled with `-o -`. The command is only executed once, as the

virtual serial port will stay opened even if the RS-BA1 server disconnects.

I use this command to link a COM port in a Windows OS running in VMware to

the virtual serial port, so I can use the original RS-BA1 software remote

control GUI.



### Status bar



kappanhang displays a "realtime" status bar (when the audio/serial connection

is up) with the following info:



- First status bar line:

  - `MON/REC`: current status of the audio monitor (see the *Hotkeys* section

    in this README for more information about this feature)

  - `filter`: active filter (FIL1, FIL2 etc.)

  - `preamp`: PAMP0 means the preamp is off

  - `AGC`: AGC state (F - fast, M - middle, S - slow)

  - `rfg`: RF gain in percent

  - `sql`: squelch level in percent

  - `nr`: noise reduction level in percent



- Second status bar line:

  - `S meter`: periodically refreshed S meter value, OVF is displayed on

    overflow, displays TX on transmit (or TUNE)

  - `freq`: operating frequency in MHz

  - `TS`: tuning step

  - `mode`: LSB/USB/FM etc. *-D* indicates data mode

  - `SPLIT/DUP-/DUP+`: displayed when split/DUP operation is active, the TX

    frequency is also displayed in split mode

  - `voltage`: drain voltage of the final amplifier MOS-FETs, updated when a

    TX/TUNE is over

  - `txpwr`: current transmit power setting in percent

  - `swr`: reported SWR (only displayed during TX)



- Third status bar line:

  - `up`: how long the audio/serial connection is active

  - `rtt`: roundtrip communication latency with the server

  - `up/down`: currently used upload/download bandwidth (only considering UDP

    payload to/from the server)

  - `retx`: audio/serial retransmit request count to/from the server

  - `lost`: lost audio/serial packet count from the server



Data for the first 2 status bar lines are acquired by monitoring CiV traffic

in the serial stream. S value and OVF are queried periodically, but these

queries/replies are filtered from the serial data stream sent to the TCP

serial port server and to the virtual serial port.



`retx` and `lost` are displayed in a 1 minute window, which means they will be

reset to 0 if they don't increase for 1 minute. A `retx` value other than 0

indicates issues with the connection (probably a poor Wi-Fi connection), but

if `loss` stays 0 then the issues were fixed using packet retransmission.

`loss` indicates failed retransmit sequences, so packet loss. This can cause

audio and serial communication disruptions.



If status bar interval (can be changed with the `-i` command line

argument) is equal to or above 1 second, then the realtime status bar will be

disabled and the contents of the last line of the status bar will be written

as new console log lines. This is also the case if a Unix/VT100 terminal is

not available.



### Hotkeys



- `q` (quit): closes the app

- `l` (listen): toggles audio stream playback to the default sound device.

  This is useful for quickly listening into the audio stream coming from the

  server (the transceiver).

- `space`: toggles PTT and audio stream recording from the default sound

  device. You can transmit your own voice using a mic attached to your

  computer for example.



Some basic CAT control hotkeys are also supported:



- `t`: toggles the tune process

- `+`: increases TX power

- `-`: decreases TX power

- `0` to `9`: set TX power in 10% steps

- `)`: set TX power to 100%

- `[`, `]`: decreases, increases frequency

- `{`, `}`: decreases, increases tuning step

- `;`, `'`: decreases, increases RF gain

- `!` to `(` (shift + numbers): set RF gain in 10% steps

- `:`, `"`: decreases, increases squelch level

- `,`, `.`: decreases, increases noise reduction level

- `/`: toggles noise reduction

- `n`, `m`: cycles through operating modes

- `d`, `f`: cycles through filters

- `D`: toggles data mode

- `v`, `b`: cycles through bands

- `p`: toggles preamp

- `a`: toggles AGC

- `o`: toggles VFO A/B

- `s`: toggles split/DUP+- operation



## Icom IC-705 Wi-Fi notes



Note that the built-in Wi-Fi in the Icom IC-705 has **very limited range**,

and **sensitive to interference**. If you see a lot of retransmits in the log,

or packet loss, then:



- Place the IC-705 close to your Wi-Fi AP/router, or use a Wi-Fi range

  extender device

- Make sure the Wi-Fi bandwith is set to max. 20Mhz in the Wi-Fi router (see

explanation [here](https://superuser.com/questions/542191/does-moving-my-router-from-20mhz-to-40-mhz-increase-my-wireless-speed))

- Try switching Wi-Fi channel on your Wi-Fi router. Only channels 1, 6 or 11

should be used (see explanation [here](https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/why-channels-1-6-11.html))



Sometimes rebooting the transceiver helps, as the network stack in the IC-705

is not quite free of bugs. :)



## Contributors



- Norbert Varga HA2NON [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

- Akos Marton ES1AKOS

- W6EL (passcode algorithm)



## Donations



If you find this app useful then [buy me a beer](https://paypal.me/ha2non). :)